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Where it all began…

    Koplar Properties strong St. Louis tradition dates back to the 1920's, when eighth-grade-educated Sam Koplar turned a brick salvaging business into a construction company that erected some of St. Louis' most recognized architectural landmarks, including the St. Louis Theater, now known as Powell Symphony Hall and current home of the world-renown St. Louis Symphony Orchestra; and The Park Plaza Hotel, inspired by Mr. Koplar's visit to The Savoy-Plaza Hotel in New York City.


While struggling with the rest of the nation during the depression era, Mr. Koplar remained committed to fulfilling his dream of developing a luxury hotel. He soon acquired the neighboring Chase Hotel, and with the help of his architect son, Harold Koplar, constructed a grand lobby connecting the two properties, creating the Chase Park Plaza, one of St. Louis' finest hotels today.

 

    Other developments in St. Louis - either built or acquired by the Koplar family - include Embassy Apartments on North Union, Forest Park Hotel on West Pine Blvd., Branscome Hotel on Pershing, and Congress Hotel & Senate Apartments at Union and Pershing. The Koplar family also built 33 bungalows in the early 1900's and theaters in the St. Louis area, including the Hi-Way Theater.

 

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Expanding our horizons, providing luxury destinations

    Harold Koplar continued the family's commitment to the St. Louis community and quality developments with enhancements to the hotel, designing and building numerous additions including The Khorassan Room and Starlight Roof, overlooking the city of St. Louis. His ability to attract top-name talent and guests made The Chase the place to be from the 1940's through the 1970's.

 

    In the 1960's, Harold Koplar designed and built the Lodge of Four Seasons at Lake of the Ozarks, one of the top resort/vacation destinations in Missouri. His hotel became one of the premier resort communities in the Midwest, and is a powerful catalyst for economic growth in the Lake region. Mr. Koplar's daughter, Susan Brown, and her husband, Peter, direct the ongoing development of these properties. With the recent addition of The Porto Cima Community, featuring Missouri's only 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, the area has become a world-class resort destination.

 

    HK's Oasis, a family treasure, is one of Koplar Properties best kept secrets. A dream home designed and built by Harold Koplar in the 1970's, HK's Oasis, located in Lake Ozark, Mo., was designed to be a personal residence. Today, HK's Oasis is an elegant executive retreat destination nestled against the lakeshore offering a unique, intimate and distraction-free atmosphere with all the comforts and services needed to ensure a successful and enjoyable experience.

 

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    Edward (Ted) Koplar, Harold Koplar's son, keeps the Koplar family legacy going with his passion for premiere real estate and his vision for providing quality destinations for communities, guests and tenants to enjoy. In addition to inheriting family properties, including the former Saks Building in the Central West End, Ted Koplar continued to brainstorm and research ideal development ideas for the properties, as well as invest in other prime locations.

 

    Most notably are development plans for Maryland Plaza, along Maryland Avenue in the Central West End. Innovative plans for a unique destination became a closer reality in Fall, 2003, when Koplar Properties purchased two buildings just west of the Saks Building in the Central West End. Together, these historic structures - the former Saks, Greenberg Gallery and Medical Arts Buildings, along with the recent completion of the Argyle Parking Garage by the City of St. Louis, provide the opportunity to create an accessible, consistent-themed attraction at Maryland Plaza. The project is being led by Sam Koplar, son of Ted Koplar and great-grandson of founder Sam Koplar. Sam joined Koplar Properties in 2003 as Vice President of Business Development.

 

    Plans to restore Maryland Plaza to the shopping destination that is it known for are underway, as Koplar Properties is working to provide a unique urban retail shopping experience for the community. Renovation plans for Maryland Plaza include street-level, trend-setting, high-end retailers that are unique to the region, as well as cutting edge office space on the second and third floors of the building. The plan also includes: state-of-the art fountain as a focal point of the Plaza, a European back street with street-level retail, a fountain and café-style leisure and dining seating; and a roof-top bistro overlooking the Plaza. Public improvements are also planned for the streets, sidewalks, landscaping and lighting. For more information about Maryland Plaza, please visit www.marylandplaza.com.

 

    Seventy-five years later, the vision and passion of the Koplar family lives on. With a portfolio of properties with development plans in the works, Koplar Properties continues to seek opportunities to develop properties that will enhance the experiences for neighborhoods, communities, tenants and guests.