The Transformation of a 735,000-square-foot Building Is Shaping St. Louis’ Next Chapter

1st Place, Adaptive Reuse

Every city has buildings that tell its story. In St. Louis, the historic Butler Brothers Building embodied the ambition of a growing industrial city and the resilience of a structure that withstood decades of vacancy. Transforming it into The Victor—a multifamily community with 384 apartment units, 15,700 square feet of retail, co-working and conference areas, and top-of-the-line amenities—was not just a design challenge, but an opportunity to continue its story to reflect the energy and optimism of St. Louis today.

AFTER PHOTOS: Sam Fentress; HISTORIC/BEFORE PHOTOS: courtesy Trivers; DRAWINGS: Trivers

From Distribution Powerhouse to Dormant Landmark

The Butler Brothers Building was constructed in 1906 as a warehouse distribution center located two blocks north of St. Louis Union Station, which was one of the busiest rail hubs in the U.S. The 735,000-square-foot building—one of the largest reinforced concrete structures west of the Mississippi River when it was built—was the leading wholesaler of its day, comparable to Amazon or Costco.

When rail use waned in the mid-20th century, the Butler Brothers Building became obsolete. Despite vacancy and disinvestment, it endured for more than a century. Load-bearing brick masonry perimeter walls and a sprinkler system enabled the building to stand strong. Even its interiors remained largely unaltered.

For decades, the dark and empty warehouse loomed over St. Louis’ Downtown West neighborhood. Once a vibrant part of the former Garment District, the area was a shadow of its former self with a populace hovering around 1,300 until two developments spurred a revival. The $1.7 billion National Geospatial Intelligence Agency’s new West headquarters, expected to create more than 3,000 high-paying jobs, broke ground just north of the site in 2020. Two years later, St. Louis CITY SC’s Energizer Park soccer stadium opened two blocks away, welcoming tens of thousands of fans every game. 

Awakening a Sleeping Giant

Development Services Group (DSG), a Memphis, Tenn.-based company with a résumé of redeveloping historic structures across the country, took notice of the resurgence occurring within its northern Mississippi River neighbor. The Butler Brothers Building was one of the top five projects identified to be renovated in the entire city because of its massive size, long dormant status and ability to catalyze additional development that would link the soccer stadium with St. Louis’ central business district. Recognizing an opportunity, DSG committed to awakening the sleeping giant in 2020 and tapped Trivers as lead architect, historic architect and interior designer for the $130 million project.

From the outset, the design team’s goal was to preserve as much of the building’s fabric as possible while giving it a new identity—one that would honor its rich history and architectural legacy while breathing new life into its walls and the surrounding neighborhood. That vision became The Victor.

Respect and Reinvention

Trivers approached the project with two guiding principles: respect and reinvention. The exterior detailing alone demands respect for the master masons, who created a building that has stood the test of time while serving as a source of inspiration and excitement. Simply removing years of coal soot and dirt revealed the building’s splendor. Following the cleaning, the exterior brick was restored to its original color, the structure’s remaining terra-cotta cornice was revitalized, and the clam-shell style garage doors that once opened for horse-drawn wagons were fixed in place.

The interior celebrates the building’s past, too. Patterns and colors from early 20th century fashion trends were incorporated, and an oversized chessboard was placed in one of the rooftop lounges. These pay homage to its location in the Garment District and on the site of Harmonie Hall, where the 1886 World Chess Championship took place.

Repurposing the existing concrete and masonry not only preserved the building’s history but also benefited the environment. Adaptively reusing the structure eliminated the need to extract and produce new construction materials. The 23,988 short tons of embodied carbon put into The Victor nearly 120 years ago would take St. Louis’ Forest Park another 100 years to offset if it were built today.

Reinvention of the building came in the form of a design that prioritizes connection, light and community, beginning with the reorganization of the structure along a dominant east-west axial spine. Now, the 17th Street entrance connects to a new lobby, open courtyard and the historic 18th Street entry via a new monumental staircase and enclosure. Apartment units and tenant amenities were oriented around this new axis, reactivating the building from the inside out. 

The building’s landscape was also transformed from an area devoid of ecological value to a habitat that supports more living biomass than ever before. Native plants thrive in and around the structure, including the rooftop pool and amenity deck, courtyard and entrance. Mounded landscapes within the courtyard, sedum trays and healthy tree pits and planted areas along the right of way not only reduced the building’s impervious area, but also its maintenance requirements.

A Catalyst for Positive Change

Upon its completion in 2023, the Butler Brothers Building was officially reborn as a multifamily community with top-of-the-line amenities. These include a rooftop terrace with a pool, pickleball court, sundeck, bar and dog park; a fitness center with separate yoga and Pilates studios and a golf simulator; internal parking garage; outdoor courtyards; and more.

The Victor proves adaptive reuse can spark momentum. With most of its units occupied, The Victor has brought hundreds of new residents seeking high-quality and affordable living to the Downtown West neighborhood. And it has invited investment. Another developer purchased a historic structure directly north of the building with plans to bring 50 more residences to the area.

The revitalization of The Victor has garnered significant interest. Visitors are in awe of its size and public spaces promoting togetherness and community. St. Louis’ American Institute of Architects and International Interior Design Association chapters have hosted events at the building. It has been touted as a triumph of adaptive reuse in numerous media outlets.

With The Victor, a once-abandoned warehouse speaks again, this time with a voice of renewal, community and possibility. Its story is no longer one of decline but of reinvention, demonstrating how the past and present can coexist to shape a stronger future. 

Judge’s Comment

Retrofit Team

Owner/Developer: Development Services Group 

Lead and Historic Architect, Interior Designer: Trivers

General Contractor: Paric 

MEP Engineer: IMEG

Structural Engineer: KPFF 

Civil Engineer: Civil Design Inc. 

Landscape Architect: Arbolope Studio 

Lighting Designer: Reed Burkett Lighting Design 

Masonry Consultant: Wollenberg Building Conservation 

Materials

Aluminum Replacement Windows: 2000H Series Single-hung Windows and 1200H Series Fixed Windows from Graham Architectural Products  

Aluminum Windows and Doors (at New Courtyard Walls): GT6800 Series Fixed & Casement Windows and GT7700 Terrace Doors from Graham Architectural Products 

Aluminum Storefront and Curtainwall: T24650 Storefront and CW400T Curtainwall from Tubelite 

TPO Roofing: 60 mil in grey from Johns Manville

Hardwood Flooring: Northern Solid Sawn Collection, UVF Finish, Natural White Oak, from Vintage Flooring

LVT Flooring: DB Plank TPSP 111 from TuffPlank

Composite Deck: Prime+ Collection in Coconut Husk from TimberTech

Concrete Pavers: HRT-15, HFT-12 and HRT-60 from Wausau Tile