CityArchRiver Partners brought the new building to life for seasonal hospitality services, retail, year-round workspace for on-site security and storage space for events and maintenance equipment.

A new Visitor Services and Maintenance building is now open on the north side of Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis! The vibrant green building is the final component of the park’s renovation as part of the CityArchRiver transformation. It offers seasonal hospitality services and retail to visitors, a year-round workspace for on-site security as well as storage and support space for events and maintenance.

Kiener Plaza’s central location in Downtown St. Louis makes it an ideal spot for the new hospitality station for residents and visitors to get directions and recommendations about area restaurants and attractions and to purchase St. Louis-themed gifts. These services are a partnership with tourism experts Explore St. Louis and operators of the Arch Store, Jefferson National Parks Association.

Visitor services and retail hours will vary seasonally; hours of operation for October are set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays with plans to reopen during Winterfest, presented by Bank of America and World Wide Technology, slated for November 20 through January 2. Visitors can find helpful information on the display screen 24 hours a day.

The new building additionally provides a high visibility workstation for the security guards stationed at Kiener Plaza 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also features storage for items such as the café tables and chairs that visitors use to relax and enjoy the space, tools for Great Rivers Greenway staff, vendors and volunteers to take care of the plants and infrastructure in the park, and equipment for events that activate the plaza, such as Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s Sunrise Yoga series and the recent “Q in the Lou” barbecue event.

Visitors will also appreciate the improved, free public Wi-Fi that will go live later this month, funded by Great Rivers Greenway and Gateway Arch Park Foundation. While not visible from plaza level, a portion of the building’s roof is “green.” A series of shallow trays on the roof are planted with drought tolerant succulents that not only help reduce storm water runoff, but also save energy for heating and cooling by absorbing solar energy and providing extra insulation.

“All of the different partners play a role here, but our goal is the same – let’s make sure everyone who visits Kiener Plaza has a great experience,” said Lonny Boring, Senior Project Manager for Great Rivers Greenway. “While the splash pad is now closed for the season, bring a picnic, enjoy the playground and stop by the building to see what’s going on and find a St. Louis-themed souvenir or gift.”

The building is a joint effort of Great Rivers Greenway, the City of St. Louis and Gateway Arch Park Foundation and was constructed with CityArchRiver sales tax funds exclusively designated for capital improvements within this project area. The building’s key features and bright green color were guided by input from downtown residents and community members as part of the design process.