Who are Citizens for a Greater Downtown St. Louis?
Our network currently consists of a diverse group of 21 members and a number of affiliated “friends”, representing Downtown residents, businesses, developers, and investors. Of those 21 members , 16 live in Downtown and the remaining five members are long-term investors or property owners Downtown. We are all volunteers and we have no consultants or employees. Our very limited funding comes from personal contributions by our members. We are actively seeking to add new people to our network who are passionate about our downtown and can add to our “eyes and ears” in the neighborhood.
The opinions and positions of our group are developed based on our combined decades-long experience of living, working, and investing in Downtown. Our sole interest collectively and individually is in improving the neighborhood where we live, work, and invest. There are no vested interests or hidden agendas. We have a policy of avoiding personal attacks and focusing our efforts on doing whatever will be needed to improve Downtown.
MEET OUR MEMBERS
Les Sterman is a downtown St. Louis resident and condo owner. Les has a long history of supporting downtown St. Louis — as a resident, an employer, a volunteer, and as a professional. For 25 years, Les was Executive Director of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. In that position, Les had a principal role in the planning and design of MetroLink, the funding of Washington Avenue streetscape improvements, and many other investments in downtown. As a volunteer, Les served as Chair of the Jefferson National Park Association, and a number of other not-for-profit boards. More than anything, however, Les has an abiding faith in the importance of downtown as a vibrant neighborhood for residents, visitors, and businesses.
Ken Aston is a 36-year veteran of the apartment brokerage industry. He has a career sold volume approaching $5 billion and nearly 45,000 units. During his career, he has been a Top 10 Broker for Berkadia four times including being awarded the #2 broker in the United States in 2008. Other achievements during his career include the #1 and #2 ranked broker for CBRE’s Midwestern (North Central) Region of the United States, twenty-time #1 apartment broker in St. Louis as measured against all St. Louis brokerage firms, and the #1 ranking broker in total sales volume for both St. Louis and the state of Missouri in two different years as measured by all sales figures published by all statewide real estate boards. Ken owns the historic Bee Hat building on Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis
Earl Westfall is a long-time downtown resident living along Washington Avenue. Earl is an IT specialist for AT&T.
Earline Bell is an 18 year resident of Downtown. She was the former President of the Downtown St. Louis Residents Association, which undertook a variety of activities to improve the lives of downtown residents. Earline was also 7th Ward Democratic Committeewoman. She has worked for financial institutions, and been a compliance specialist, real estate specialist, and workforce development project manager. Earline is currently an Artist & Art consultant for Unique Productions Arts & Crafts. Unique services include providing creative developmental art workshops to underserved communities for today’s youth.
Craig Heller
Desiree Knapp is a long-time downtown west resident and the owner of 314 the City Bar at Washington Avenue & Tucker BLVD.
Matt O’Leary is a downtown St. Louis resident, condo owner and real estate developer. Matt is a lawyer by training. with Pyramid Companies he specialized in historic tax credits as well as broader aspects of commercial development such as property acquisition and renovation. He has overseen multimillion-dollar development projects downtown, which include the renovation of once-abandoned historic buildings into loft condominiums or apartments. The structures, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, include the Mallinckrodt Building (now Bankers Lofts) at 901 Washington Ave., the Dorsa Building at 1015 Washington Ave. and the Paul Brown Building at 820 Olive St.
Alison Walsh Prince has been a downtown condo owner and resident for 3 years and also works downtown for Thompson Coburn LLP. Although Ali spent much of her life in Florissant, Missouri she has spent many notable years living in cities such as Des Moines, Iowa and Reno, Nevada which have experienced significant success in improving safety and overall downtown engagement. Ali is committed to using her knowledge and experience to help identify and implement solutions to transform downtown St. Louis into the premier neighborhood in which to live, work and play! Ali is an active member of the downtown community where she participates in the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) safety committee and Meridian Condominium Owners' Association.
Arnold Stricker is a Downtown West resident and condo owner. Having lived in the St. Louis area most of his life, he recently moved to the city but has been a property owner in the city for several years. Arnold co-hosts a weekly radio program in the St. Louis area and for 30 plus years was actively involved in education as a teacher, principal, and deputy superintendent. He has taught at UM-St. Louis and Missouri Baptist University where he continues to advise doctoral students. Arnold was elected and served on the local School Board where he lived and has experience of executive and policy roles and understands the importance of public trust.
Dan Pistor has been a downtown St. Louis resident and condo owner for 14 years and also works downtown in Finance. Dan currently chairs the St. Louis Downtown Neighborhood Association, Inc. (DNA), and is the longtime chair of the safety committee, and was a member of the Urban Spaces committee for 4 years. Dan is a major advocate for downtown to outsiders often highlighting the positive events and changes taking place. Dan has built positive relationships with other downtown stakeholders, elected officials, city departments, business owners, and law enforcement. Dan has a strong understanding of the challenges facing downtown and the city.
Diane Scott is the owner of Hayden's Irish Pub in Downtown St. Louis and is the Operating Officer of Brandonview LLC (owner of several downtown apartment buildings). Diane is also a part-time resident of Downtown.
Ellen Demucci. I landed in St Louis for the first time to attend a Mid-Western conference on bats (yes, the flying mammals -- I'm licensed to rehab). I instantly caught feelings for this city. I moved to Downtow soon after from Washington D.C. Today I am in the same loft, which I love, I have more friends than time, and my love for this city, despite its problems, has not waned. I am a 7 year grateful employee of Siteman Cancer Center, I enjoy the many dog parks the city offers, I volunteer, work at Enterprise Center (LGB!), frequent all the art museums and local talent venues, purchased my now favorite piece of original art from Jared Minnick at 31art Gallery, traded my Capitals hockey stick for a Blue one, celebrate STL Pride like nobody's business, and most of all I'm a zealous self-appointed advocate for our city. My rose colored glasses rarely fog up. I don't give up easily. I have great optimism that downtown St. Louis will figure it out.
Amos Harris is President of EMB Development and a principal of Spinnaker St. Louis. As principal of Spinnaker St. Louis, Mr. Harris’ current projects include the MX & The Laurel, formerly the Dillards Building – a completed conversion of a 560,000 SQ FT vacant property in downtown St. Louis into a mixed use project that includes hotel, residential, retail and parking. Until summer 2020, Amos and his family were long-time residents in downtown St. Louis. Amos now commutes between California & St. Louis.
Tauriana Lyles King has both lived and worked downtown for over 13 years and currently works as a Senior Program Manager at AT&T. With over 30 years of community involvement, Tauriana has served as an executive board member for several service and non-profit organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. – East St. Louis Alumnae Chapter, AT&T Network of African American Telecommunications Professionals – St. Louis Chapter, National Pan-Hellenic Council – East St. Louis Chapter, and the Delta Economic Development Corporation. As a volunteer, she serves on the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) Safety Committee, the AT&T Project Management Network, AT&T Advocates for Women in Technology and Women of AT&T.
Adam Briggs is a St. Louis real estate agent specializing in urban living and luxury homes. As a St. Louis native, Adam is well versed in all city and county neighborhoods with a special emphasis on the downtown loft/condo market. Adam comes with over 10 years of creative professional experience in the advertising and marketing industries. Adam & his wife live in Downtown. Adam can often be seen walking their dog in City Garden or riding his bike on the Arch Grounds and throughout Downtown. Adam operates a website that highlights property for sale including Downtown living options: http://www.stlouisloftliving.com
Zach McMichael is a trial attorney committed to helping his clients determine the proper role litigation plays in their business, knowing when to avoid litigation entirely and when to settle a claim, but also when to press a case to trial. Zach works with a variety of clients to address their complex business disputes, ranging from zoning and land use to multi-party construction defects and shareholder disputes. Most frequently, Zach represents clients in the business of real estate development and land use, helping them to resolve disputes affecting their business. Zach is an active member of his community, where he serves as a board member for condominium associations and community improvement districts. Zach owns commercial property in Downtown St. Louis.
Tedd Masiongale chose downtown St. Louis as his new home in 2015 having relocated from urban Atlanta. He is a condo owner. Tedd is a speech-language pathologist employed at St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Hospital and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He is a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. He has and continues to serve on national boards and committees where he has led collaborative efforts in support of LGBTQ+ initiatives. He is the faculty advisor for the student affiliate of the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing at SIUE. Tedd previously organized and led a local STL hiking club and is a volunteer with MODOT for trash pick up under the Poplar Street Bridge near the Arch grounds.
Peter Wagner makes his home and headquarters his business in Downtown West. Pete’s firm, Wagner Consulting LLC, provides management and regulatory advice and services to rural internet providers operating in Missouri and six other states. Before moving to St. Louis, Pete worked in manufacturing engineering and management followed by serving in various technical, managerial, and policy roles for the State of Illinois. Pete is a veteran of the US Air Force and Air National Guard, serving under the Tactical Air Command and Air Combat Command. He holds a Master of Science Degree from Western Illinois University in addition to other advanced certifications.
Brad Waldrop is a property owner and commercial real estate broker in downtown St. Louis. Beginning in 1999, Brad developed a diverse real estate portfolio that included land, land improved as parking, warehouse properties, residential space, retail space, office space and a church in downtown St. Louis. Brad’s firm’s real estate transactions in Downtown have included Medina Mediterranean Grill, Havana’s, Ozzie Smith’s Restaurant, Blood & Sand, Infuz, Wind Capital Group, Rooster, Farina’s, J’s Studio, the Hoffman Building, the Greeley Building, the Monkey Building, the CPI Building (now the Monogram) and much more. Brad served on the board of The Bridge, a homeless services provider, for five years. Brad continues to advocate for intake, assessment and rapid rehousing of the unhoused in the St. Louis region. Brad also helped several downtown stakeholders conceive St. Louis Downtown Neighborhood Association Inc. (DNA).
Vic Mattison
John Guinn is a condo owner in Downtown West and 2019 graduate of the Computer Science program at Missouri State University. John works for Villa Lighting, one of St. Louis' premier lighting and electrical distributors. He is a season ticket holder as well as soccer advocate for St. Louis City SC, frequenting many minor league soccer matches in the area. At Missouri State he was a part of Delta Chi fraternity, where he held chair positions including Web Development, fundraising and Historical Preservation.
