Former St. Louis Mayor James Conway has died.
The native St. Louisan led the city from 1977 to 1981, during which time the city consolidated its hospitals and boosted development downtown. He had previously served in the Missouri House and Senate and was a graduate of St. Louis University.
Mayor Cara Spencer wrote in a social media post Tuesday night that Conway remained committed to improving St. Louis even after his time in office. That included serving as chair of the Zoo-Museum District.
Former Mayor Lyda Krewson called Conway "a tenacious fighter for the City and State he loved" in a Tuesday night social media post.
Conway was elected as a state representative in 1966 and held that office until 1974, according to the St. Louis Historic Preservation site. He was then elected to the state Senate, a post he held until 1977, the year his mayoral tenure began.
From City Hall, Conway was behind a push to boost downtown development, including securing federal funding for a May Department Stores shopping mall and enabling construction of new office buildings. He was often at odds with the city's comptroller and Board of Aldermen, including over the issue of closing Homer G. Phillips Hospital.
His son, Steve Conway, represented the Eighth Ward on the Board of Aldermen for nearly 30 years.
James Conway was 93 years old.
