“We’re strong in the central corridor, and we’ve got to build on that dynamic energy that’s going on,” he said.

Clark is confident there is enough demand from community groups and nonprofits in the region, saying there has already been interest expressed in 100,000 square feet of the planned space. Large organizations are expanding and need more space, while others may want to be closer to clients in the city or partner nonprofits. She envisions the Delmar DivINe organization offering training, workshops and other programming.

The building dates to 1904, and St. Luke’s built additions as needed in the ensuing decades before leaving the city for Chesterfield in 1975. The last of its operations left the hospital a decade later.

Mostly underutilized over the next 30 years, the complex sat on the north of St. Louis’s infamous Delmar Divide. A mile to the west, the Delmar Loop entertainment district bustled, and a mile to the southeast, the Central West End underwent a renaissance.

“It’s the beginning of forgetting about a divide and beginning to think about a real bridge,” Clark said.