Breathing life into an aged building
Originally constructed in 1909 as the Academy of Fine Arts for the American Women’s League, the Lewis Collaborative site was home to several academic institutions and received multiple additions over the years. To bring this once thriving site back to its original glory, while preserving its historic elements, the Owner partnered with The Lawrence Group, Mahlum Architects and Russell HBD to realize its vision in providing mixed-use co-working spaces and multi-family housing to the downtown University City, MO area.
Throughout the project, the design and construction team collaborated with the Owner and made concerted efforts to preserve the architectural and historical charm of the original facility, while adding new modern, creative touches to the finishes. Today, the Lewis Collaborative now features the combination of five unique buildings into 93 multi-family, market -rate apartments and 16,000 sf of office space. Totaling over 97,300 sf, the facility is also home to a coffee shop, double-height co-working hub, community kitchen, living room lounge, roof terrace and two lush courtyards for resident’s use. The Lewis Collaborative is now an imaginative live-work arts hub for the St. Louis community.
