Work has begun on the conversion of the former St. Louis Centre mall into a parking garage with retail on the ground floor, and the possible addition of a movie theater on the second and third floors.

The conversion will turn this.......

...........into this.

Most of the garage space will be reserved for law firm Thompson Coburn, located at the US Bank building. Now still connected with a skybridge to the former mall, this skybridge is not pictured on the rendering. Lewis Rice Fingersh, new occupants of the City Center One tower that is part of the renovation project, will be the other large tenant at the new garage.

The former East entrance to St. Louis Centre

The former mall undergoing demolition

Reportedly, the skybridge between the old mall and the Laurel (formerly Dillard’s) building will come down in the months to come. The Laurel development has received a $ 45 million loan from AFL-CIO and will be renovated separately by Spinnaker. It’s slated to become an Embassy Suites hotel, combined with residential on the higher floors.

Place your bets.....