Webster University’s new downtown Gateway Campus kicked off classes for the spring semester in early January. The Gateway Campus is located in the Arcade
Building on Olive Street across from the Old Post Office. Renovation of the Arcade Building began in 2014. This marks Webster’s third downtown location.
Spring classes started the first week of January. The grand opening Jan. 11 offered tours of the building and a presentation from President Elizabeth Stroble.
“Today is the fulfillment of what is Webster’s long standing and unique commitment to downtown St. Louis,” Stroble said.
Provost Julian Schuster said the newly-renovated Arcade Building is the next step in a vision for downtown St. Louis. He said Webster’s commitment to downtown St. Louis is a priority for the future of the university and the city.
“We are on the forefront. The forefront of the vision of, not only expanding Webster University’s impact in downtown St. Louis, but to also bring more and new ideas to St. Louis,” Schuster said.
The Arcade Building has 19 stories. Webster will be on the ground level, in the mezzanine and in the second story. Webster’s space in the building takes up 54,000 square feet.
The university also has a parking agreement with the parking garage at Olive and Ninth Street, less than half a block from the building.
Inside the Gateway Campus:’
- 11 classrooms
- Three computer labs
- Art museum
- 130-seat auditorium
- 25 private offices
- Cafe
- 38 underground parking spaces
- More than 200 studio apartments
Gateway Campus Programs:
- Master’s degree in cyber security
- First responder courses
- Master of Business Administration program and other business courses
- Undergraduate degree completion program
Stroble said Webster’s newest downtown location will reinforce the university as an anchor in the downtown community.
“Webster is the university that has been downtown and committed to St. Louis for over 41 years,” Stroble said.
In 2014, the Arcade Building project was estimated to cost $116 million, with Webster contributing around $6.1 million. Although the university could not confirm exactly how much Webster contributed to the project, University Spokesperson Patrick Giblin said the project finished under budget.
Board of Trustees Chair Amelia Bond said the board was excited when Stroble and Schuster brought the project to them, and that she looks forward to seeing Webster contribute further to the downtown community.
Webster opened its first downtown location in 1975 at Broadway and Locust. In 2006, Webster began offering classes in the Old Post Office, a building across the street from the new Arcade Building. The Arcade Building was originally one of the first indoor shopping malls in the United States.
All of Webster’s offices and classrooms in the Old Post Office were moved to the Arcade Building as per the plan for the downtown campus. According to a press release on the Arcade Building, any empty space in the Old Post Office will be subleased to local businesses and organizations.
In 1980, the Arcade Building was named a St. Louis landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
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