Demolition on the 28-story Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis is underway.
The Gateway Arch Park Foundation announced that the destruction of the nearly 60-year-old building began Thursday, calling it the beginning of a bold new chapter for downtown St. Louis.
The foundation officially purchased the 4.2-acre site in July.
A redevelopment of the site by Cordish Cos. is expected to cost roughly $670 million and will feature a 1.3 million-square-foot structure with residential, office, commercial and public spaces.
“As we continue our forward momentum for this critical part of downtown, the foundation remains committed to preserving the history and memories made at this former hotel site to ensure the past remains a meaningful part of the future we are creating together,” said Ryan McClure, executive director of the foundation.
Developers originally constructed the hotel in 1968, but it has sat vacant since 2014. It famously featured a rotating restaurant on its top floor.
The building, according to developers, is riddled with asbestos and mold.
A timeline for the redevelopment and demolition has not been shared.
As the demolition beings, the Gateway Arch Park Foundation plans a story-collecting initiative to preserve memories of the hotel.
