East St. Louis set to revitalize historic, vacant hotel into housing

Published: Mar. 27, 2023 at 10:34 PM CDT

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - The City of East St. Louis is set to welcome the first large-scale project in decades.

Developers will refurbish the historic Broadview Hotel in Downtown in East St. Louis into a mature adult housing complex. The building has been vacant for years.

East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III told News 4 the $44 million project is being funded by developers along with federal and state funding. The building will house 110 rooms and mixed-use office and retail space at the bottom.

“To have somebody to even want to come over here and take on this task in the City of East St. Louis, you know, that was a challenge within itself,” Mayor Eastern said. “Any time you can bring people back into the city, especially, into the downtown region, you know, and bring life and vitality--it’s awesome.”

“I’m glad something like that is coming in the area,” lifelong East St. Louis resident JoAnn Carson said.

Lifelong resident and former city employee Percy Harris told News 4 his grandmother worked at the historic hotel.

“She always talked about the hotel. She even took me down there a couple of times,” Harris said. “I saw the laundry and lobby, and I was just amazed how well it looked.

Harris hoped the city would have resurrected a new hotel.

“I’m a senior myself. I wouldn’t live there,” he said. “There’s nothing down there. No grocery stores. None of that. I hope it works. I don’t think it will, but I hope it does.”

The building is expected to open next year.