According to the report, since 1990:

(There has been no market driven construction --- the one building under construction is a federal court house).

The report notes that "Downtown boasts such jewells as the Gateway Arch, sports stadiums and refurbished Union Station. But those jewels shikne amid increasingly faded surroundings."

On 6 December, data reported in The Wall Street Journal indicated that downtown St. Louis has an office vacancy rate of 26.8 percent, third highest among the 50 reporting markets, and more than 40 percent higher than that of any other midwestern market.

Small retail space vacancies at the large enclosed St. Louis Centre Mall were estimated by the Post-Dispatch at approximately 50 percent. The multi-story mall is anchored by two major department stores.

On Tuesday, December 10 the Post-Dispatch surmised that:

If demolitions continued at their current pace, downtown would have no buildings left in less than 20 years.