St. Louis Police gear up to move bike unit HQ downtown
ST. LOUIS (First Alert 4) - As data from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) shows crime is dropping across downtown St. Louis, city leaders hope a brand-new police substation will help keep that momentum going.
SLMPD’s downtown bike unit is gearing up to move into a new, state-of-the-art headquarters at the corner of Tucker Boulevard and Convention Plaza. The 4,000-square-foot facility, known as the Globe Building, offers upgraded space, better visibility, and faster deployment, all without costing taxpayers a dime, according to those behind the move.
“This high-visibility location will play a key role in our efforts to keep Downtown safe,” said SLMPD Chief Robert Tracy. “Public-private partnerships like this one with the Globe Building, the Downtown CID, and SLMPD working together are essential to both the perception and the reality of public safety.”
The new station replaces the unit’s outdated office at 13th and Lucas, which lacked secure parking and had limited visibility. The new headquarters includes a street-facing entrance, SLMPD branding, as well as a more than doubled footprint of the previous facility.
“The downtown St. Louis area has traffic concerns, youth [mis]behavior, unhoused - all of those same challenges still exist,” said Kelli McCrary, Executive Director of the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District (CID). “But right now, what we’re allowing this bike station to do is be in a more prominent area that can help intervene on some of those issues, as well as help deploy in a faster manner.”
The Globe Building funded construction of the space and is leasing it to the CID and SLMPD rent-free for 10 years. Police will reuse existing equipment, so the move adds no extra costs for city taxpayers or downtown property owners.
“We believe in Downtown and its future,” said Globe Building Managing Partner Steven Stone. “Our commitment was inspired by the tireless work of resident-led neighborhood organizations and Downtown leaders.”
The substation also sits just feet away from the now-shuttered Tucker Shell gas station, which police were called to more than 300 times in its final year. The closure followed a lengthy community-led push to address safety at that site and others nearby.
McCrary said the upgraded facility is already helping improve the presence and reach of Downtown police.
“Certainly a benefit to all stakeholders Downtown, whether it’s residents, businesses, tourism ... everyone has the opportunity to benefit from police presence,” she said. “Just another layer to the security of Downtown.”
The facility is expected to be fully operational in the next month.
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