St. Louis started a revitalizing project...several times.
Busch Stadium and the Arch were supposed to be catalysts in revitalizing downtown in the late 60s. They helped...a little.
Laclede's Landing (an area of bars, restaurants, and clubs just north of the Arch) was supposed to be a catalyst in revitalizing downtown in the late 70s...this helped, although the fact that I-70 separates the Landing from the rest of downtown is a bit of a problem.
St. Louis Centre (a downtown mall, anchored by May Co.'s flagship store, Famous-Barr) and Union Station (our former train station, now a specialty mall with a Hilton Hotel and a movie theatre) were supposed to be catalysts in revitalizing downtown in the mid 80s. Union Station is thriving...St. Louis Centre is half-empty.
Kiel Center (now Savvis Center, and soon to probably be something else) and the Trans World Dome (now the Edward Jones Dome) were supposed to be catalysts in revitalizing downtown in the mid 90s. They actually HAVE helped in attracting more nightlife in a normally-quiet-after-7pm downtown. And the Dome is just across from the Landing, so it definitely boosts the Landing on Sunday nights.
Now, the goal apparently is to get more people to live downtown. Before the mid 90s, there were 3 apartment buildings in which to choose. Now, warehouses in the former garment district (along Washington Blvd.) have been converted into art lofts, inspiring new clubs and hot spots in the area. And yes, the prices have went through the roof.
Philadelphia, surprisingly, has a pretty decent nightlife downtown, primarily in Old City and along the Ave. of the Arts. You can hear the wind howling through the buildings west of Broad St. though.
