Todd Weaver’s Legacy will help Schnuck Markets legacy return to downtown St. Louis.
“Culinaria – A Schnucks Market” is the future market’s name, and it is scheduled to open in the coming summer.
Legacy Building Group is general contractor for the project, and Weaver (the fast-growing firms president and CEO) said the store’s location on the ground floor of the Ninth Street Garage at Ninth and Olive “is kind of unheard of.”
“It’s in a garage,” he said with a smile, while speaking of the design-and-build challenge.
“It will have some intricacies, including building a mezzanine level.”
The cost has been estimated at about $7.5 million.
While smaller than the usual Schnucks location, “what it lacks in size it will make up in service and items,” said Scott Schnuck, Schnuck Market president and CEO.
“We are particularly excited to bring the only pharmacy to the Downtown area.”
Schnuck said, “Todd and Legacy are going to put this beautiful store together,” before the site was christened by a magnum of champagne smacked against an interior pillar.
“He will bring all the planning and vision together,” Schnuck said of Weaver.
Legacy’s project manager is David Lowell, and the store’s architect is Kuhlmann Design Group.
Comptroller Darlene Green, decked out in a President Obama inauguration scarf, said the Schnucks market would be welcomed in Downtown St. Louis.
“Thousands of employees and residents of this area will appreciate the convenience of this wonderful new store,” Green said.
“Thank you for this.”
Schnuck estimates that there are about 100,000 commuters, tourists and residents within a two or three mile radius of the store on any given weekday.
“However, only about 10 percent of that group is Downtown over the weekend,” Schnuck said. “We have always known that a traditional grocery business is not going to work in this location.”
Mayor Francis G. Slay saluted the Schnuck family “for its continued commitment to the development of Downtown,” and he also praised Weaver.
“Legacy is a great local company that has done so many good things,” Slay said.
While Legacy has not built a grocery store, “we’ve done a lot of Walgreens,” said Weaver.
His firm’s reach now spans across Missouri after winning the Kansas City Chiefs – Arrowhead Stadium renovation carpentry package contract.
Legacy worked on the St. Louis Cardinals new Busch stadium with the lead contractor, Hunt Construction.
They were impressed with the firm’s work and “took us to Indianapolis to work on (Lucas Oil Stadium),” Weaver said.
Closer to home, it was recently announced that Clayco is parterning with Legacy on the construction of a $30-million data center for BJC-Progress West.
Clayco is owned and run by Weaver’s father, Bob Clark, who adopted and mentored Weaver after meeting him as a youth.
Weaver said, “In this economy, we’re doing OK.”
