St. Louis real estate is weird. You’ve got these pockets of the city that look like standard corporate parks, but when you dig into the tax records and the tenant rosters, you realize they’re basically the nervous system for local industry. 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive is exactly one of those spots. It’s sitting right there in the Highlands development, which, if you aren’t local, is the site where the old Arena used to be—the place where the Blues played before they moved downtown. It’s got history, even if the current glass-and-steel vibe doesn't scream "legacy."
Location is everything. Seriously.
When you’re looking at 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive, you aren't just looking at a building; you're looking at a strategic land grab. It’s positioned right off I-64 (Highway 40 if you want to sound like a local), directly across from Forest Park. That’s huge. Why? Because being across from the park means you aren't just in an office; you’re in a recruitment tool. If you're a high-level exec at a tech firm or a medical research outfit, telling your employees they can walk to Turtle Park or the Zoo on their lunch break is a massive flex.
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What’s actually inside the walls?
Let’s talk specifics. This isn't a retail mall. It’s a Class A office space, which in real estate speak basically means "the fancy stuff." We are talking about roughly 150,000 square feet of space. The building is often associated with big names in the region. Most notably, it’s served as a major hub for BJC HealthCare.
Now, if you know anything about the St. Louis economy, you know BJC is the kingpin. They are the largest employer in the state. Having their administrative and support offices at 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive anchors the entire development. It’s not just about desks and cubicles; it’s about the proximity to the Washington University Medical Center just a few minutes down the road.
- It’s a five-story structure.
- Parking is tucked away in a connected garage, which is a godsend during a Missouri sleet storm.
- The design focuses on floor-to-ceiling glass.
Honestly, the light in there is pretty great. I’ve talked to people who work in these types of Highlands buildings, and they always mention the "fishbowl" effect—you see everything. You see the traffic on 64, the greenery of the park, and the constant construction of the ever-expanding St. Louis med-tech corridor.
The Corticene and the "New" St. Louis
There’s a misconception that St. Louis is a dying rust-belt city. That’s just wrong. If you look at the corridor where 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive sits, it’s actually part of a massive revitalization effort. This specific building was developed by Balke Brown Transwestern. They didn't just throw up a building; they gambled on the idea that companies would pay a premium to be near the city without being in the dense heart of downtown.
And it worked.
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The Highlands has basically become a "mid-town" anchor. It bridges the gap between the affluent suburbs of Clayton and the urban density of the Central West End. If you’re a business owner, 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive offers a weirdly perfect compromise. You get the prestige of a modern glass tower, the tax benefits of certain city zones, and the ease of access that usually only comes with suburban office parks.
Why 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive is a "Safe" Investment
From a commercial real estate (CRE) perspective, this address is a boring win. And in real estate, boring is beautiful. The occupancy rates in the Highlands area have historically stayed higher than the national average, even when the "work from home" trend started nuking downtown office towers.
Why? Because medical-adjacent office space is sticky.
You can't do high-level healthcare administration or clinical coordination from a couch as easily as you can do coding or copywriting. The infrastructure required—secure servers, HIPAA-compliant meeting spaces, and direct fiber links to the hospitals—keeps these buildings full. 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive was built with this in mind. It has the redundant power and high-speed data capabilities that a standard suburban "strip mall" office just can't match.
Let’s talk about the neighborhood vibe
If you’re heading to 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive for a meeting, you aren't stuck in a food desert. That’s the biggest gripe with most office locations, right? You’re usually stuck with a vending machine or a sad sandwich shop. Here, you’ve got things like the Highlands Golf & Tennis Center right there. You’ve got the Cheshire Inn nearby if you need a place for out-of-towners to stay that isn't a boring Marriott.
It’s an ecosystem.
The building is part of a master-planned community. That means the landscaping is always perfect, the security is tight, and the "walkability" factor—at least within the Highlands campus—is surprisingly high. You’ll see people jogging on the paths around the buildings during their 2:00 PM slump. It feels less like a cubicle farm and more like a collegiate campus.
Addressing the skeptics
Some people argue that the rise of remote work makes 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive obsolete. "Why pay for 150k square feet of glass?" they ask. Well, the data shows that St. Louis is seeing a "flight to quality." Companies are ditching their crappy, older buildings and consolidating into high-end spots like this one.
They want the amenities.
They want the "Class A" label.
They want the LEED certification (which many of these modern builds aim for).
Basically, if a company is going to force people back to the office, the office better not suck. 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive doesn't suck. It has that modern, airy feel that makes the commute feel slightly more justified. Plus, the building management has been historically proactive about upgrades. You aren't walking into a lobby that looks like it’s stuck in 1994.
The Financials (The stuff nobody talks about)
While I can't give you a live quote on the current rent per square foot—because that changes faster than the weather in Missouri—I can tell you that the Highlands commands some of the highest rents in the city limits. You're likely looking at a range that competes with Clayton prices.
Is it worth it?
If you're a startup, probably not. You go to a co-working space in Cortex for that. But if you're an established firm that needs to project stability, 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive is a statement piece. It says, "We aren't going anywhere, and we have the capital to be in the best spot in town."
The building also benefits from being in a special taxing district in some cases, or at least benefiting from the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) legacy that helped build out the Highlands in the first place. This means the infrastructure around the building—the roads, the lighting, the sewers—is much better maintained than in other parts of the city where the budget is tighter.
A quick reality check
It isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Traffic on 64 during rush hour is a nightmare. If you're leaving 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive at 5:05 PM, you're going to be sitting there watching the taillights crawl toward Hampton Avenue. That’s the trade-off. You get the central location, but you pay for it in commute time if you live in the deep West County suburbs.
Also, parking. While there is a garage, during peak events at Forest Park or major hospital shifts, the whole area gets congested. It’s the price of being in the middle of the action.
What should you do next?
If you are a business owner looking for space, or a job seeker considering a role at a company based at 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive, you need to do a "vibe check" in person. Don't just look at the Google Street View.
- Drive the commute at 8:00 AM. Seriously. See if you can handle the Highway 40 merge. It’s the ultimate test of character.
- Check the floor plans. This building favors open-concept layouts because of the window placement. If you need 50 private offices with solid walls, you might be fighting the natural flow of the architecture.
- Look at the neighbors. See who else is in the park. Networking happens in the elevators and the parking garages. In the Highlands, you’re rubbing shoulders with healthcare tech, law firms, and high-level non-profits.
- Verify the square footage availability. These buildings stay relatively full. If a floor opens up, it usually doesn't stay vacant for long. Reach out to the leasing agents at Balke Brown if you’re serious about a footprint here.
The bottom line is that 1110 Highlands Plaza Drive represents the "new" St. Louis. It’s clean, it’s efficient, and it’s strategically placed to thrive even as the traditional "downtown" model struggles. It’s a anchor point for the city’s most stable industry—healthcare—and it’s likely going to remain a premier address for the next few decades. It’s not just a building; it’s a bellwether for how the city is evolving.