Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, is serving as construction manager for Innovation Hall, a free drop-in workspace and event venue operated by Venture Café St. Louis. Innovation Hall
will occupy the north half of the first floor at 4220 Duncan Ave. in the Cortex Innovation Community.
Cortex is developing Innovation Hall as lively meeting space for entrepreneurs, corporate and government groups, as well as start-ups, nonprofits, innovators and artists. The 13,800-square-foot area is modeled after Venture Café’s successful District Hall in Boston.
Tarlton recently completed the core and shell construction of the newest building in Cortex, known as 4220, along with several interior fit-outs for the building’s tenants BJC WellAware Center, Microsoft and Cambridge Innovation Center. Construction of Innovation Hall began earlier this year and is slated for completion in October. HOK is the project architect.
In addition to new core and shell systems, Tarlton’s work on the ground level of the five-story building includes new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. The space will include an auditorium, conference rooms, a large lounge area, small café market and a restaurant called The Chocolate Pig. Work on the restaurant involves utility work up through the five-story shaft for roof-mounted equipment, as well as added landscaping for an outdoor patio area to include seating, site lighting and a fire pit.
Tarlton has completed more than 20 projects in the Cortex District, including the @4240 (4240 Duncan Ave.) core and shell historic renovation; tenant fit-outs in @4240 including Cambridge Innovation Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Boeing, Husch Blackwell and Park Avenue Coffee; BioGenerator lab and office expansion, Cortex 1 building; new lobby conference rooms, Cortex 1 building; CIC@CET renovations, 20 S. Sarah St.; 4260 Forest Park Ave., new core and shell; Alcami fit-out, 4260 Forest Park Ave.; Duncan Avenue storm sewer extension; various parking lot projects; and work by Tarlton HydroVac Services. The new Cortex parking garage at 4217 Custom Steel Dr. is under construction.
In business since 1946, Tarlton Corp. is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise that completes projects for wide-ranging clients in the life science, higher education, health care, commercial, power and industrial markets. Tarlton also has special expertise in concrete construction, concrete restoration and hydro excavation services.
Founded in 2002 through a collaboration of Washington University in St. Louis, BJC Healthcare, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Cortex Innovation Community (CortexSTL.com) is a nationally and internationally recognized hub of innovation and technology commercialization. It serves as an anchor in St. Louis’ growing ecosystem of innovative startups and established companies. Cited by the Brookings Institution as a Best Practice among global urban innovation districts, Cortex is home to 350 technology-related businesses, and it provides a deep pool of entrepreneurial support programs available to the entire St. Louis community.
