Senergy is proud to serve communities across Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin—spotlighting the people, projects, organizations, businesses, leadership and innovation driving growth and shaping our region’s future. In this continuing series, The Senergy Spotlight News Report, we will be sharing noteworthy stories reflective of the people and places that demonstrate the character of our communities and the people that make it happen.
October 10, 2025
St. Louis Architectural Firm Expands with Acquisition of Atlanta Architectural Studio
St. Louis-based architecture and planning firm, Arcturis, has acquired Atlanta-based Square Feet Studio, an architecture, planning and design company. Square Feet Studio has been co-branded, Arcturis | Square Feet Studio, as it now appears on its website.
Arcturis, located at Peabody Plaza, 701 Market St. in downtown St. Louis, is a women-owned firm with a total revenue of $11.5 million in 2024, and is listed as the 18th-largest architecture firm in the St. Louis region, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.
Arcturis was founded in 1977 and is licensed in 48 states. The renowned St. Louis architectural firm has 45 local employees and provides architecture, interiors, landscape and lighting design for multifamily residences, the science and technology sector, corporate, higher education, health and wellness and industrial.
Square Feet Studio provides architecture, planning and design for adaptive reuse, mixed-use and multifamily interiors, the hospitality sector, and food and beverage.
Both firms will maintain their respective offices in St. Louis and Atlanta as well as their employees and leadership.
Arcturis has 45 employees total and Square Feet Studio has eight, “with both sites growing,” a spokesperson said in an email.
Square Feet Studio’s founding principals are John Bencich and Vivian Bencich.
August 28, 2025
South St. Louis County Mercy Hospital $75M Emergency Room Expansion
Parent Mercy health system announced in 2024 that it would expand St. Louis County Mercy Hospital’s emergency department from its current 39,000 square feet to 65,000 square feet, increasing it to 73 patient beds from 61 beds, featuring six trauma bays each twice the size of existing bays, adding a 13-bed behavioral health area; and a larger waiting area.
Alberici construction, based in Overland, Missouri, has been tagged as the hospital expansion project’s general contractor. BSA Lifestructures, based in Creve Coeur, Missouri, is the project’s architect. BSA architecture specializes in the engineering, interior design, and planning services for healthcare facilities throughout the country.
According to Mercy officials, fueling Mercy South’s expansion is its expanding stroke program, the busiest stroke center in the St. Louis region, including Metro East, Illinois.
The recent closure of St. Luke’s Des Peres Hospital and its emergency department could also impact Mercy South’s expansion as Mercy absorbs patient overflow.
“We started to imagine a new, expanded Mercy South emergency department that could meet more needs of our patients,” said Steve Mackin, Mercy president and CEO.
Mercy is one of the St. Louis region’s largest employers, with approximately 15,342 local workers. Mercy has four hospitals in St. Louis, Jefferson and Franklin counties, with nearly 1,500 staffed beds. Mercy Clinic is the St. Louis region’s second-largest physician group, with 1,078 local physicians as of the second quarter this year.
Mercy ranks among the nation’s 20 largest health systems, employing more than 50,000 people across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Its network includes over 50 acute-care and specialty hospitals, 900+ physician practices and outpatient facilities, as well as convenient care, urgent care, imaging centers, and pharmacies.
August 15, 2025
Thompson Coburn Relocates Metro East Office to Prime O’Fallon Site
Thompson Coburn LLP has officially relocated its Metro East office, moving from Belleville to a new space in O’Fallon, Illinois. On August 4, the firm transitioned from 525 W. Main St. in Belleville to 1405 N. Green Mount Road, where it now occupies an entire floor of a strategically located office building.
The Belleville property is owned by Richland Plaza LLC, managed by St. Louis resident Robert Guller.
In a statement, Erick VanDorn, managing partner of Thompson Coburn’s southern Illinois office, said the move underscores the firm’s commitment to supporting its attorneys and staff by offering a more accessible, convenient, and modern work environment with updated amenities.
Headquartered at the U.S. Bank Plaza in downtown St. Louis, Thompson Coburn is the region’s largest law firm, with 224 local licensed attorneys, with revenues exceeding $286 million 2024.
August 4, 2025
National Retailers To Occupy Shuttered Movie Theater at Plaza Frontenac
Talbots and Abercrombie & Fitch will occupy the former movie theater on the second floor near Saks Fifth Avenue. The mall is located at 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd, in West St. Louis County.
Involved in the renovation project include St. Louis area companies: Vogel Sheet Metal & Heating Inc.. Excel Plumbing Inc., St. Louis Sheet Metal Corp., Simon Sign Erection Co., Wayne Automatic Sprinkler Corp. Diversified Electrical Services, Akron Electric, ADL Communications LLC and S&S Plumbing Systems.
Once a mall mainstay that catered to teenagers, Abercrombie, which now focuses on young adults. Women’s retailer Talbots also has an outlet store in Chesterfield, Missouri.
The now defunct movie theater operated at Frontenac Plaza since 1998.
