The St. Louis Business 500 highlights some of the metro area’s most impactful, innovative, and inspirational leaders, from C-suite executives to under-the-radar entrepreneurs across an array of industries.
Smith and his team are intensely committed to growing St. Louis. At the Lawrence Group, he’s led what has evolved from an architecture and interior-design practice into a fully integrated services company. Since 2015, Lawrence Group has led the development of more than $500 million in historic renovation to the heart of the city, including City Foundry STL and Mansion House. Smith believes that investing in the city’s core is crucial to improving both the quality and quantity of opportunities moving forward. “In my view, many business leaders have abandoned our urban core, much to the long-term peril of our entire region,” he says. “I don’t know of a vibrant, dynamic, and growing region in the country that is not centered around a vibrant, dynamic urban core.”
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Nine years ago, we aspired to create a unique, mixed-use destination in St. Louis, which became City Foundry. Over the last 12 months, we have completely filled the development, added a second phase high-rise apartment building, were recognized by USA TODAY as one of the 10best Food Halls in America, and saw 2.3 million visitors. We’re excited to celebrate the launch of The Sovereign concert venue, located in the Grand Center Arts District. This project is an adaptive reuse of the former Pavyer Printing Machine Works building, converting the century-old site into a new locally owned and operated music venue. Operated by Tim Weber of The Old Rock House, the1,200-attendee venue has been in the works since 2019 and is developed, designed, and constructed by New + Found with a planned opening for this September.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? Over the years, our company has created a vertically integrated real estate services company that designs, builds, develops, owns, and operates creative, unique, placemaking real estate. We are now being sought out by communities and investors from around the country to share our experience and expertise.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? We are intensely committed to growing St. Louis, in both quality and quantity. But as we seek investors, tenants, and other business relationships with people from other parts of the country, we often have to overcome the unfair and largely unwarranted negative perception of St. Louis. What has been amazing and rewarding is when we get people to visit us, there is almost universal surprise at how much “better” St. Louis is from their pre-conceptions.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment? In my view, many business leaders have abandoned our urban core, much to the long-term peril of our entire region. I don’t know of a vibrant, dynamic, and growing region in the country that is not centered around a vibrant, dynamic urban core.
Who is the most interesting under-the-radar/emerging business leader in St. Louis? I wish I knew some of these emerging leaders, and when I do, I want to meet them.
Where were you born? I was born at St. Mary’s Hospital.
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? Bachelor of Environmental Design, University of Kansas; Bachelor of Architecture, University of Kansas; Honorary Fellowship, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, England.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? My first job was as a union apprentice painter for my dad’s painting company.
What’s your hobby/passion? I thrive on adventure and challenge. Those needs are met through my passion for motorcycling and motorcycles. I have made motorcycle adventure rides throughout the United States as well as many interesting places around the world including the Carpathian Mountains in Romania, Tuscany from Rome to Bolzano, the French and Swiss Alps, rural Serbia, and many other lesser known but interesting places with interesting people. I have also assembled a collection of eccentric motorcycles from all over the world that are free to see in my Moto Museum in Grand Center. And finally, even at my advanced age, I continue to race in off-road motorcycle competitions throughout the Midwest, usually entering a dozen or more events every year.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? There are so many, but If it is for everyone, not just business readers, I really enjoyed Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts. I’m a major history buff, so it was fascinating to read such a detailed account of such a complex historical figure. An amazing story.
What would people be surprised to learn about you (fun fact)? In 2013, I was the Missouri state off-road motorcycle champion for my age group.
This article was published in St. Louis Magazine on February 1, 2026. Read full article here: St. Louis Business 500: Real Estate | St. Louis Magazine