During our city visit, my wife and I walked to Laclede's Landing which is located just north of the Gateway Arch National Park and beside Eads Bridge, to have a look around. Unfortunately the historic area is currently going through another redevelopment phase with much to come but currently not so much to see and do. The Landing is made up of old warehouses and streets that are being redeveloped once again into shops and restaurants to attract visitors.

This is so close to the Arch, and should be a happening spot with all the history and old buildings, but is almost all but abandoned. One or two restaurants, that’s it. I hope the city can do something about it. So sad.

Lacledes’s landing is a boarded up ghost town these days. There is nothing there except the old spaghetti factory who has a security guard at the front door. Everything else is gone. It’s nothing like what it used to be. Don’t waste the walk down there.

We were looking for things downtown within walking distance of our hotel. We read about Lacledes landing which was supposedly a historic area with restaurants and such. We walked down and there was really nothing. A lot of stuff was closed permanently. There were a couple of restaurants but that’s about it. Really anticlimactic. Don’t go out of your way but it does have a couple of nice restaurants that are within walking distance of the arch view hotels.

Laclede's Landing is the oldest historic district in St. Louis on the riverfront of the Mississippi River.The Landing goes almost 260 years back to 1763, when Pierre Laclede -- an educated man and a former French soldier established a fur trading post on the bank of the Mississippi River, and a year later -- the city of St. Louis, the name being a homage to King Louis IX of France. Pierre Laclede didn't have a long life (1729 -- 1778), but he had done a lot for the foundation and development of the city.For many years Laclede's Landing had been a center of manufacturing, warehousing and shipping , as well as the only dining district in this part of the riverfront.I visited Laclede's Landing several times in the past, and I remember, how lively was the area, how busy were the restaurants, and how safe we felt being there. In the beginning of this year, my friend and I had lunch in The Lou Eats & Drinks, which is on N 2nd St -- and saw, that many other restaurants and businesses nearby were not open. There were hardly any people on the streets.Laclede's Landing has been going through a transitional period in its history -- from the cobblestone streets, being renovated now, and the whole district with its old historic buildings being converted into the residential neighborhood. That is not an easy process. There have been many economic and social issues (poverty, vagrancy, vandalism), seriously affecting this area. It will probably take some time, before Laclede's Landing will be again a vibrant, entertaining part of town, still keeping its historic prominence.In the meantime, a very illustrative street Map of Laclede's Landing in the central part of the district can be a very useful guide for visitors: it shows all historic buildings and businesses in the area, and is a useful guide for visitors who value the historic importance of Laclede's Landing, understand its complicated present days, and wish it a successful future.Laclede's Landing is located very close to the Gateway Arch, The Gateway Arch National Park, Eads Bridge, Old Courthouse and many other historic and modern attractions in the city.