Back to the Future

by Christy K. Thompson

From the moment you step onto the cobblestone streets of Maryland Plaza, you can tell that you’ve arrived someplace special. St. Louis’ Central West End (CWE) area is one of the most architecturally unique, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods in the nation. And since its earliest days, the intersection of Maryland and Euclid avenues has served as the hub of an area known for its bustling activity, popular restaurants, historic homes, trendy retail shops and strong businesses.

In 2004, the intersection of Maryland and Euclid avenues is undergoing a series of changes that promise to breathe new life into the community. Yet despite the prospect of new condominiums and new, upscale boutique shopping, the area maintains the distinctive character and personality that has attracted a loyal following of residents and visitors for more than a century.

The present-day CWE area was carved from farm and dairy tracts acquired by prominent St. Louisans including Pierre Chouteau Jr., Jules De Mun, Thomas Skinker, William Forsyth, John Cabanne, Peter Lindell, William McPherson and Nathaniel Pendleton Taylor. Forest Park was dedicated in 1876, and urban development of the area began in the early 1880s. The construction of grand private residences on streets such as Portland Place, Westmoreland Place and Lindell Boulevard soon attracted businesses and residents to the area. Today, the unique architectural elements of these homes and the private streets they are built on are carefully safeguarded by the Central West End Association and numerous other residential groups. The result is an area of St. Louis where both old and new businesses, families, singles and couples mix together and thrive.

While some of the mainstays of the Maryland Plaza area have disappeared, many businesses remain, and a steady influx of new commercial tenants to the area help it maintain its hip, slightly Bohemian flavor. Whereas in the 1950s and 60s, ladies in hats and white gloves visited Montaldo’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, visitors today seem to prefer an eclectic mix of vintage clothiers, coffeehouses, ethnic and American restaurants.

Cherie Eckelkamp, owner of Sprint Prints printing services and supplies, lives in the area and has been a business owner on Maryland Plaza for 25 years. She acknowledges that the first thing that attracts commercial and residential tenants to the area is its architecture. “Great buildings are everywhere,” Eckelkamp marvels. “It’s a wonderful place to spend time, and there are wonderful people here to spend that time with.” She points out that the CWE is one of the few areas of St. Louis where retail and residential areas are found within such close proximity.

However, Eckelkamp admits that pressure from shopping malls and suburban centers has made earning a living increasingly difficult for many CWE business owners. “This area was established in a different era – a time long before the Internet, supermarkets or malls were imagined.” She explains that rising overhead costs have taken their toll on some of the area’s landmark businesses. “The trade-off is that, in part, the rise in overhead is helping to fund renovation projects currently taking place on all sides of Maryland Plaza.”

In the past few years, the intersection of Maryland and Euclid avenues has resounded with the buzz of saws and the pounding of hammers, as many of the plaza’s vacant buildings began to undergo facelifts and interior reconstruction. One of those responsible for the rehab efforts is Pete Rothschild, owner of Rothschild Development Ltd. Rothschild is one of the area’s most passionate patrons and the owner of a staggering portfolio of CWE properties. He is proud to recall that it’s been 35 years since he first opened Rothschild’s Antiques in the basement of its present location on Euclid Avenue. “I sold vintage clothing from the shop while I was still in college,” he laughs. Through the years, his love and commitment to the neighborhood has only grown. He hopes that by investing in this area he can help St. Louis safeguard the character of this important neighborhood.

“We don’t want to make dramatic changes to the Maryland- Euclid area,” Rothschild explains. “Instead, it’s time to ‘polish the apple.’” In 2003 he purchased seven townhouses on the north side of Maryland Plaza. Several of the circa 1904 homes had been vacant for years and they are now being transformed into condominiums. The new 2,500 squarefoot homes will be available at the end of this year, and Rothschild proudly predicts that they will be “trophy properties” for area enthusiasts.

On the opposite side of the street, Koplar Properties has begun work on the old Saks building and the spaces that surround it. While its president, Ted Koplar, has not yet announced a list of tenants for the newly renovated space, he assures residents that his concept for the area will be a good fit for the Central West End while maintaining the integrity of the neighborhood. “We will take a thematic approach to the area,” Koplar recently noted in the St. Louis Business Journal. “It will probably be a combination of retail, office and restaurants.”

Businesses such as the Greenberg Van Doren Gallery, Big Sleep Books, The Daily Planet News Inc., and Froggie’s 5 & 10 are just a few of the commercial tenants on or near Maryland Plaza. Add to that a mix of restaurants like Liluma, Asian Grill, Culpepper’s, Pasta House Co., The Grind coffee house and The Coffee Cartel, and it’s easy to see why this intersection continues to attract a loyal following.

“When I look at the area surrounding Maryland and Euclid, I realize that the things that have made it great for a century are still there today,” Rothschild says enthusiastically. “There are so many reasons why this neighborhood has been wonderful since the time of the 1904 World’s Fair. It’s a self-contained area where pedestrians can socialize, shop and dine. It’s a place where businesses, restaurants, artists and galleries all come together. It’s one of only a handful of destinations in our city that truly deserves to be called ‘a neighborhood.’”

By 2005, Maryland Plaza will take on a slightly more sophisticated, refined look as new restaurants, residents and boutiques move to the area. But rest assured, mega-retailers like Gap and The Limited are not part of the plan. Developers like Rothschild and Koplar have promised to eschew the “mall regulars” in order to help maintain the integrity of the neighborhood. Rather, the future for the intersection of Maryland and Euclid avenues looks a lot like its past. It is and will continue to be a unique, sophisticated neighborhood. It’s a place where one can find specialty shopping and chic restaurants. It’s a place where you can purchase a Biedermeyer chest as easily as a freshly made cappuccino or a bunch of Gerber daisies. Just like the cobblestones that line its streets, the new look of Maryland Plaza will prove that the more things change, the more they will remain the same.

BACK TO NETWORK HOME

The intersection of Maryland and Euclid sits at the very core of the Central West End

Restaurants such as Liluma, pictured here, are a mainstay of the intersection.

Developers are working to transform the Maryland Plaza area, while preserving much of the unique architecture of the neighborhood.

The Southwest corner is home to Coffee Cartel, The Daily Planet News, Inc. and Big Sleep Books.

A pan-Asian menu is offered at Asian Grill, located at 1 Maryland Plaza.