Tower Grove Park, donated as a City Park by Henry Shaw in 1868, is one of the best examples of a 19th century Gardenesque Leisure Park today, drawing more than 2.5 million annual visitors with its historic Victorian architecture and vibrant community offerings. Following the park’s 2018 Master Plan, Trivers focused on two key areas: the Core Facilities and the Lily Ponds.
Through the master planning effort, the park identified five guiding principles for all future improvements: History, Community, Sustainability, Program, and Maintenance. Informed by community engagement and public feedback, these principles reflect the shared goals of Park Leadership, community members, and park users.
Trivers began the project with in-depth archival research and a facility assessment across various areas, evaluating conditions and identifying both immediate and long-term needs. This process laid the foundation for informed, context-sensitive design solutions.
We then led a stakeholder design charrette to further prioritize expectations and daily operational needs from both staff and visitor perspectives. Concurrently, we assessed workplace functions and helped define the park’s evolving programmatic needs.
The result was a clear path forward: three new building opportunities and three renovations to better support the park’s mission. Implementation is underway in phases, with Phase 1—the Event Support Building and Director’s Residence Garden—set to begin construction in Summer 2025.
