The Frenchtown Great Streets Project survey, completed about a year ago, provided tons of feedback and useful input from area residents and business owners that has led to a plan for the Frenchtown area in St. Charles that will be a destination like no other.
According to the Plan, which can be found in its entirety on the City of St. Charles website at StCharlesCityMo.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8895/Frenchtown-Great-Streets-Plan, The Frenchtown Great Streets Plan is an ambitious 20-year vision for Frenchtown to be an iconic destination in the St. Louis region…Currently, Frenchtown is a hidden gem with buzzing momentum and incredible potential that is waiting to be unlocked.
“But it won’t be like a Bourbon Street,” says Mike Klinghammer, St. Charles economic development director. “There will be no amplified music past 10:00 p.m., for example.
“One of the goals of Mayor Dan Borgmeyer is to make changes to St. Charles that will make it more attractive to the younger generation. We’ve reached out to our youth and heard that they are interested in a combination of work opportunities and the ability to walk to entertainment and places to gather,” explains Mike.
The City is really thinking out of the box. For example, Mike says they’re working on a concept for a shipping container village within the heart of Frenchtown. “There’s a St. Charles engineering firm that has developed these in other parts of the country,” he says. “Some of the containers would be developed with a cooking facility in it and can be tailored to specific needs. It’s a very reasonable way to start a business…much like food trucks.”
“The City of St. Charles recognizes that if we want to see redevelopment happen in Frenchtown, the City needs to step up and make some investments to encourage that to happen. And the reason why is two-fold…we want to build a sales tax base from the area and we want Frenchtown to be interesting enough to entice people to buy and reinvest into the homes on Third, Fourth and Fifth Streets. Frenchtown will be the economic stimulus for that. We’re actually already seeing that happen…they’re rehabbing those charming older homes around there.”
The City also realizes that the revitalized area will need ample parking, so several parking lots will be interspersed throughout the area, which encompasses North Second Street and North Third Street, from Adams Street on the south to the Route 370 interchange on the north and the Missouri River on the east. “Part of what we’re trying to do in Frenchtown is embrace the historic structures and replace or repurpose the non-contributing buildings,” says Mike.
One example of good things to come is Good News Brewing Co., which is in the process of buying the building that houses the Frenchtown Museum. Some of the museum artifacts will actually be incorporated into their décor, says Mike. “They’re really embracing the history, and the community. In the backyard, they’ll brew their beers and educate others on brewing, in a caboose!”
Mike explains that the goal is for St. Charles to change its outlook on economic development as well as the whole ‘brand’ of what St. Charles is. Its research shows that the younger generation wants independence from needing to drive everywhere…to be close to restaurants, bars, etc.
Part of the existing ACF property is slated to be an integral part of how Frenchtown develops. “We know that we need to have residential facilities in the area, to have true community – not just tourists,” adds Mike. “We don’t want it to be a place where, at 5pm, the carpets are rolled up and everyone goes home.”
Mike says the City is working with developers to repurpose the whole ACF complex…from buildings that are now being used as storage space to an apartment/condo development there. “Much like what Steve Smith has done downtown with The Foundry,” he explains. “The buildings are actually very well maintained by the owner and in spectacular condition. Many of the buildings have views that look right out to the river.”
He says one of the buildings, which was used as the power plant to provide steam power for the entire ACF complex, would make for a unique restaurant. “It’s got that industrial chic vibe, with the original crane in it, and huge windows overlooking the river.”
But it’s not just about dining. “I’ve visited some of the towns around Dallas, talked with them about growing and revitalizing their downtown areas, staying relevant, and competitive with online shopping…and they said that ‘experiential’ shopping is what works. One example is Take a Hike Shop in Frenchtown…it’s an interpersonal, informative experience to shop there.”
There will be a variety of shopping experiences to add to the growing list of new businesses that have recently made Frenchtown their home, like ClimbSoIll, Course Coffee, Frenchtown Catering, and Sha’s, to name a few. “We’re even bringing back tatoo artists,” adds Mike.
“We’re looking at redevelopment from a different standpoint…how it ties the whole community together, what the real impact of that is…and developing things that the youth of today are interested in, will want to come to and will also entice them to buy homes in that immediate area, raising the caliber of our housing stock. The City is stepping up and doing our part to make that all happen.”
According to the Frenchtown Great Streets Project audit, consisting of input from the community, the Consultant team, Community Partners, and numerous city, county, and state entities, “St. Charles is well-positioned to deliver a Great Streets Plan that will consolidate the community’s desire for a sustainable, resilient and vibrant expanded downtown with safe, livable and walkable streets; multi-modal connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods; access to the river; a sense of identity and a recognition of exemplary industrial history.”
When asked in the Frenchtown Great Streets Project survey what Frenchtown could/should be, some of the feedback and ideas included:
“A festive, lively, and comfortable place that is full of life and activity; A district where you can find visual arts, music, and entertainment; A place that is creative, edgy, unique, and true to itself; Where there’s something to do day and night; A real and neighborly community – people actually live here and they get out, come together, celebrate together, and know each other; A historic district that has amazing architecture.”
La Belle Vie Café, at 1200 N. Second St., exemplifies the kind of business and attitude that the Great Streets Project strives for. Owners Mark and Melissa Hollander portray the exact attitude that’s needed to make this work. Melissa, from Southeast Missouri, and Mark, a fifth generation St. Charles resident, were looking to create something in the community where people could gather.
They really didn’t know what they wanted to offer exactly, but said they looked at 13 different existing locations in St. Charles before finding the Frenchtown building and redeveloping it into a café with an industrial chic, yet homey, atmosphere, in September 2020. The website describes it as “a cozy place to grab a cup of coffee, a sandwich or a glass of wine and enjoy the quaint atmosphere and comfy environment.”
“We were bankers, not bakers,” Melissa quips, when asked why they decided on a cafe. “Mark had a bit of restaurant experience as a youth, working at The County Seat, which was near Lindenwood, from age 15-21.”
Their main chef, Andrew Moss, came to them from Tony’s on Main when he was laid off due to Covid-19. “He and our other chef, Jeremiah Hansen, are excellent. They even grow the herbs and spices we use out on the patio.”
They said they started collecting recipes from family. “Our main seller, the French Dip, is my brother’s recipe,” says Melissa. “It’s all home-made and baked, nothing fried. It’s fresh…they cook all through the night.”
Some of the cocktails and coffees at La Belle Vie have been custom created by the staff. “We encourage creativity from our staff members; they bring in recipes to add to the menu.
They’re very creative in general. One of our baristas recently curated an art show here from local artists, as well as her own art, which we displayed for a month. We’re also organizing a mural-painting project down the side of our building, which is currently painted white.”
The City plans for Frenchtown to be different than Main Street, RiverPointe or Streets of St. Charles, with its own unique vibe, with places like La Belle Vie, that will draw more people to want to make Frenchtown their home.
“I enjoy seeing the young families and individuals walking around this area and the Frenchtown project will give them many more great places to eat and gather,” says Melissa. “We’re very excited about it.”
