Reimagine Urban Spaces

Reimagine Urban Spaces: St. Louis Gateway Arch

In 2008, local voices were calling for alternative management for Gateway Arch at Jefferson National Expansion, including a possible transfer to local management. As a result, a more collaborative approach to the park's General Management Plan was leveraged into an opportunity for NPS to pivot its efforts toward shared community goals, create an added $367 million dollar impact and generate 4,400 jobs for the region. CityArchRiver 2015, in partnership with NPS, will create a new design for the park and surrounding grounds that will not only increase visitation to the park but have an economic impact on the city. Because the project is more a "refresh" of existing assets rather than an acquisition or new creation, traditional NPS resources such as congressional delegation and tax credit programs were less relevant to the project. In this case, private investment, local tax measures, and community support are the key drivers, with NPS providing collaborative leadership rather than primary financial assistance.