The Meadows at Lake St. Louis

The Meadows at Lake Saint Louis is a lifestyle and entertainment center designed to provide customers with a unique, quality shopping experience. The development attracts many visitors that desire retail shopping in gracious public open spaces and street-like environments. Lush perennial and woody plantings add color, texture and seasonal interest to the finely detailed pedestrian spaces during all seasons. SWT Design provided leadership in the development and design of the overall site plan and public open spaces. An emphasis was placed on the use of native plant materials including trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials and bulbs. These plants are low maintenance, drought tolerant and can grow vigorously in a commercial setting. Their sustainable characteristics mean a minimal use of irrigation, pesticides and herbicides.

The Meadows opened in the fall of 2008. Tree-lined boulevards and brick-paved walkways provide shoppers with a comfortable experience for strolling along store fronts or relaxing at a sidewalk cafe. Planters, benches, decorative lighting, and ornamental wrought iron adorn the streetscapes and provide a human scale for the shopping experience.

“Central Park” is the primary focal feature within the development. It is a dedicated, centrally located, pedestrian open space that allows both active and passive recreation to take place. From small group meetings to community parties, the park like atmosphere creates an oasis in the center of the retail activity. Natural cut stone blocks circle the park to allow visitors to sit and enjoy park activities.

The Meadows at Lake St. Louis Lifestyle Center is a successful example of the integration of native plant materials into a retail setting. Drifts of native trees, shrubs, grasses, forbs and bulbs enhance the shopping experience while providing a sustainable and cost effective landscape.