Downtown Directory 2024

8 2024 | Downtown Saint Louis Directory ‘Crown Jewel’ of City SC Complex opens in Downtown West The arrival of the St. Louis SC to Downtown West has revitalized the area with new hotels, restaurants and apartments and brought thousands of soccer fans to Downtown. The 30-acre City SC complex includes the open-air stadium, practice fields, training facility, gift shop and a newly renovated headquarters building at 326 South 21st St. Called the “SoMa House” for “South of Market,” the five-story, 58,000-square-foot red brick building has been renovated to serve as offices and meeting spaces for 100-plus City SC employees. Previously, the group had worked in Clayton. The building was constructed in 1918 just west of Union Station as a warehouse and factory. It was most recently used as a climbing gym. In 2019, the City SC ownership group — which includes the Taylor family and Jim Kavanaugh, CEO of World Wide Technology — bought the building for nearly $5 million and spent three years and $15 million renovating it. It was designed by St. Louis-based architect Christner. Artwork was coordinated by Kiku Obata and the general contractor was BSI Constructors. Distinctive artwork includes a wall filled with colorful soccer scarves from teams around the world and large hanging flags that represent all of the nationalities of City SC employees and players. The building also has large windows overlooking the practice fields and first-floor facilities are available for rent for corporate events and watch parties. In addition, it contains the team’s in-house broadcast and digital studio, which includes a recording booth and an e-gaming lounge. Situated at the southeast corner of the City SC site, the new building has been called the “crown jewel” of the campus by company officials.