From Gas Station to Starbucks and Chipotle: The Adaptive Reuse of The St. Louis "Flying Saucer" Building
The unique flying saucer building still stands but with a very different function
The common belief among many real estate developers, investors and lenders is that there are no adaptive reuse possibilities for unique single purpose buildings.
But…consider the history of the “flying saucer” building that is located across from the campus of St. Louis University in Midtown St Louis, Missouri.
Originally built in 1967 as a Phillips 66 service station, the mid-century modern property was dubbed the "flying saucer" building by locals enamored with its design of four columns supporting a large tapered round roof.
But despite its unique design and use as a service station, the flying saucer building remained standing even after the Phillips 66 service station closed.
In the 1980s it was transformed into a Naugles Mexican restaurant and served many meals to St. Louis University students and Midtown St. Louis residents.
And after Naugles closed, it continued a quick service restaurant as Del Taco moved in to the building.
But after Del Taco vacated about 13 years ago, the building was slated to be razed by an area developer.
Until historic preservation groups and architectural enthusiasts stepped to save the unique mid-century modern building.
These groups (and others) opposed the demolition and made loud appeals to the Mayor of St. Louis and many members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.
The outcry persuaded city officials to pass a bill that required a review by the city’s Cultural Resources Office prior to approving a demo permit for the flying saucer building.
The developer that had sought to raze the building backed off and instead pursued a $1 million adaptive reuse project that brought Starbucks and Chipotle to the iconic building.
So more than 45 years after its original construction, the flying saucer building still stands in its original shape but with a very different function - to serve coffee and burritos to hungry students and St. Louis-area residents!