Laclede’s Landing struggles to attract business and tourism

Despite housing investments initiated a decade ago, Laclede’s Landing in downtown St. Louis continues to face difficulties in attracting tourism and new businesses. Current conditions include vacant establishments like Elsher’s Restaurant and Bar, alongside outdated directories of closed businesses. While luxury loft apartments known as Old Judge are slated to open, the area remains characterized by vacancies and a lack of commercial growth near the Mississippi River and the Gateway Arch as of September 2026.