If you want a quick snapshot of how people feel about change in Kirkwood, you do not need a formal survey. You just need to scroll for a moment. Reactions to the newly approved downtown apartment project range from enthusiastic to uneasy, with plenty of thoughtful pause in between.
That mix of responses makes this a good moment to step back and look at what was approved, what it replaces, and why this particular project is sparking conversation.
First, a quick clarification
This project is separate from the previously discussed development planned between South Kirkwood Road and Fillmore, which was the focus of an earlier article. While both involve apartments, they are different sites, different proposals, and different approvals.
The project, in plain terms
The Kirkwood City Council has approved a new mixed-use development planned for 300 North Kirkwood Road, a long-vacant lot just north of downtown. The project, proposed by TriStar Properties, includes:
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A four-story building
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Sixty apartment units
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Ground-floor commercial space
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A downtown location within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and transit
The approval allows the project to move forward, pending final administrative steps and permitting.
Those are the facts. They matter. But they are not the whole story.
Why reactions are all over the map
If you read through neighborhood discussions, the comments tend to fall into familiar themes. Some people welcome new investment and like the look of the project. Others feel there are already enough apartments. Some wish they could afford to live there. A few simply do not like the idea of change.
None of those reactions are unreasonable. They are also not really about sixty apartments.
They are about affordability, density, identity, and the pace at which a community people love continues to evolve.
What often gets missed in the apartment debate
Downtown Kirkwood does not have much vacant land left. When a lot sits empty for years, it is not neutral. It does not add housing, support nearby businesses, or contribute to the vitality of the district. It simply waits.
Projects like this are often less about adding housing in the abstract and more about deciding how scarce downtown land gets used in a city that has largely built out.
Apartments in walkable downtown areas also tend to serve a different segment of the market than single-family homes. They often attract residents who value proximity and convenience over space, including young professionals, downsizers, and people who want to remain in Kirkwood without maintaining a house.
That does not make them right or wrong. It makes them a specific response to a specific set of needs.
Is this really about “too many apartments”?
Often, when people say there are too many apartments, what they are really expressing is concern about pace.
How fast is Kirkwood changing?
Who is change happening for?
Will the city still feel like home ten years from now?
Those are fair questions. They deserve more than a yes-or-no vote and more than a comment thread.
The bigger question underneath it all
This project highlights a question Kirkwood continues to face as it reinvests in its downtown.
What should downtown Kirkwood do best?
Remain exactly as it was,
adapt carefully while honoring its character,
or make room for more people who want to live, work, and spend time there?
Reasonable people can land in different places. What matters is understanding the tradeoffs and having the conversation with facts, context, and a little grace.
Why this matters beyond this one building
Development decisions ripple outward. They influence housing supply, walkability, traffic patterns, and long-term property values. They also shape who gets to live in a community and how accessible that community remains over time.
Whether you love this project, dislike it, or are still deciding, it is worth paying attention. Not just to this building, but to what it signals about where Kirkwood is headed.
If you are trying to understand how projects like this intersect with your own housing plans, from buying to selling to staying put, local context matters. As a Kirkwood resident and real estate professional, I help clients make sense of how development, policy, and market shifts play out at a very personal level, and I am always happy to talk it through.
Change is easier to navigate when you understand it.
Ready to Make a Move?
If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or exploring your options, I’m here to guide you with clarity and care.
Karen Moeller
🌐 STLKaren.com
📧 Karen.McNeill@STLRE.com
📞 314.678.7866
About the Author:
Karen Moeller is a St. Louis area REALTOR® with MORE, REALTORS® and a regular contributor to St. Louis Real Estate News, helping clients make informed, data-driven decisions.
