A Bird’s Eye View

Written By Craig Kaminer

In the last year, two new buildings in St. Louis opened with extraordinary views and access to our city’s best assets. One Hundred Above the Park, which was featured in our Sept./Oct. 2020 issue, soars over Forest Park, has breathtaking views of the park looking west and downtown looking east. With its avant-garde design by famed Chicago architect Jeanne Gang and steps from the best park in America second only to New York’s Central Park and our prized cultural institutions, I wasn’t sure things could get any better.

But One Cardinal Way, in the center of Ballpark Village, with views into the stadium from outdoor sundecks with seating, outdoor cooking stations, infinity pool and a resort-like vibe sets the bar high for the ultimate St. Louis luxury lifestyle -- except of course if you root for teams other than the Redbirds.

Entering the gated access off Walnut and Broadway, there is an abundance of surface lot parking for visitors wanting to make a quick stop or spend some time at Ballpark Village before entering the building. High tech security by ButterflyMX, a 24-hours a day concierge welcoming every guest, and an expansive vestibule with bold, colorful and priceless art and artifacts pay homage to the Cardinals and baseball in general. A quick peek around the corner reveals an easy to access mail room, smart lockers for packages and three high speed elevators which whisk you away to the floor of your dreams.

The 29 story, 297-unit building which is a 50/50 partnership between the Cardinals and The Cordish Companies, is the next phase of the grand vision for Ballpark Village. Rumor has it a Phase 3 residential tower is in the works. The Cardinals and the DeWitt family continue to invest in and around the stadium and perhaps single handedly are reinvigorating downtown. Bill DeWitt III, the president of the St. Louis Cardinals, said “This vision started in 2000 when we first began talking about building a new stadium, turning the outfield to face the old stadium, and opened up 10 acres for future development. We envisioned putting amenities on top of parking, with apartments getting better and better as you go up with extraordinary river views, the Old Courthouse, sunrises and sunsets and views of Clayton, not to mention the entire ballfield.  From many apartments you can watch the game live from your bed. So many people who never considered living downtown have embraced One Cardinal Way because the building is so well executed, Ballpark Village now has critical mass, and while we don’t have every amenity you would have in a New York City neighborhood, you have most of it.  You can reverse commute, walk to work from downtown and be in the center of the most desirable urban amenities.”

In the two years during the development of One Cardinal Way, Marnie Sauls, executive director of residential management for Cordish Living, lived downtown above the Schnuck’s-owned Culinaria, to help better shape what One Cardinal Way could be and make it a magnet for tenants and fans alike. She got rid of her car, rode her bike everywhere and called an Uber when needed. She and her dog Oliver loved their morning walks and quickly discovered that the new building being planned needed to be like an amenity-rich gated community. “I felt perfectly safe, rode with my new group of friends to restaurants, walked every day and quickly fell in love with downtown. Our goal for One Cardinal Way was to build a community in the heart of St. Louis that never existed before -- where you can work, play, party and get social. I think everyone will agree we exceeded this goal in every way. The sunrises and sunsets from our building can’t be beat, not to mention the fireworks whenever the Redbirds hit a homerun.” 

As a resident, you have access to seven stories of indoor assigned garage space, all controlled by key fobs and monitored from every angle by cameras. With an abundance of grocery carts and hand trucks, no car load of bags should require more, but if you do, the concierge and staff can make sure your shopping bags arrive swiftly and safely to your apartment. Bicycle parking is abundant as are bike paths in all directions.

The key feature of this building is the eighth floor. Boasting more than 30,000 sq. ft. of amenities, the eighth floor includes a 15,000 sq. ft. outdoor terrace overlooking the field with plenty of seating to watch the game, gas grills and dining tables to enjoy dinner, a state-of-the-art entertainment kitchen where guest chefs prepare meals for residents, a world-class gym with places to work out even outside, an infinity pool with a birds-eye view of Busch Stadium, an indoor-outdoor, full-service bar, multiple seating areas, a conference room and multiple large screen TVs which live stream Cardinals games whenever and wherever they play. While some buildings with similar amenities often don’t have people using them, One Cardinal Way is a decidedly social community that makes the most of the perfectly conceived lifestyle. On my tour, one guy was on a work call, a group was in the conference room, some people were on their computers, a couple played pool, a few sunbathed on the deck and others all seemed to be heading to the eighth floor after work. It’s truly the heart of this building.

Yes, the eighth-floor amenities are better than anything else in St. Louis and even the newest buildings in Los Angeles, Miami or Chicago. But there are few residential buildings that can boast the abundance of art found at One Cardinal Way, and with the theme centered around our hometown team no less. Canvas Art Consultants Director Matthew Whitaker worked in tandem with the interior design team at Baltimore-based RD Jones + Associates and key members of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame & Museum curatorial team to develop a collection of distinct works with a narrative rich in all things baseball. 

Wallcoverings have been adapted from historic photos, baseballs wrap columns, Bill DeWitt Jr.’s bat collection is prominently on view and even the most abstract paintings and sculptures relate to the baseball theme. This building is a shrine to baseball. While it may not replace going to Cooperstown, life at One Cardinal Way is like having a 365-day baseball season. Cardinals Red -- which is not used by anyone other than the Cardinals -- is the prominent color throughout the building. If you're a Cubs fan you’ll hate this place, but if you love the Cardinals, get ready to fall in love again.

From the front door, garage or eighth floor, each floor of apartments is unique and stunning.  Elevators open to a bigger than life blow-up of a historic baseball photo. You’ll never have to wait for an elevator, but if you did, you’ll never grow tired of looking at the details.

The apartments are fabulous with views that would make anyone question whether or not they would ever want to use blinds. All the apartments feature top-shelf appliances, full-size washers and dryers, walk-in closets, center kitchen islands, hardwood floors and cement ceilings to complete the lofty feel. Available are one-bedroom, two-bedroom and penthouse units ranging from 571 to 2,573 sq. ft. that make great use of the space. Considering the amenities on the eighth floor, it’s hard to imagine spending much time in your apartment. Rents begin at $1,400 per month and top out at $8,000 for a two-level unit on the highest floor. Plenty of parking is available at a cost of $150 per space per month. Leases are negotiable for up to three years. At the time of my tour, only three two-bedroom units remained and perhaps 12 one-bedrooms, so you should move fast if you want one.

With the season just starting, these will go quickly, but putting your name on a waiting list is also an option. Unless you need the extra space, a one-bedroom with a terrace overlooking the stadium is the perfect size for a single person, a couple who travels, a corporate apartment or as a luxury suite to watch ball games. It’s probably cheaper than a luxury box with more space and you can bring your own food.

After picking out the apartment I wanted, we headed to Ballpark Village to see what life would be like outside the building, and of course to pick up a Nolan Arenado jersey for my son’s birthday. In addition to the excitement of watching a game with hundreds of other fans, Ballpark Village has restaurants and bars galore. No shortage of wings and beer here. Down the street is the new Live! by Loews Hotel, The Whisky Bar, The Bullock, the PwC Pennant office building and the 31,000 sq. ft. of Onelife Fitness, which is free to use for all One Cardinal Way residents. Just across the street -- literally -- is the stadium, ticket gates and baseball souvenir shops.

If you have a pet, no worries. The building is pet friendly and has many grassy areas steps away from the front door for walking a dog. And, the new Arch grounds are just 400 ft. away.  Add to that the Riverfront, Citygarden and Kiener Plaza, there’s more to do with your faithful companion than you can shake a stick at.

Until now I wondered what it would be like to live downtown. After all, I grew up in the Bronx so I am used to city living and a little urban decay. One Cardinal Way is the reason to move to the Riverfront. Sure it’s not for everyone and the burbs still seem better for school age kids, but talk to anyone who ever lived across the street from Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field or one of the other great baseball shrines, and you’ll quickly get it. Living in the shadows of Cardinal greatness is not like anything else, and if you like St. Louis but want to fall in love with its possibilities, you owe it to yourself to check out the classiest baseball address anywhere.