October 27, 2016 | Liz Austin
Green Street transformed Chouteau Crossing from a worn down warehouse into a state of the art, eco-friendly facility.
Formerly the site of a boiler facility, Chouteau Crossing is now home to the greenest buildings in the state of Missouri. When Green Street first acquired the lot, however, it was in pretty bad shape — which is no surprise, given that the original structure was built more than 40 years ago. As such, a good deal of our initial funding went towards removing hazardous substances — such as asbestos and lead paint — so that Chouteau Crossing could become the safe, LEED-certified, state of the art workspace it is today.
Of course, a lot more went into the redevelopment of this 100,000-square-foot building than a few basic repairs. What makes Chouteau Crossing so remarkable extends well beyond its impeccably updated facility.
Becoming Platinum LEED-Certified
As you might imagine, becoming LEED-certified is no easy feat, and achieving platinum status — the highest distinction a LEED building can attain — takes an enormous amount of time, energy, and attention to detail. At Green Street, we take sustainability very seriously, and we saw the Chouteau Crossing project as an opportunity to construct not one, but two cutting-edge LEED-certified buildings.
In order to attain LEED certification, we pulled out all the stops for these buildings; particularly the Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36 facility, which is the highest-rated LEED structure in all of St. Louis. Our platinum certification can be attributed in large part to our sustainable construction process, during which we retained 70% of the old building elements.
What’s more, from its solar panels and rooftop garden to its geothermal wells and recycled exterior, Chouteau Crossing was truly built with environmental friendliness in mind. As a result of our attention to green construction practices, Green Street earned the designation of City of St. Louis — Development of the Year in 2011.
Green Street’s Incredible Tenants
Of course, LEED-certified buildings are only as good as the companies that work in them. Green Street is therefore thrilled to be partnering with two incredible companies at our Chouteau Crossing location. The first is Dynalabs, which was recently named one of the fastest growing companies in St. Louis. This pharmaceutical testing company needed a space it could grow into, and Green Street was happy to provide it.
Because of our green construction practices, we were able to secure tax credits and other financing to develop an innovative lease structure that allowed room for Dynalabs to expand — and perhaps one day, become sole owners of the property.
Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36, housed in St. Louis’ greenest building, is another of Green Street’s remarkable partners. Working to provide jobs and a physical community to local sheet metal workers, this company is well-equipped to appreciate Chouteau Crossing’s eco-friendly facilities. The reconstructed building, with a facade of brick and metal, pays homage to both the historic elements of the neighborhood and the craftsmanship of the sheet metal union.
The completed project, which stands on the corners of Chouteau and Jefferson Avenues, has already become an exemplary model for the possibilities of green architecture in this urban setting. Green Street looks forward to building other equally successful developments, continuing to improve the surrounding Lafayette Square and Gate District neighborhoods in the process.
