ST. LOUIS — The new owner of downtown's long-vacant AT&T tower, the state’s largest office building, has discussed selling it, according to people familiar with the matter.
No transaction has been completed, but the disclosure raises questions about whether New York-based SomeraRoad, which in April was identified as the new owner of the property after a $4.05 million sale, will ultimately redevelop the 44-story skyscraper at 909 Chestnut St. One developer who spoke with the Business Journal described being approached by SomeraRoad, which was offering a sale.
SomeraRoad officials, including founder and Managing Principal Ian Ross and Principal Fergus Campbell, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Since becoming owner, SomeraRoad has declined to talk publicly about its plans for the building, often referred to as One Bell Center. But the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in August that the developer's representatives at a tax appeal hearing said the firm plans a mixed-use development with apartments at a likely cost of $200 million.
In June, SomeraRoad began taking steps to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that would aid in any bid for state and federal historic tax credits seen as critical for a redevelopment project.
The National Park Service is evaluating the tower’s application for historic status, said Rachel Consolloy, a Kansas City-based preservation consultant with Rosin Preservation who aided in the National Register process. A city board signed off on the application in June, followed by state officials in July.
The building was built in 1985 and designed by St. Louis-based architectural firm HOK. Buildings less than 50 years old typically aren’t considered for the National Register, but a younger property could be listed if it is “of exceptional importance,” according to the guidelines.
Consolloy, however, said her firm has succeeded in obtaining historic status for several buildings under 50 years old, including two recent examples in Kansas City: the Flashcube Building, also designed by St. Louis-based architectural firm HOK, and Kemper Arena.
Read more of the story on the St. Louis Business Journal website.
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