The Relocation of Anthem Signals New Life for St. Louis Office Market

On Monday, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield formally opened its new downtown St. Louis office, relocating approximately 500 employees into the Deloitte Building at 4th and Market. The move places a significant workforce at the core of the city’s business district and signals a strong vote of confidence in the downtown environment.

The relocation aligns with a broader shift in corporate real‑estate strategy, one where the office is being reimagined rather than discarded. Even as hybrid and remote work models become prevalent, organizations like Anthem are choosing to invest in high‑visibility, amenity‑rich urban settings. Moving into a modern office within downtown St. Louis rather than maintaining a dispersed suburban footprint reflects an understanding that companies still value physical workplace hubs that foster culture, collaboration, and connectivity.

From a commercial real estate perspective, this lease adds meaningful vitality to the local office market. The Deloitte Building spans roughly 260,000 square feet, and Anthem’s new space represents a significant tenant commitment of approximately 45,600 square feet. Because many firms have reduced footprint or remain cautious about long‑term leasing commitments, a move of this size exhibits market confidence and encourages landlords and developers to enhance building offerings.

Beyond the building itself, the ripple effects extend into the downtown economy. The arrival of 500 employees translates into expanded demand for nearby restaurants, retail stores, parking, transit, and support services. It strengthens the urban ecosystem and helps attract additional employers who seek access to a vibrant city centre, a talent‑friendly address, and proximity to amenities. With more corporate activity in the core, downtown becomes not just a workplace location but a destination.

While remote work continues to evolve, the office is no longer simply a place to house everyone every day. Instead, it becomes the environment where teams converge, innovate, and connect. Anthem’s move reflects this reality by choosing high‑quality space in a central location. For downtown St. Louis, the significance is clear: this is a tangible anchor tenant that can spur momentum, creating further leasing activity, encouraging building renewals, and affirming the city’s competitiveness in the post‑pandemic office era.

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Header image The Deloitte Building is now home to over 500 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield employees. Photo | Sansone Group

New NGA campus signals a turning point for St. Louis’ geospatial economy

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency officially opened its new western headquarters in north St. Louis on Sept. 26, launching what regional leaders call the next phase of geospatial growth.

The $1.7 billion Next NGA West campus, located at Jefferson and Cass avenues, spans 97 acres and features a 700,000 SF main office building, parking garages, a visitor center, and supporting infrastructure. About 3,000 employees are expected to relocate from the agency’s current Soulard site by 2026.

The project, nearly a decade in the making, began with a 2016 site selection that positioned St. Louis as a key hub for geospatial intelligence. Construction started in 2019, and the campus is now seen as a catalyst for regional innovation, economic development, and national security.

Community and business leaders say the opening represents more than a new government facility. The campus is expected to strengthen the region’s geospatial sector, drawing investment, research, and entrepreneurial ventures. Workforce development programs, such as the GeoFutures Talent Initiative, aim to train analysts, engineers, and data scientists to support industry demand.

Economic impacts are also anticipated in the surrounding neighborhoods, where leaders hope new jobs, infrastructure improvements, and small business opportunities will follow. Local organizations have emphasized that inclusive growth will be critical for ensuring benefits extend beyond the campus gates.

With the opening, St. Louis is working to brand itself as a national leader in geospatial technology. Officials note the combination of federal investment, university partnerships, and private-sector momentum positions the region to attract talent and firms in remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

The new facility marks a milestone in the NGA’s mission to deliver advanced geospatial intelligence, while providing the St. Louis region with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a globally recognized technology sector.

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Header image: Arial view of the newly opened National Geospacial-Intelligence Agencey in north St. Louis, Mo. Photo | NGA

Optimizing federal space in St. Louis opens doors for economic expansion and community investment

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has identified multiple federal properties in the St. Louis metropolitan area as "non-core," placing them on a list for potential closure and sale as part of a nationwide initiative to optimize government operations and enhance efficiency. While the move is part of a broader effort targeting more than 440 federal buildings across the country, it also presents opportunities for redevelopment and economic growth in the region.

Among the properties affected is the Robert A. Young Federal Building, located at 1222 Spruce St. in downtown St. Louis. The 20-story, nearly 1 million SF facility is home to multiple federal agencies, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' St. Louis District. Its designation as "non-core" suggests a potential closure and sale, creating the possibility for repurposing the space to serve the community better. Similarly, the Charles F. Prevedel Federal Building at 9700 Page Ave. in Overland, which houses the St. Louis Veterans Affairs Regional Office and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, is under review for potential transition, opening the door for innovative reuse or private sector investment. Additionally, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service office, located in the University Tower at 1034 S. Brentwood Blvd. in Richmond Heights, is slated for lease termination.

Above: Inside the Robert A. Young Federal Building could soon be vacant. Image courtesy of Etegra

The federal government's push to optimize its real estate portfolio is part of a larger strategy led by the Department of Government Efficiency. The GSA plans to repurpose or sell more than 500 federal buildings nationwide, including high-profile properties such as the FBI and Department of Justice headquarters. According to the department, lease terminations at 22 underutilized federal properties have already resulted in an estimated $44.6 million in cost savings. While some lease cancellations have led to legal disputes, these transitions will require communities to reimagine how these spaces can be revitalized for commercial, residential, or mixed-use purposes.

The planned transitions of federal buildings in St. Louis could ultimately contribute to economic revitalization. As federal offices consolidate, there is potential for increased investment in local infrastructure, commercial development, and job creation. The private sector and city officials have an opportunity to collaborate on redevelopment efforts that align with regional needs, whether through new business hubs, affordable housing, or community spaces. As the GSA and the Department of Government Efficiency move forward with their plans, stakeholders across the region are engaging in proactive discussions to ensure these changes lead to long-term benefits for the St. Louis community.

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Above: The Robert A. Young Federal Building in downtown St. Louis, Mo. is one of several metro area to potentially close. Image courtesy of Etegra

Shared space in Chesterfield a win-win

Two West St. Louis County companies are relocating to the same Chesterfield office space, joining forces to provide complementary financial services.

The America Group, a financial advisory company, and Chas. W. DeWitt Insurance Agency, a business and personal insurance solutions provider, will be moving to 390 S. Woods Mill Road, according to JLL, who represented the firms on their search for new office space.

The companies will move into the shared 12,000-SF office in August, after renovations are complete. The companies’ goal is to create a hub of financial planning and insurance experts — a one-stop shop where clients can find answers in all areas of financial support and planning.

Advisors with the firms offer financial planning, tax planning, business and personal insurance, employee benefits and health/Medicare insurance, allowing clients to align their financial decisions in those areas and avoiding conflicts or gaps in coverage.

“The benefits of shared office space can be quite valuable, particularly for companies working in the same or complementary industries,” said David Steinbach, managing director of JLL St. Louis. “For DeWitt and The America Group, they will benefit from shared expenses and more efficient communication, but even more importantly their clients will benefit from having these services aligned in one central location.”

Chas. W. DeWitt Insurance Agency was founded in 1925 and is currently located in Ballwin, Mo. DeWitt started its business relationship with The America Group in 2011 when Ross Pfeifer, DeWitt’s vice president, began offering financial planning services to clients of DeWitt through The America Group.

In January 2021, Pfeifer, Aaron Stewart and Jeff Seeburger became co-owners of The America Group. Seeburger, who now serves as president, admires the numerous advantages of the new space —including its size, location and their ability to integrate services to clients.

“The workspaces and office layout as well as the kitchen are Class A space,” Seeburger said. “We stepped into a practically turnkey, Class-A situation thanks to JLL.”

New office HQ with a view for Arcturis

Renovations are underway on new office headquarters for Arcturis, a St. Louis-based national design firm, who plans to move to the 13th floor of the former Peabody Plaza building, which now serves as a focal point of the new Gateway Plaza at 701 Market St. in downtown St. Louis.

Arcturis partnered with Tarlton Corp. to serve as construction manager of the 11,500-SF, build-out project - adding to the award-winning portfolio of the two, women-owned businesses.

The dynamic duo previously collaborated on the build-out of the new Spire corporate headquarters which earned LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and was recognized with an Edwin F. Guth Award for interior lighting design from the Illuminating Engineering Society.

Slated for completion by the end of this year, the renovations and tenant build-out include the demolition of existing office space; installation of new partitions; high-end, industrial-look finishes and MEPFP design-build enhancements.

An impressive glass-wall storefront, fabricated and installed by Missouri Valley Glass, welcomes employees and visitors into the office suite. The storefront features one-half-inch-thick clear tempered glass sections situated within a span that is 9 feet tall and 22 feet long. The entry doors are flanked by two wide sections on each side, with sleek, brushed stainless hardware and trim completing the modern design.

In addition, the office space incorporates a wellness area featuring a lounge and cafeteria, as well as a “light laboratory” that Arcturis design teams will use for fixture testing and to simulate different light conditions in project designs for clients.

The Tarlton project team includes Joe Scarfino, project director; Diane Grimsley, senior project manager; Beth Barton, superintendent; and Joe Carr, cost engineer.