The Gateway Arch reflecting in one of the two ponds on the park grounds.
Missouri Division of Tourism
Completed in October 1965, the Gateway Arch is a nationally-recognized symbol of westward expansion and an icon for the City of St. Louis. Following completion of the park’s new general management plan and coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the completion of its construction, National Park Service and city leaders worked to improve the grounds, museum, visitor experience, and surrounding urban area. This led to the creation of the CityArchRiver Project, a publicly- and privately-funded $380 million renovation project for the park and riverfront, in 2010. Many amazing changes were made to Gateway Arch National Park through the project, including the expansion of Luther Ely Smith Square by creating a land bridge over I-44 to connect the previously separated park grounds and downtown St. Louis, the construction of a new Silver LEED Certified Visitor Center and Museum, the removal of a large parking garage at the north end of the park, the raising of the riverfront boulevard nearly 3 feet to mitigate future flooding, and the landscaping of 11 reclaimed acres of green space to the grounds. Combining sustainability, conservation, and the community was a primary focus of Gateway Arch National Park, both during construction and after it was completed in July 2018. Recycling and composting efforts were expanded throughout the park, new native green spaces were created, a more efficient irrigation system was installed, and a variety of green practices were put into place. As new projects and improvements to our urban national park continue to progress, sustainable development will remain a primary focus for Gateway Arch National Park.
Map showing the locations of various sustainable features across the park grounds
Great Rivers Greenway; Map elements: Noelle Maxey, NLCCA Inter-Midwest Region
