Black Label: “A Premium Experience” Gallery Lounge Opening February 2009 on Chouteau’s Landing

Black Label opens in Chouteau’s Landing in February 2009 at 758 S. Fourth Street, the former residence of Bushwoods. Black Label brings a fresh resurgence to the project and intends to spearhead a number of events and activities in the Chouteau’s Landing district.

Black Label is a fresh and vibrant concept that aspires to ignite the Chouteau’s Landing district and remain a mainstay in this up-and-coming St. Louis district dedicated to art, fashion and entertainment.

Black Label merges the gallery and lounge concepts into one stylish venue that will bring a “Premium Experience” to Downtown St. Louis.

Black Label’s gallery element will flaunt the unique talent of local artists as well as invited, national talent. Artwork will be displayed around the lounge for viewing and for purchase. Rotating artwork monthly, Black Label will keep customers eager to see what’s new as well as host special events to showcase different types of artists, from body painting and sketches to the sounds of local musicians.

Black Label will also serve as a popular lounge for networking and socializing among business professionals, art followers and party-goers. With a convenient location three blocks from Busch Stadium, Cardinals’ fans will be able to enjoy pre-game and post-game attractions, as well as a free shuttle to and from the games. With a premium drink selection and outstanding customer service, Black Label will be a destination known for its unique ability to provide a distinct experience to all visitors.

Black Label is the “Premium Experience.”

Chouteau’s Landing is an unusual development in St. Louis in that its scope spans a staggering 58 acres with a solitary developer at the helm. Ambitious is a word often used to describe the project. It is a project met with much skepticism about progress and much enthusiasm about its visionary masterplan.

For you, what will be the most encouraging sign of progress for Chouteau’s Lading?

- Façade Renovation of Powell Square (that will house the art center)
- More tenants on South Fourth Street
- Other

Click on Comments below to tell us what you think.  The information you provide will be used for internal discussions on the Chouteau’s Landing redevelopment project.

These are some early drafts of what the renovation of the Powell Square building will look like when construction starts for the Chouteau’s Landing Art Center.  Learn more about CLAC at CLACstl.com.

Please note that these are not final versions.

Chouteau’s Landing’s photographer Jon Slavkin took a late fall photo-op into the Powell Square building, future home of the Chouteau’s Landing Art Center. For more information on CLAC, visit clacstl.com.

St. Louis’ Fall Arts season is definitely hitting a high note with everyone this year. In this month’s St. Louis Magazine, Culture Editor Stefene Russell delivers a striking 15-page art events listing that can be folded up and taken with you as you attempt to respond to Stefene’s challenge: go to one art event or more that is a bit outside of your comfort zone. And in case you are daunted by her “mouseprint” event listing, Alive Magazine breaks it out further and recommends an event for every day from September 1 to November 30.

Already, the calendars of Chivvis team members are filling with the long list of options, but if you think there is something we shouldn’t miss let us know.  Link to our news section and leave a comment for us, what is on your must see list? Or, for fun, check back with us often and recommend a show that challenged your expectations and perspective … a venture outside your comfort zone as Stefene Russell recommends. In return, we will post about our trips around town, and if you were there, you can tell us what you thought as well.

As plans for the Chouteau’s Landing Art Center gain momentum, we at Chivvis hear more and more concern about artists getting the boot as St. Louis neighborhoods experience a boom in redevelopment. While everyone is excited about the redevelopment, it seems artists are always the first to be pushed out as rents rise.

It’s not as if St. Louis is alone in trying to find a middle ground to gentrification.  Even on a recent trip to NYC, illustrator friends were telling us about the latest artist hub - not in SoHo, NoHo or anywhere in Manhattan for that matter - they recently migrated to their second Brooklyn neighborhood.  It makes one wonder if artists are doomed to be eternal nomads in search of new studio space after they help a neighborhood succeed.

Chivvis Development is trying to find a way to continue to offer affordable space to working artists while also building the Chouteau’s Landing district with strong commercial activity and diverse inhabitants.

What examples have you found in your travels or your studies that illustrate ways in which city planners, developers and artists worked together successfully to create an exhilarating district that included artists?

Respond by clicking the Comments link.

No worries, the building signage will return soon to the future home of the Chouteau’s Landing Art Center. Sadly, the signs were vandalized by people interested in keeping Powell as their palette. However, the signs are being repaired and facade work is still scheduled to begin this fall.

Until then, be sure to sign up at clacstl.com to keep pace with the project.  Encourage friends to sign up as well and note on the signup pages if they are interested in event opportunities, potential live/work spaces, renting studio space or employment opportunities.  We will contact you directly when more info is available.

Thanks for your interest and your support!

Crowds milled through the nearly 15 artist booths and displays at the Contemporary’s Open Studios Alternative Space at 750 S. Fourth Street in Chouteau’s Landing last Sunday, July 20.

It was great to receive such positive feedback from guests and artists at the Contemporary’s Open Studios Alternative Space in Chouteau’s Landing this past weekend. Everyone seemed pleased to have the garage doors up and access to see inside another building on Historic Fourth Street. Would you like to see more events of this nature along Historic Fourth Street or in other parts of Chouteau’s Landing? Post your comments below on what events you would like to attend.