St. Louis’ Newest Independent Concert Venue, The Sovereign, Celebrates Recent Opening with Oct. 29 Ribbon Cutting
Ribbon cutting from left: Old Rock House Managing Partner Tim Weber, New + Found/Lawrence Group CEO Steve Smith, St. Louis City Alderwoman Laura Keys, Chair of Grand Center Inc./Kranzberg Arts Foundation Ken and Nancy Kranzberg, daughter of Ken and Nancy Kranzberg Mary Ann Srenco and Executive Director of Kranzberg Arts Foundation Chris Hansen
LOUIS, MO: St. Louis’ newest independent concert venue, The Sovereign, celebrated its recent opening with an official ribbon cutting on Oct. 29 at 3306 Washington Blvd. in St. Louis’ Grand Center Arts District.
Created in partnership with and operated by Old Rock House, an entertainment venue located in downtown St. Louis, The Sovereign is the brainchild of Lawrence Group and New + Found CEO Steve Smith, Kranzberg Arts Foundation Executive Director Chris Hansen, and Old Rock House Managing Partner Tim Weber.
“St. Louis is a true music city and we are thrilled to have The Sovereign become part of the Grand Center ecosystem, further cementing its place as a top arts district in the country,” said Hansen.
Weber said he hopes to have at least 40 shows booked at The Sovereign by the end of the year, with artists Josh Meloy, Josh Ritter, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Pieces of a Dream, Black Stone Cherry, Noise Pollution: The AC/DC Experience, Android Paranoid, Voodoo Tom Petty, and Dr. Zhivegas among the artists already scheduled for 2025.
“My singular goal with The Sovereign is to embody the independent spirit of musical artists through a physical venue,” said Weber. “This place has been an absolute labor of love, and I am thrilled to finally introduce it to the great music community in St. Louis.”
Weber said he has hired 28 new staff members, for a total of 50 employees to work between The Sovereign and Old Rock House, depending on the staffing needs at each venue.
Completion of The Sovereign rides the wave of recent, positive economic development in St. Louis’ Grand Center East area, which recently witnessed the $125 million renovation of historic Powell Hall, home to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; the Angad Arts Hotel joining Hilton’s Tapestry Collection; a new tenant in the former Bulrush StL Restaurant; and development of The Key – Burger Bar & Boogie set to open this month in two historic Olive Street properties that once faced demolition.
Smith, who also orchestrated the redevelopment of City Foundry STL in St. Louis’ Midtown neighborhood, says The Sovereign will bolster St. Louis’ reputation as a national live music destination.
“St. Louis has been without a live music venue of this size for some time; The Sovereign fills that void in St. Louis’ growing music scene,” said Smith. “Having a music venue like this not only contributes to the arts, but also to the economic success of the surrounding businesses and the overall Grand Center Arts District itself. I thank everyone who put the time and effort into making The Sovereign a reality. It’s been a really exciting journey.”
The Sovereign occupies the former Pavyer Printing Machine Works building, constructed in 1922 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The single-story, brick building was also the former home of Beckley Ralston Company, an auto retail and service business that sold REO Speed Wagon trucks and assembled RCA speakers.
Lawrence Group, in collaboration with general contractor Integrate Construction Partners, worked to transform the century-old building into the state-of-the-art, 1,200-capacity concert venue featuring a 40 ft x 32 ft stage, two dedicated green rooms with bathroom/shower, hospitality suite, large lobby area, and two full-service bars and portable bar. The venue is also designed to be fully accessible.
Designers worked to incorporate elements of the building’s original interior into its redesign, from its exposed brick walls, historic wood-framed storefront, mezzanine, and grand staircase to its high ceilings and classic white mosaic tile floor.
“Our primary objective was to preserve and enhance the historic elements that make the space so unique, to cultivate a lively atmosphere that is unlike any other concert venue in the city. Though the existing building was in rough shape, it offered such a richly textured and character-filled foundation for the design. You can genuinely feel the history of the space,” said Lawrence Group Design Professional Samantha Beiter. “In the lobby, peeling plaster walls revealed patches of original brick beneath. Instead of covering them up, we chose to leave these areas exposed—offering concertgoers a tangible glimpse into the building’s layered past. The contrast between the rich, velvety color scheme and the raw historic elements come together to encapsulate the energy and spirit of the music.”
For more information about upcoming concerts at The Sovereign, visit https://oldrockhouse.com/venue/the-sovereign/.
About New + Found
New + Found (“N+F”) is a mission-driven, real estate investment firm that develops buildings, communities, and relationships to unlock potential in the overlooked and undervalued. Since 2000, N+F has utilized a mix of private equity, various debt facilities, public incentives, and creative capital solutions to revitalize and reimagine neighborhoods. Since its inception, the team’s management has completed over $900 million in impact related and partner-driven real estate investments within the urban placemaking and build-to-suit net lease sectors.
To learn more about New + Found, visit www.newandfound.com.
About Lawrence Group
Founded in 1983, Lawrence Group is an integrated planning and design firm headquartered in St. Louis, MO with professional staff in Texas, Florida and New York. Using the power of people with great ideas to bring their clients’ dreams to life, Lawrence Group specializes in architecture, interior design, master planning, landscape architecture and furniture procurement. Lawrence Groups’ talented team of professionals work nationally and locally in healthcare, education, retail, hospitality, housing, senior living and workplace with the common goal of providing legendary customer service.
To learn more about this powerful alignment of experience and expertise, visit www.thelawrencegroup.com or contact Director of Marketing Cindy Hausler, CPSM at cindy.hausler@thelawrencegroup.com.
About Integrate Construction Partners
Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Integrate Construction Partners (Integrate) is a comprehensive construction company enhancing value through an integrated building process. Built upon nearly 20 years of experience, Integrate offers design-build, multi-site project delivery, construction management, and general contracting services. The company was founded on the belief that good construction integrates with good design to deliver the best buildings – on time and within budget. For more information about Integrate Construction Partners, visit Integratecp.com.
About Kranzberg Arts Foundation
Through the development of artistic venues, studios and workspaces, short and long-term residencies, and community based programming, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation provides essential infrastructure for the arts to thrive in the St. Louis region. Taking an arts-based approach to community development, the Foundation ensures it is aligning its investments with the needs and visions of the broader community. Committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive approach, The Foundation furthers economic development and cultural sustainability, while helping to establish St. Louis as a premiere arts and entertainment destination. For more information, visit kranzbergartsfoundation.org.
