Downtown St. Louis just got a major glow-up—and it’s not just cosmetic. On Friday, city leaders cut the ribbon on the long-anticipated 7th Street Project, officially completing the corridor between Ballpark Village and Washington Avenue, linking the homes of the Cardinals and the Battlehawks with a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly stretch of infrastructure.

Mayor Cara Spencer nailed it when she said, “The downtowns that people flood to aren’t the ones with the widest roads. They’re the ones that invite you to slow down, take in your surroundings, stop for a treat, and move around safely—no matter how you get there.” That’s the new 7th Street in a nutshell: a modern corridor built for connection, not just commuting.

Here’s what the facelift includes:

• Protected bike and pedestrian lanes
• New street lighting and trees
• Wider sidewalks and ADA-compliant crosswalks
• Repaved roadway from Walnut to Washington
• Smart traffic calming and traffic management tools

But this isn’t just about infrastructure—it’s about creating a safer, more connected experience for everyone downtown. Bill DeWitt III, President of the St. Louis Cardinals and one of the key private backers of the project, highlighted the impact: “The increased public safety presence and stepped-up activations have made a real difference. You can see and feel the positive momentum.”

The project doesn’t stop at asphalt and LED lampposts. It also includes:

• A link to the Brickline Greenway at Market Street
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This Thursday, we’re diving deep into the fascinating world of brain dominance and personality awareness—and you don’t want to miss it.

Our upcoming event is based on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Katherine Benziger, a pioneer in personality assessment and the brilliant mind behind Thriving in Mind: The Natural Key to Sustainable Vitality. If you’ve ever taken a personality “test” and thought, That doesn’t feel quite right, you’re not alone—and Dr. Benziger would probably agree with you.

So, what makes her approach different?

For starters, she doesn’t call it a test.

Dr. Benziger refers to her system as personality assessing, not testing—because she believes personality isn’t something to score, grade, or label. Her model is based on identifying your brain’s natural dominance, helping you recognize the mode of thinking that energizes you rather than exhausts you.

Unlike more common tools like Myers-Briggs or DISC, Benziger’s assessment:

• Focuses on how your brain processes information, not just behavior or traits
• Distinguishes between natural preference and competency (just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it brings you joy)
• Warns against the psychological and physical toll of “falsifying type”—when we adapt too long to roles or behaviors that aren’t aligned with our brain’s natural strengths

Why does this matter? Continued...

AI is reshaping the healthcare industry—but not just in exam rooms and behind computer screens. It’s transforming how healthcare spaces are imagined, designed, built, and managed. Whether you’re an architect, engineer, project manager, or general contractor, the responsible use of AI in healthcare isn’t just a tech trend—it’s a strategic shift that affects how you work, who you work with, and what you build for the future.

Let’s break it down.

What Is “Responsible AI” in Healthcare?



Responsible AI means designing, deploying, and using artificial intelligence with measurable outcomes, ethical integrity, and workforce empowerment. In healthcare, that looks like AI tools that:



• Improve patient outcomes
• Optimize operations (not just costs)
• Avoid bias and protect privacy
• Elevate, not eliminate, human expertise

Why This Matters to the Whole Healthcare Project Ecosystem

Architects & Designers

AI is impacting facility planning like never before. With AI-generated space planning, heatmaps from patient flow, and infection control modeling, design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about data-informed functionality.

Responsible AI can:

• Optimize layouts for staff efficiency and patient care
• Reduce risks by simulating emergency scenarios or patient surges
• Align design decisions with actual clinical workflows (not guesswork)

Architects who understand how AI affects user behavior will be the ones designing the most resilient, adaptable spaces.

Engineers CONTINUED...

Ever wonder why smart, experienced people sometimes make bad decisions—especially when the stakes are high? It’s not a character flaw. It’s how our brains are wired.

Neuroscience reveals that stress, bias, and mental shortcuts can seriously impact our ability to think clearly and choose wisely. But by understanding how the brain works under pressure, business leaders can make better, more intentional decisions when it matters most.

What’s Going on in the Brain?

Three key areas of the brain play a role in decision-making:

• Prefrontal cortex – Handles logical reasoning, planning, and evaluating options.
• Amygdala – Controls fear and emotional responses.
• Basal ganglia – Manages habits and automatic behaviors.

Why Pressure Makes It Worse

Stressful environments activate our survival brain. Under pressure, the amygdala can override the prefrontal cortex in what’s called an “amygdala hijack”—our brain’s fight-or-flight response kicks in, and rational thinking takes a back seat. Stress also decreases blood flow to the parts of the brain responsible for complex reasoning, making it harder to think critically in the moment. This can produce the following effects:

• Cortisol, the stress hormone, impairs memory and focus.
• Team members may defer to authority or fall into groupthink instead of raising red flags.
• The faster the decision needs to be made, the more we lean on bias and instinct over logic.

Brain-Based Strategies for Better Decisions CONTINUED...