Just like the former Gatesworth Hotel next door, the 1925 Senate on the south, and the 1926 Congress on the north, opened as hotels. Even Charles Lindbergh lived in the Congress, the larger of the two “twin” buildings (while the frontage along Union is identical, the Congress has a wing along Pershing).
Below, the Congress Apartments tower over the streetscape.
I hate saying this, because I think St. Louis should work to be the best it can be, not be based off the character of other cities, but this is the most “New York” stretch of street in St. Louis.
My dad lived in the Congress for a couple of years in the late 1940s when he was single. I think it was called the Congress Hotel at that time.
The Congress and Senate……such incredible memories as a kid my mother was a leasing agent there…..as I grew up I knew I had to live there at least for a while. In 1989 I moved into the Congress into unit 1609.the last balcony unit facing south……after one year……we upgraded to the two story townhouse at the end of the hall complete with our own penthouse terrace……..I lived there til 1995……..parties…….friends…….so much fun……and what an incredible building……………
Robert Endicott
Thank you for the memories! I need to get those broken images fixed.
From 1989 to 2007, the Congress and the Senate (known then as Portland Towers) was home to a radio station: WGNU (920 AM, now silent). WGNU’s founder and original owner, Chuck Norman, occupied the entire 13th floor of the Senate. His apartment was on the south side of that floor, while the studio apartment in the center (by the elevator) served as office space, while the north side of the floor served as the offices and studios of what was known in its final years as “Radio Free St. Louis.” (I remember being amused by finding a wall safe in what was our main studio, not to mention that the Senate really had a 13th floor! Many tall buildings skip the 13th number entirely, as in “11-12-14…” A happy coincidence that Chuck Norman was born on June 13th and considered himself a triskaidekaphile–that is, he loved the number 13!) I worked for “the ol’ Chuckaroo” from 1974 to 2007 as news and program director, among many other things