Chandler Ahrens, Kelley Van Dyck Murphy and Constance Vale — all architecture faculty at the WashU Sam Fox School as well as co-founders of AVV A — have won a 2026 Most Enhanced Award from the Landmarks Association of St. Louis.
The award recognized The Key, a new restaurant, performance space and hardware store located in a pair of buildings at 3221-3223 Olive Blvd. Now owned by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, the two properties date to 1887. One was a market founded by prominent restauranteur Tony Faust; the other previously housed a hardware store and sewing school. Situated together on the edge of Mill Creek Valley, the once-bustling African-American neighborhood demolished in the name of 20th century urban renewal, the buildings offer a rare surviving glimpse of the period’s urban fabric and commercial architecture.
“The Key Music Venue & Restaurant juxtaposes the historic architecture of a pair of century-old buildings with a contemporary intervention,” notes the Landmarks citation. “This integration of historic and modern elements aims to create a new cultural hub that caters to both regular patrons and visitors.”
Alumni honors
In addition, alumnus Max Bemberg (MArch ‘11) received Most Enhanced Awards for the rehabilitation of McRee House and for the adaptive reuse of Noteworthy Cafe.
McRee House, constructed in 1909, is a prime example of early 20th-century working-class housing in St. Louis’ Tiffany neighborhood. Bemberg served as architect, developer and general contractor, alongside fellow Sam Fox School alumni Maggie Hayden (MArch/MUD ’12) and Shaun Dodson (MArch ’11).
For Noteworthy Café, in the Central West End, Bemberg worked with property owner Jackson Pianos to transform a long-vacant Standard Oil service station into a café, music venue and wellness studio.
Read more about the Most Enhanced Awards on landmarks-stl.org.
