Born to be Wild Get your motor running and your creative juices flowing. That’s how Steve Smith, president and chief executive officer of The Lawrence Group, has served his clients for more than 27 years. It’s also allowed him to become one of St. Louis’s most influential citizens. Smith is one of a trio partners that founded The Lawrence Group, one of the largest architectural, interior design and planning firms in the region. Not someone to be content with past successes, Smith is now taking on additional new challenges by following his passion for motorcycles. In May 2007, he opened The Moto Museum, a unique venue that showcases a collection of nearly 150 vintage motorcycles from across the United States and a host of European countries, including Germany, Italy, Poland and Hungary. Many of the bikes are from his personal collection. Annually the museum draws visitors from as far away as Europe and China. In addition, a myriad of celebrity guests including Jay Leno, Dan Aykroyd and Loretta Swit, have visited the museum since its doors opened. Now Smith is currently developing downtown St. Louis’s largest new commercial project, a $109 million historic renovation called Park Pacific. Over the past three years, he has turned to Stinson attorney and fellow motorcycle enthusiast John Munich for legal assistance on a number of his development projects. The two met through mutual friends and share a love for motorcycling. “We’re both motorcyclists trying to stay young,” said Smith, who along with Munich frequently participates in vintage motorcycle racing events. “About two and a half years ago, I asked John to volunteer his time as a member of the advisory board for the Moto Museum. As we worked together, I grew to appreciate his tremendous background and knowledge of both motorcycles and law.” “Typically I do litigation work,” Munich said. “But because of my personal relationship, I have advised Smith on several of his latest projects including the renovation of the Park Pacific building, the transformation of the Beaux Arts building into the first charter visual and performing arts school in the city, and the opening of a new, high-end motorcycle store, Moto Europa, that will be located next to The Moto Museum in Grand Center.” Munich, who has ridden off-road motorcycles since the age of 13 and has raced the bikes competitively since 1975, is a strong supporter of Smith’s efforts. This admiration stems not only for his commitment to the motorcycle community, but for his commitment to the St. Louis community as well. “It’s neat to be involved with such a good guy,” said Munich. “He truly exemplifies the meaning of doing well, by doing good.”
Get your motor running and your creative juices flowing. That’s how Steve Smith, president and chief executive officer of The Lawrence Group, has served his clients for more than 27 years. It’s also allowed him to become one of St. Louis’s most influential citizens.
Smith is one of a trio partners that founded The Lawrence Group, one of the largest architectural, interior design and planning firms in the region. Not someone to be content with past successes, Smith is now taking on additional new challenges by following his passion for motorcycles.
In May 2007, he opened The Moto Museum, a unique venue that showcases a collection of nearly 150 vintage motorcycles from across the United States and a host of European countries, including Germany, Italy, Poland and Hungary. Many of the bikes are from his personal collection. Annually the museum draws visitors from as far away as Europe and China. In addition, a myriad of celebrity guests including Jay Leno, Dan Aykroyd and Loretta Swit, have visited the museum since its doors opened.
Now Smith is currently developing downtown St. Louis’s largest new commercial project, a $109 million historic renovation called Park Pacific. Over the past three years, he has turned to Stinson attorney and fellow motorcycle enthusiast John Munich for legal assistance on a number of his development projects. The two met through mutual friends and share a love for motorcycling.
“We’re both motorcyclists trying to stay young,” said Smith, who along with Munich frequently participates in vintage motorcycle racing events. “About two and a half years ago, I asked John to volunteer his time as a member of the advisory board for the Moto Museum. As we worked together, I grew to appreciate his tremendous background and knowledge of both motorcycles and law.”
“Typically I do litigation work,” Munich said. “But because of my personal relationship, I have advised Smith on several of his latest projects including the renovation of the Park Pacific building, the transformation of the Beaux Arts building into the first charter visual and performing arts school in the city, and the opening of a new, high-end motorcycle store, Moto Europa, that will be located next to The Moto Museum in Grand Center.”
Munich, who has ridden off-road motorcycles since the age of 13 and has raced the bikes competitively since 1975, is a strong supporter of Smith’s efforts. This admiration stems not only for his commitment to the motorcycle community, but for his commitment to the St. Louis community as well. “It’s neat to be involved with such a good guy,” said Munich. “He truly exemplifies the meaning of doing well, by doing good.”