Projects

Learn about current or upcoming projects at Tower Grove Park.

East Stream Project | Pavilion Restoration

Project to transform historic building into education hub begins at Tower Grove Park

The transformation of a historic building into an educational hub at Tower Grove Park’s Kingshighway entrance started Monday, March 14.

The West Gatehouse is a Gothic Revival style, stone structure constructed in 1870. The $1.3 million refurbishment project will help reverse deterioration and will transform the building into the Park’s educational hub.

The spring refurbishment project will make the building more accessible and will provide enhancements to give children a place to attend sessions offered through the Park’s growing education program, as well as opportunities provided by partner organizations.

The new educational center will be a short distance from several natural resources found on the west end of Tower Grove Park, including the Robert & Martha Gaddy Wild Bird Garden, a prairie, and more.

Initial work, which begins Monday, will restore the building’s exterior. The most striking change will occur on the roof. When the new slate tiles are in place, the roof will return its original color of purple, with the letters TGP spelled out in a different shade.

When the interior renovations are complete this summer, the Park’s Community Engagement Coordinator will move into the building. It will also be the office for two naturalists from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The Park has a long-standing relationship with the MDC and collaborates on more than 20 educational events each year for youth in our region.

SmithGroup Architects led the restoration design, Vanstar Construction is the general contractor, and Navigate Building Solutions serves as the owner’s representative.

Funding for the project was made possible by donations from Robert J. Trulaske, Jr. Family Foundation, Pershing Charitable Trust, Bill and Gina Wischmeyer, and The Bellwether Foundation.

Tower Grove Park Breaks Ground on Transformative New Waterway

The $2 million project will restore a historic stream, create a natural play area for children, and honor the original inhabitants of the land, the Osage Nation.

Tower Grove Park is starting construction on a new project that will transform the east end of the park into an educational and cultural destination. The restoration project will expose a historic stream that has been buried for more than 100 years. The project site runs from the southeast corner of the park (near the Stupp Center at Arsenal) north toward Magnolia Avenue. The stream will have natural play elements for children, and it will acknowledge the original and longest inhabitants of the land, the Osage Nation.

The East Stream was placed underground prior to 1913, presumably for sanitation reasons. This “daylighting” project will restore the stream to its original above ground alignment. Naturalizing the stream is a priority in the Park’s 2017 Master Plan and is one of the most significant and transformative current projects for the park. It will be completed in the spring of 2022.

“This will be the most visually stunning project to take place in the Park in many years. It will add beautiful natural areas for exploration and learning, create a new scenic perspective, and will honor the Park’s historical narrative on a longer horizon than we’ve typically envisioned” said Bill Reininger, executive director of Tower Grove Park. “We’re thrilled to begin construction on this very special project.”

Tower Grove Park will also make new areas for both structured educational programming as well as a place for children to experience nature, created with input from local schools and the Missouri Department of Conservation. “While aligned with our historic Victorian architecture, the design will include water features, native flora, and gathering areas for a variety of learning styles. The play area will encourage discovery and understanding of the natural world.,” said Reininger.

Tower Grove Park worked in collaboration with representatives from the Osage Nation to incorporate features that recognize the history and heritage of the Osage. The Osage people inhabited this area well over a thousand years before St. Louis’ founders Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau arrived in 1763. Due to the influx of pressure from European settlers and other displaced tribes after the Louisiana Purchase, the Osage Nation was forced to cede the land to the United States Government through the Treaty of 1808.

Features of the project will educate visitors on the history of the land as well as celebrate the culture of the Osage. Dr. Andrea Hunter, Osage Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, said of the collaboration, “The Osage Nation was afforded a unique opportunity to work with Tower Grove Park in the restoration of East Stream by sharing important aspects and concepts of our Osage culture to be incorporated into the landscape design. Missouri and the St. Louis area specifically are such important areas for the Osage people as this was our homeland for over a thousand years. The East Stream area of Tower Grove Park will provide a location where community members can enjoy the beauty of native plants and animals utilized by the Osage and get a glimpse of our perspective on the world and universe at large. The Osage Nation is grateful to be able to share our culture in this historic park.”

The East Stream project and other improvements to Tower Grove Park are made possible by construction and endowment gifts from generous donors, including the Crawford Taylor Foundation and members of the Taylor Family.

Lamar Johnson Collaborative is landscape architect for project, Navigate Building Solutions the construction managers, and general construction will be done by L. Keely.

Tower Grove Park is restoring two of its historic pavilions—the Turkish Pavilion and Old Playground Pavilion—which are part of the greatest collection of Victorian pavilions in the world. The project will restore and preserve the structures themselves, improve accessibility, and add lighting for both visual beauty and enhanced visitor experience. These nearly 150-year-old pavilions are two of the most loved, iconic structures that make Tower Grove Park unique.

“Our collection of pavilions is one of the defining characteristics of Tower Grove Park,” said Bill Reininger, executive director. “It’s crucial we restore them now so they last another 150 years.”

The new lighting project will provide an unparalleled experience, making Tower Grove Park’s pavilions a truly magical part of the landscape. The up lighting will showcase the intricate Victorian architecture of the pavilions in a way never imagined before. Visitors will be able to host gatherings more safely at the beautifully lit pavilions. The brick pavers and stone thresholds will be upgraded to pavement and tables will be permanently anchored. These improvements will provide better accessibility and usability.

Built in the 1870s, the architecturally elaborate pavilions need extensive preservation work, and with this project, they can remain famous and cherished features of the Park and neighborhood. The project will also provide critical historical preservation of the structures, including lead paint abatement, restoring distinctive ironwork and decorative wood embellishments, as well as complete restoration of their ornate and brightly painted roofs. The Turkish Pavilion has eleven unique colors and the Old Playground Pavilion has six, all matching the original colors included in the Historic American Building Survey on file with the Library of Congress. 

Both pavilions are scheduled to be completed by fall 2021.

Restoration of the Turkish Pavilion is made possible through a gift from Ann and Mike Konzen while restoration of the Old Playground Pavilion is made possible through a gift from Nancy and Steve Kidwell. Additional support for the project was received from Ameren Corporate Charitable Trust.

Design and construction will be completed by Trivers, Navigate Building Solutions, and Vanstar Construction.

Media inquiries:
David Lauber, Director of Development and Communications, call 314-771-4484 or email
Downloadable pavilion photos