Welcome! St. Louis makes it easier to build accessory dwellings, while Boeing workers remain on strike. A new lawsuit targets Missouri’s redistricting maps, Mansion House secures major financing, and Halloween event season begins. Plus: Achi debuts omakase, black bear alerts, and other local updates.

MAIN STORY

St. Louis Eases Rules for Accessory Dwellings

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer signed a bill Monday making it easier to build accessory dwelling units, such as mother-in-law suites and carriage houses, on city properties. The new law, introduced by Alderwoman Shameem Clark-Hubbard, aims to speed up construction by reducing permitting barriers.

Previously, homeowners needed variances — a process that could take months under zoning codes dating to the 1950s. City leaders say the change will streamline approvals, potentially increasing housing options as St. Louis faces a steep population decline, with the Census Bureau reporting the most severe drop among major U.S. cities. Some residents, especially those displaced by the May 16 EF3 tornado, already rely on these structures for temporary shelter.

Officials plan further overhauls to the city’s zoning and permitting rules. Leaders hope these changes will help address housing shortages, spur growth, and modernize the construction process.

AROUND TOWN

Developers have secured financing for a $195 million restoration of the Mansion House overlooking the Gateway Arch. New + Found will soon begin converting the 29-story, 415-unit building at 300 N. Fourth St., which has been vacant since August, into modern apartments with rents starting at $1,100 per month and most aimed at households with an income below 80% of the area median income. The redevelopment, supported by state and federal tax credits, HUD financing, and $58 million from the Catalyst Opportunity Fund, is expected to be completed by 2027, with leases available earlier that year. For more, see project details from the developer’s announcement.

St. Louis is gearing up for Halloween with a packed slate of festive events for all ages. Boo at the Zoo (Oct. 16–30) offers non-scary fun and a sneak peek at its new Komodo dragon, while Grant’s Farm hosts Haunted Tram Rides Thursday–Sunday nights. Family activities abound at the City Museum’s Fright at the Museum, Public School House’s Ghoul House, Central West End’s street party, Missouri History Museum’s Ghost Stories and Guitars, and trunk-or-treat and pumpkin patch offerings across the region—details and full schedules are available on this Halloween guide.

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4th Lawsuit Targets Missouri Maps

A fourth lawsuit has been filed challenging Missouri’s newly approved congressional maps, just as Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe signed them into law this week. Critics argue that the maps unfairly benefit Republicans, particularly in districts like that of U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City).

Missouri’s latest redistricting round has sparked legal challenges and testimony from lawmakers alleging gerrymandering. Courts will now determine if the new boundaries comply with state and federal requirements before the 2024 elections.

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Boeing Union Strike Continues

Boeing aerospace workers in St. Louis remained on strike Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, as the company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) union remained at odds despite federal mediation efforts. The union plans a new contract vote on Friday.

The dispute centers on job security and Boeing’s plans to relocate some fighter jet upgrade work from St. Louis. The strike follows weeks of halted production at the Berkeley facility. For ongoing updates about the labor dispute, visit this local business news report.

QUICK HITS

Trailnet is leading a Week Without Driving campaign from September 29 to October 5 in St. Louis, urging residents to experience life without a car and highlighting transportation challenges faced by non-drivers.

Missouri School for the Blind will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2025, now serving 45 enrolled students and supporting families statewide while operating out of its historic Tower Grove Park campus.

Missouri’s black bear population has reached more than 1,000 as the fall hyperphagia feeding frenzy begins, prompting conservationists to warn residents to secure food sources to prevent aggressive bear encounters before hibernation.

Washington University in St. Louis has removed Robert J. Terry’s name from a lecture series and professorship following its Naming Review Board’s ruling on his connection to racist ideology.

Benton Park Neighborhood Association lost temporary control of an abandoned Cherokee Street property after spending $173,000 on repairs, as accused slumlord Dara Daugherty reimbursed the association and reclaimed ownership, despite an ongoing city lawsuit.