ST. LOUIS – 7th Street, located between Ballpark Village and America’s Center on Washington Avenue, is getting a new look. 

What You Need To Know

  • $3.7 million is going to revitalize 7th Street with improved sidewalks, lighting, added bike lanes, and landscaping
  • Construction began Oct. 1 and is expected to finish June 2025

  • “The most exciting downtown areas worldwide are those packed with people, not cars,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones

  • St. Louis and business partners strive to make downtown safer, more vibrant, and beautiful

The city is using $3.7 million in public and private funding to improve the avenue between two of the biggest entertainment pillars of downtown. $2.4 million comes from federal grants awarded by East West Gateway and $1.28 million is from Greater St. Louis, its investors, LCRA, and private businesses.

“This is a critical infrastructure project that will provide a better connection between Ballpark Village and the America’s Center and add vibrancy and street-level activity in the heart of Downtown,” said Bill DeWitt III, the president of the St. Louis Cardinals. “We are proud and excited to be a part of this public-private partnership that is helping to strengthen and revitalize Downtown St. Louis.”

Seventh street revitalization construction began on Oct. 1. The project includes:

  • Crews are replacing sidewalks 

  • Improved lighting

  • Adding protected bicycle lanes

  • Improving landscaping and more

The construction schedule includes plans to start landscaping in March 2025 and finish the project in its entirety by June 2025.

Mayor Tishaura Jones hopes the improvements change downtown to resemble other compelling cities.

“The most exciting downtown areas worldwide are those packed with people, not cars,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “Making 7th Street, from Ballpark Village to the Convention Center, a more walkable and bikeable space with new sidewalks, lighting, trees, and a bike path is another way we’re using public-private partnerships to build a more safe, vibrant, and beautiful downtown St. Louis.”

In the past few years, St. Louis has been on the national stage for tragedies involving pedestrians. 

“The 7th Street improvements will make downtown more pedestrian friendly and encourage connectivity to improve the overall experience for residents, employees and visitors,” said Neal Richardson, President & CEO of St. Louis Development Corporation. “Investing in infrastructure improvements in the heart of the city is just one more way the public and private sectors have come together to make Downtown safe, vibrant and beautiful.”

Greater St. Louis and city leaders together have been working since May of this year addressing pedestrian safety by:

  • The city filed an eminent domain petition for the Railway Exchange

  • Gateway Arch Park Foundation signed a contract to buy the Millennium Hotel

  • Arch to Park Equity Fund signed a contract to maintain local control of the Wainwright Building

  • The launch of the Downtown Public Safety Ambassadors Program

“Over the past few months we’ve worked together with the city and downtown partners to get major vacant properties with out-of-town owners under local control," said Kurt Weigle, Chief Downtown Officer for GSL. "We’ve put new public safety personnel on the street. We’ve helped new retail businesses open and expand into street-level spaces that are adding vibrancy. We will continue our collaborative work with the City and our partners until everyone can celebrate St. Louis having the best downtown in America.”