St. Louis Ballpark VillageSt. Louis’ Ballpark Village Newest Addition Honors Legendary Hometown Cardinals

The 10-acre site around the St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium was largely vacant since 2006 and the city struggled for years to develop the area. HKS designers worked with masterplan architect Hord, Coplan, Macht Architects, and developer, The Cordish Companies, to establish a mixed-use retail, entertainment, office and residential district that would integrate with the stadium and boost foot traffic to the area. The project also needed to bring the excitement and energy of the game-day experience outside the stadium walls for locals and visitors.

Ballpark Village’s Midwest Live! was the first phase of this development. Opening in 2014, it changed the standard for game-watching and entertainment experiences by offering luxury terraces and stadium-style seating with direct views into Busch Stadium. A 100-foot retractable glass roof above Ballpark Village makes the district a destination in all types of weather. The FOX Sports Midwest Live! venue is a year-round gathering place with a stage, large-format LED screen, a 200-seat restaurant, and a VIP seating area.

Phase two of the development, including the HKS-designed Live by Loews hotel and the premier PWC Pennant Building — the first new office building built in downtown St Louis in 30 years — opened to great reviews in 2019. 

Live! by Loews hotel and the Pennant Office Building ­­– St. Louis sit­ in the heart of Ballpark Village and honors the legendary history and culture of Cardinal’s Nation. The hotel’s bespoke design draws from the geometry of the historical circular foundation and the iconic arch design of the previous stadium to reveal traces of the past and reflect the legends of one of the oldest and most iconic professional baseball teams in history.

Flannel and pinstripes of the team’s original road uniforms are reflected in fabrics. Small details of the Cardinal Red and Victory Blue accent the palette coupled with manganese brick and stainless steel used as a clean modern reference to the industrial history and the nearby Gateway Arch.

A Terrace Bar is strategically located to offer sweeping views of Busch Stadium, Midwest Live and the beloved Busch II infield plaza and the surrounding Ballpark Village district, engaging with the energy of the game.  Drawing from the most extensive collection of team memorabilia in the world, our design team established both direct and inferred references to the Cardinal’s lore in artwork, accessories, and design details. For example, the Bourbon Bar is lined with the original travel trunks from the team, which sport false bottoms for the purpose of smuggling alcohol during prohibition.

Ballpark Village is the country’s first fully-integrated mixed-use development designed to deliver a game-day experience outside the baseball stadium. The redevelopment of Ballpark Village connected downtown St. Louis to an entertainment zone and created countless jobs for area workers. The Village has become the gathering spot for sports fans before, during and after Cardinals’ games and, because of its relationship to St. Louis Live!, a destination for tourists 365 days a year.