Empty Buildings Convert Into Hotels

<B> Empty Buildings Convert Into Hotels</B>

By Robert Selwitz

<I>St. Louis</I> - Building on the city's tradition of converting existing buildings into hotels, three industrial sites are set to become hotels within the next two years. Recently announced plans call for the former Edison warehouse, the former Cupples warehouse complex and the partially demolished Fur Exchange to join St. Louis' growing lodging stock.

Developer Donald Breckenridge expects to switch the vacant, 13-story Edison, located at 14th St. and Highway 40, into 300 hotel suites that each would be more than double the size of an average hotel room.

The property also will feature a glass enclosed restaurant, lounge and banquet facility at the top, a first floor 400-seat restaurant and lounge, 520 indoor parking spaces and a health club plus 43 condominiums. Set to open late next year, the site is near the Kiel Center, a major concert and sports venue that is also home to the St. Louis Blues.

Another developer, McCormack Baron Associates, plans to turn 10 vacant warehouses--extending from 8th to 11th Streets--into an office/hotel complex that would include a 220-room property, office space, lofts and parking garage.

Local sources say that Westin, which doesn't have a St. Louis property, is looking to plant its flag on one of the two building renovations.

Other conversions include the 10-story Fur Exchange--recently saved from demolition--and the eight-story Thomas Jefferson and American Zinc buildings, which will become St. Louis' third Drury Inn (<I>BTN</I>, Feb. 23).

The best known example of a successful conversion was 19th-century Union Station's metamorphosis into a Hyatt lodging and retail center.