Update: Looking back now as of January of 2021, I quite frankly don’t know why I was so worked up about the demolition of the San Luis. It really was not an attractive building-it was actually quite mediocre and dated-so I don’t blame the Archdiocese for tearing it down. In fact, I have a great relationship with the Archdiocese nowadays, and many members of its staff help me on a regular basis. I do hope that one day that the parking lot is replaced with a higher use. The link is dead for the Drury Hotels plan, and they never did end up building a hotel in the Grove.

Reading about the controversial (and idiotic) plan for Drury Hotels to demolish a portion of occupied and rehabbed Forest Park Southeast, I began thinking, “Where could Drury put a hotel that would make everyone happy?” The answer came to me: the old San Luis Hotel on Lindell, just down from the Cathedral. Drury could continue its notable trend of rehabbing historic buildings into viable (and occupied) hotels, Forest Park would get some of its land back, and the historic houses of Forest Park Southeast targeted for demolition would be saved. Now they just have to get the Archdiocese to sell Drury the hotel.