What is Your Vision for St. Louis?
I spend a lot of time trying to communicate my vision for St. Louis and other times trying to stop others’ horribly suburban vision for St. Louis. This quote made me think if we, as a region, had a vision:
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.”
– Helen Keller
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.”
– Helen Keller
So are we as a city and region pathetic for lack of vision? Do we have a vision and if so, what is that vision? More importantly, what is your vision for St. Louis?
Steve,
Thank you for raising this question. This is a topic of major importance to me and St. Louis.
As an alderman, when I think of vision, I think of service.
People vote for me to be their public servant. My vision is to serve them. It’s very simple. The reason I am in office is to serve.
I have a vision of service.
YVA
Steve:
Have you considered that perhaps the rest of the city has a vision that just isn’t as urban as you and some other might like? Your comment makes it seem as if the only correct vision for St. Louis is to be ultra-urban. Maybe the residents of the city in toto do not want that. Maybe the answer is somewhere in between–a mix of pedestrian friendly commercial districts with lush, green lawned residential neighborhoods. Even New York City, which is home to Times Square, has buroughs like Queens with homes much like you’ll find in St. Louis. The point is that not everyone has the same vision for St. Louis, which is why it is great that we have neighborhoods that can serve any lifestyle taste.
[UR I would love for St. Louis to be like Queens or Brooklyn!!!!! Times Square is way too garish for me and nobody really lives there — it is a tourist trap like Las Vegas.
The point is to get you and others to articulate a vision — whatever the vision. Say that you want to raze old buildings and re-create Chesterfield. Fine. Just articulate something.
The Virtual Alderman did a fine job of showing aldermen cannot articulate any vision — they simply fall back on some tired lines about service (ie: dumpster duty).]
Corner grocery stores and a reputable public school system.
More rehabs and higher property values. More close, good shopping.
Some consolidation of St. Louis City and St. Louis County governments.
Massive improvements to the Illinois side of the riverfront.
I love St. Louis for its different neighborhood, I’d like to see them better connected to eachother. I suppose if we can continue to get them to grow, they will inevitably mesh. I’m an optimist, I think it can happen.
A thriving, vibrant city composed of eclectic, well-connected neighborhoods. I think it’s important to have neighborhoods that cater to those who desire a big yard for the kids to play in, and a huge two car garage for them to park their bohemoth SUV. Opponents HAVE to conceed at some point…there are many, many people out there who desire that lifestyle (I can’t say I understand it), and if the city doesn’t move to provide it in some fashion, then they’re going to leave (and frankly I’d rather keep their money in the city…even if it’s not how I want it). We can try to change their minds until we’re blue in the face, but it’s not going to happen. Enough parts of the city have been razed to allow this to happen without destroying more neighborhoods.
That said, it is even more important to create a thriving downtown. We can’t just have one street. Washington Avenue is fantastic, but I want to see people on surrounding streets. I want to see Downtown West- the area between Downtown proper and Saint Louis University- actually have, you know, buildings. I want Downtown to be a place where people go to shop instead of where people go to look at a huge question mark on an empty shopping center.
I want a public transportation system that continues to expand (and rapidly), and that can serve as a model to other cities. I want more trains and fewer buses.
I want a school district that isn’t a complete joke.
I want citizens who actually care about the well-being of their city…who don’t stand by and let the political machine destroy what’s left of everything good.
I want to stop getting lip service about the proposed development connecting Downtown and the Arch grounds. Do it already.
I want St. Louis to be a place that the droves of talented young people Wash U, SLU, and the other colleges and universities bring to us actually want to live, work, and maybe even stick around and make it their permanent home.
I want St. Louis to be known for something other than that city with a landmark dedicated to people who left it.
Basically, I want a vast urban core that gradually gives way to, dare I say, an “urban suburb”…
Seriously. I’m done now.
Steve,
This is a great concept for a thread.
Let’s look at the multiple visions articulated, and see if there is common ground.
Then we might take the discussion to the next level, possibly prioritizing next steps or detailing implementation strategies.
As a region, we have succeeded on implementing some visionary ideas. Our regional greenway and park system is a great example.
Perhaps our regional greenway and park system could be leveraged into revitalizing the Illinois riverfront?
Keep up the great work, Urban Review!
My vision is for St. Louis to be a solid mid-sized urban city with a distinctive culture that respects its past and has a future.
Luckily it is already most of the way there. There is a good mix of apartments and condos (with more popping up everyday) along with small, medium, and large houses with large lawns. St. Louis is very fortunate to have so many public parks and such distinctive architecture. St. Louis also has a fascinating history that has been a real contribution to our country that is still visible throughout the city.These aspects of St. Louis just need to be refined and promoted.
The beautiful architecture and parks could be better enjoyed on foot and bike. All areas of the city ought to be pedestrian and bicycle friendly. It ought to be possible to walk anywhere in the city from any place, if one wishes to.
Public transit needs vast improvements. If the city continues to grow, parking and traffic will become major problems if alternative methods are not accomodated. I think filling the city with street car lines would be an excellent approach. They are relatively affordable and it only makes sense that St. Louis would be the leader in bringing back the trolly car to urban places in America. Of course adding more lines to metrolink is also needed.
The denstity of the city should also be increased. Around 10,000 per square mile seems about right for a mid-sized urban city. Simply filling in the vacant buildings and lots would accomplish this. This is a much lower density than NYC, but still dense enough to be truly urban and support public transit and pedsestrian friendly commercial areas and create a thriving street life.
The public schools, of course, need drastic improvement. I have no idea how to start making suggestions there, but if St. Louis actually fixed the problem it would make national headlines!
Finally, basic ammenities should be available within walking distance of everyone, including a grocery store, grugstore, post office, bank, library, public park, and a good pub/restaurant.
[UR – Excellent, thank you. Based on 10K per square mile that would put us at just over 600K in population within the city. That represents a 70% increase in total population. You’ll have no objections from me. Any suggestions on how to get there?]
As a relatively new arrival (less than two years), I see St. Louis as having a great deal of opportunity that’s severely constrained by what appear to be long-standing negative perceptions and predjudices, combined with a political system that isn’t well-positioned to change these conditions.
St. Louis seems to be finally sparking a resurgence of downtown, primarily through residential reinvestment. There are the existing gems that continue to do well, including Soulard, Carondolet, Benton Park, the CWE, Forest Park, and much of the city south of Highway 40 and west of Grand. The challenge remains on the north side and in pockets on the south side – these can either be nurtured into the urban renaissance that we all seem to espouse, or they can continue to deteriorate due to political battles and the fears (and realities) about personal and public safety.
Regionally, few people embrace public transit, and suburban sprawl seems to be proceeding unchecked on both sides of the Mississippi. With multiple cities in search of replacing and increasing their sales taxes, there’s an on-going, zero-sum rush to develop retail projects at the expense of most everything else that’s a positive in an urban environment, including existing residential neighborhoods.
That said, I see the need for some fundamental changes:
1. a switch to a much-more regional form of government, including reducing the number of St. Louis County cities to less than twenty and reducing the number of St. Louis city wards to 15 or less. We need this to cut back on the sales-tax antics that are currently occuring, and to elect representatives with a much larger vision of the “world” they’re supposed to be serving!
2. a larger, truly-regional transit district, including all of St. Louis (city & county), St. Charles County, Jefferson County, and Madison, Monroe and St. Clair Counties in Illinois. (Jersey, Franklin, Macoupin and Warren Counties would also be good, but are politically unrealistic) and a master plan (including an increased, viable and consistent funding stream) to push a comprehensive rail transit system into all areas in our lifetimes.
3. fix (or dismantle) the St. Louis public school system – its perceived sorry state is doing more than anything else to drive away potential residents and businesses from locating and/or staying in the city.
4. figure out what makes us unique and build on it to both grow tourism and to attract new, good-paying jobs – how are we different from (and hopefully better than) Indianapolis, Kansas City, Nashville, Little Rock, OK City, Memphis, etc., etc.? Building an aquarium or expanding the convention center or building a new mall ain’t gonna cut it. We’ll never be a Chicago or an Atlanta or a Dallas (nor do we probably want to be), but if we’re going to attract new folks, we need to be unique and “cool” (and the incipient growth in alternative advertising is a good example of the right thing to be doing).
4. finally, build on what we already have, including a good park system, an incredible and, yes, affordable housing stock, many funky old buildings with great potential for reuse, and a great central location – it may not be glamorous, but FedEx and UPS have both helped Memphis and Louisville, respectively, to grow over the past couple of decades.
Healthy habits and neighborhoods that encourage them. (sTL independent city just ranked as the 15th shortest life span among US counties) Already have many walkable places, need access to healthy things to eat; connecting our walkable places and reconnecting urban fabric; strategic connection to the natural environment (strips of green sod dont count) such as the rivers fostering an attitude of living life well (see: Denver. CO has the top 5 counties for longevity); humane environments that give people dignity, ignoring nobody for sake of development; School system that is not a jobs program for the connected or a proving ground for street life; young people have a stake in the physical rebuilding of community.
Kara’s vision is really good. Here’s my meager attempt in no particular order:
Neighborhood schools.
Racists removed from power.
More citizens engaged in local change. Get the old guard out of here.
Steve for mayor.
Decrease mentality that all development need excessive parking lots.
A police force that investigates car, garage and other theft. Also, we can’t continue to be in the top 5 most violent cities.
More venues for artists/entertainers. STL could be a lock for touring acts if we had more venues.
More people with clean houses and yards that respect their residence and property. You don’t have to be rich to be clean and tidy.
Maintain the availability of affordable housing stock (~$150,000 homes in stable neighborhoods).
Integrate the Northside.
Get Metrolink to/from the places people work (AB, Ralston, AG Ed, Sigma, etc.)
I’ll shut up now.
I have a crazy vision. Let’s forget about the whole idea of covering over the “depressed lanes” between the Arch grounds and downtown.
Instead, let’s raise them up.
Let’s build a surface level boulevard from the Poplar Street Bridge to the north side of Laclede’s Landing.
No interstate highway; just a surface level street. Call it Memorial Drive.
Give it a wide median. And ample, wide crosswalks and stop lights.
Slow down approaching traffic from southbound Highway 70 and northbound 44/55 with flashing yellow lights.
Let’s get the interstate out of our downtown and instead connect the Arch to downtown via a grand, landscaped boulevard.
I bet it would cost gazillions less than any cover over the depressed lanes, and be a lot cleaner looking approach when it was done.
Good ideas everywhere. The area is centrally located with many months of good weather. Our main problem is the lack of good leadership, governmental and corporate, and the resulting brain drain. Individually, most StLouisans are too autocentric and think that escapism is the only answer.
What we need: 1) accountability and honest communication from local elected leaders to start, 2) less backstabbing and favoritism due to too many municipalities, 3) less governmental waste, and 4) a transportation system that truly provides alternatives, especially for pedestrians and cyclists (everything of communal value here is so close).
There are posivtive visions galore as these comments illustrate. Thank goodness for organizations such as Trailnet and others with both vision and influence.
Perhaps every elected leader should be required to have a blog and electronic forum. Get the citizens involved and solicit their voices/votes electronically. We can create a broader and more vibrant vision.
“I want a school district that isn’t a complete joke.” (and other posts in a similar vein)
Just as an aside: The school district isn’t really as bad as it’s painted. One of my kids goes to McKinley CJA, which ranked second in the entire state in every single MAP score category. There are success stories everywhere. Despite whatever shenanigans the Board and their opponents are up to, there are good teachers who just keep on doing their job. The school district’s troubles are at least partly a problem of public perception. If you are relying on the papers for your information, you are not seeing the true picture!
Unfortunately, perception is reality . . .
1. Improve the infrastructure of the public school system
2. Expand metrolink to all parts of the city
3. Income tax instead of property tax
4. County/City merger
5. 14 Wards instead of 28 and set their term in office to four years
6. Expand bike routes throughout the city
What alot of this boils down to is quality leadership and a master plan for the future of the city that is coherent and serves the needs of everyone. What I see within the citys many different areas is fiefdoms on top of fiefdoms. There is a true disconnect from one area to the next and that has got to change.
I know that in my area alot of older residents are looking for younger more eager residents to pick up the gauntlet and move the city forward. I think that alot of folks who read this blog or comment are active but what it will really take is someone combining all of these energized folks in the same forward direction working collectively to make this city what it can truly be.
Lofty? Not at all
Some really good comments! As someone who “knew” this city as a youngster in the 40’s and 50’s, I remember the city you guys and gals are describing. The streecars were a joy and downtown, Cherokee st, Meramec, Broadway, N 14th st, etc were all bustling shopping areas. It wasn’t perfect (i.e., abolute segregated ‘hoods, traffic congestion on the main arteries, etc) but the PS System (yes,even Vashon and Sumner) was fantastic and the neigborhoods teemed with bakeries, shoe repair, 5 and 10, playgrounds and no one within the city limits needed a car. I could go on but you get my drift. But the social engineers came in and started knocking down and building up (Pruit-Igoe, Darst-Webbe). We’ve been on the slide since. But YOU can turn this around as long as young, clear thinking, risk-taking people like you guys STAY !!!!
Steve That is a great question. Thanks for asking. You exhibit the kind of leadership and a democratic inclusion of the people so lacking in the politicians in St. Louis
Some Visions St. Louis Style
1 Changing politics_ Both Steve Patterson and Steve Wilke-Shapiro on the 15th ward blog (my ward) point to the lack of political will to support effective change in the urban scene of St. Louis
It may be time to abandon the government altogether. This blog and others are a good beginning. Maybe we go so far has stage competitive races in each aldermanic ward and the mayoral post and elect our own officials that represent the people and no longer narrow corporate and self interests.
A government to compete against the current government. Competition, what a novel idea. There is certainly no political competition in St. Louis. The Democrats have held the city for decades now, ruling over the demise of the city proper. This is not saying the Republicans arenÂ’t bankrupt too. ThatÂ’s the point of an alternative government.
Democracy is a novel idea in St. Louis
Vision–Open the debate
2. The reurbanization of St. Louis–There must be a city policy to create a vital urban society at every site in St. Louis, This includes creating walkable communities and utilizing transit fully, along with many other urban approaches. Tax credits and TIF money that now support projects such the Loughborgh Commons and the Ballpark Villages should go exclusively to reurbaniztion.
This is much more than a debate about livable cities and about lovely and graceful urban spaces. There is also an extremely important discussion about energy, especially oil, and its heavy cost to society. perhaps even jeopardizing the very survival of the human species with global warming. Even without such a drastic notion it should be clear that oil/energy usage is an enormous and dangerous problem.
It is literally criminal that neither the Congress or the President have introduced comprehensive legislation to curtail and conserve energy usage. Of course the energy companies donÂ’t want that kind of legislation.
In addition to a city policy for reurbanization there is every reason to also have a national policy of urbanization that includes energy concerns. America supports the hell out of drilling oil. Now it is times for federal support in St. Louis (and across the nation) for row housing, new transit schemes, for walkability of communities to promote energy efficiency, solar, green, wind and countless ideas for freeing America from the oil addiction.
Vision-All levels of government support reurbanization.
3. Unemployment–One only has to walk down any street in St. Louis and see the work that needs to be done. There is so many buildings to be carved and piazzas to be built. Fountains, sculptures, trolleys, trains are all needed to create a lively, beautiful city. Everyone would have a job if we rebuilt our cities.
Vision-Beauty and peace
Density.
More on-street parking and fewer parking structures.
More two-way streets.
Fewer lanes on streets like Tucker and Olive west of Tucker.
Less violations to the street grid (no more closed streets downtown, no more blockades in residential areas).
Mixed-use projects.
Less open space (eg big barren lawns in Keiner) but more flora all over downtown (love the parkway gardens on Market).
City services that work: traffic signals that are timed properly for example. A sense that someone is minding the store and that there is a standard and it is being upheld.
No more ill-advised historic structure demolitions (Remember the Century).
I want a city without segregation and racism. I want a city that doesn’t ignore it’s problems. I want a city that people aren’t afraid to visit and explore.
Thank you for posting this question Steve.
Margie has the right vision. I also hate to see raised grassy medians go into our large streets like Grand and Tucker. This only cuts down visibility and does nothing for making a pedestrian friendly street scape.
I want a city that tries to reconnect the neighborhoods that were cut up by the highway system. There are mor cost effective ways that burying the highways to do this.
I want a city that tries harder to lure in small and medium sized buisinesses. A city that gives incentives for opening a buisiness in an abandoned storefront.
I want a city in wich you don’t have to leave your neighborhood to get a bag of dog food, some fresh produce, and a cup of coffee.
I want a city that stabilizes historic buildings…I want a city that stabilizes the buildings it owns.
1. Residency requirements for employees of St Louis Public schools – perhaps they’d do a better job if they have to provide their own kids an education.
2. Net metering by AmerenUE- Gee..we could actually see a solar panel on a roof in this city with billing practices like Net Metering (as required in 35 other states). Ask Matt Villa about that:)
3. an E-85 gas pump in the city limits. What a concept.
Is there any news on the Artcuris-led, Danforth-funded, design process for the “lid” over I-70 depressed lanes?
The design process was supposed to be concluded by early 2007.
Is Steve’s idea for closing I-70 in front of the Arch, backfilling the depressed lanes, and rebuilding Memorial Drive as a grand urban boulevard a possibility?
Speaking of highways, what do others here think about all the interstate highways within the city limits? Do they belong there? Should they all be torn out and replaced with large boulevards? This would do more to link neighborhoods and improve property values in their vicinity, they would be much prettier. Though they would slow down traffic. Is this a desireable alternative for an urban place?
i think 44 east of 270 should be completely removed since 64 runs on top of it from downtown through shrewsbury anyway. then get rid of 170 between 64 and 70 and create one east-west arterial “avenue” or “boulevard” or “parkway” or whatever south of 64, and one north of 64. then a couple more evenly spaced running north-south between 70 and 55 and VIOLA: an unobstructed northern half, an unobstructed southern half, and we retain the convenience of the 64 straightaway so as not to piss off people who love highways.
The I-55 ‘ditch’ from South of downtown to where it crosses 7th/Broadway should be filled in. Before filling in, place subway/transit tunnel, after broadway would be above ground. Above would be mixed use projects that would reconnect Soulard/Benton Park/Lasalle/McKinley Height etc. Transit lines (lt rail/subway etc) could replace all of the interstates as they radiate out from downtown, whether above or below ground.
Hey, I-44’s in better shape than I-64/40 – why not extend the inner belt (I-170) south thru big-box land and connect to I-44 around the city limits? That way, MoDOT could avoid spending a pile of money on rebuilding I-64/40 between I-170 and Kingshighway, and St. Louis could reclaim THAT stretch of highway for a boulevard / transit corridor . . .
I have more of an anti-regionalism dream. I would like to see certain geographic competition issues go away. I would like to see checks and balances on decision makers, accountability to voters, and the sort of transparency that is the stuff of good government but not afforded in regionalism.
My dream involves Missouri allowing the City to secede and Illinois welcomes us as its 103rd county. Illinois would let us remain a combination city-county, keep earnings tax. Any adjacent/contiguous municipalities to St. Louis City that want in on the deal would be annexed for the move. I’d want UCity to come with us. Parts of St. Clair and Madison Counties would be annexed into the new St. Louis, IL. The east of Mississippi turf would include an area approximately north by 270-Chain of Rocks-Chouteau Island-Granite City-Horseshoe Lake, east by 255 (but we’d want all of Holten State Park), south by East Carondelet.
The Missouri and Illinois cities/villages annexed would retain their names as neighborhoods. From the Illinois side, we’d be adding about 100,000 to our population. This would require an increase in the ward count from 28 to 33, redistrict accordingly. Wards would be bigger than today but aldermen would better salaried and better staffed. BOA President and Vice President would be elected from within BOA with one from Missouri, other from Illinois. Good-bye Board of Estimate.
Budget Division would be under mayor, who would send budget to BOA. Comptroller would become the Auditor, remain elected, conduct audits, prepare fiscal notes for board bills. Treasurer remains elected, takes on contract and grant management currently with Comptroller, no longer Parking Czar. Revenue Collector and License Collector combined into one Collector, elected. Sheriff and Prosecutor, elected. Recorder would continue Vital Records services, takes Domestic Partners Register, elected. Registrar (currently appointed) would become elected County Clerk, take on elections director job, split with Recorder the Record Retention services currently under Comptroller. We’d be electing circuit judges, so I don’t have a problem with judges appointing Circuit Clerk and Public Administrator. Assessor remains appointed.
Mayor would have hire/fire authority, no consent by Board, over all department directors and deputy directors. Consent would be required for Boards & Commissions. Merit & Patronage systems would be scrapped. All employees would be at-will hires protected against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, political or union affiliation. Commission appointed by mayor and BOA would hear appeals. All employees and appointees would have to be residents of new county.
We’d have one police, fire, sewer, water, development, health, parks, streets, corrections, etc. Not sure whether to go with one large school district or multiple districts but whatever it is should include a board or boards elected by turf and not at-large. We’d have something similar to Chicago’s ward-based streets & sanitation supers. After Bi-State goes bankrupt, St. Louis will pick up the pieces and, with Madison and St. Clair Counties, reinvent public transit, creating a system that is locally controlled and accountable. We’d retain Lambert Airport.
We would take on problems but get far more in assets and opportunities. It will take some constitutional amendments on both sides of the Mississippi and some public votes. No big deal.
I’m aware of the previous “silver stake” in 170’s extension – I was just responding to Adam’s “let’s rip out 44” proposal – sounds like classic NIMBY to me . . .
We’d continue with partisan elections. It’s what we do here. It’s what they do there.
The Illinois properties would bring more party competition. There’s an interesting race going on right now for the Madison County Treasurer, there’s a bunch of the 29 Madison County Board seats held by Republicans. True, we’d be picking up more Democratic turf than GOP from those two counties. But the Illinois GOP wouldn’t blow us off the way Missouri GOP has. Illinois Republicans are mostly into money issues, don’t live on a diet of red meat social issues like their Missouri counterparts.
Pat Herod, if he were running for the right office, would have better luck getting help from the East St. Louis Republican Committee than County Republicans, let alone the folks operating out of 204 E. Dunklin.
I’m big on the political party system here because of its importance to Blacks and women, its contribution to St. Louis City becoming something other than a place run by white guys cut from the same mold. In the future, the party system will provide similar political mentoring, organizing, running for office opportunities to new immigrant populations.
Nonpartisan elections here would result in suppressed voter turnout; increase the importance of name recognition, favoring incumbents, the wealthy, and those with celebrity status; provide greater opportunities for fringe and extremist candidates; replace the stability of party organizations with the instability of short-term candidate-driven organizations and single-issue organizations, dividing the city into many factions and creating huge voids in leadership mentoring for all but white guys with connections. That is the short list of problems I see with nonpartisan elections here. I think of many reasons to change to nonpartisan and none of them good.
Civic Progress, state and national GOP would love to see St. Louis City have nonpartisan elections. They could easily fund a petition drive, get it on the ballot (because people will sign anything), load up mail boxes and airtime to promote it. But they haven’t and they won’t because they know the proposition would go down in flames.
Jim,
NIMBY how? as in i DON’T want 44 in my back yard, or i DO want 64 in my back yard?
i picked 44 for removal because 64 stays north-south centered farther west than 44 and so provides quicker access for people going northwest than does 44, and i think a better branching point for arterials. my idea was just to reconnect as much grid as possible without losing ALL the highways. right now i live in parking lot land (fenton) anyway (and not by choice) so taking out 44 would actually screw me big time in terms of getting to work (wash u./BJC complex).
How about a regional governing body to keep developers from playing one municipality off of another for breaks.
Maybe under the same umbrella we could have a school system that is not (so) location specific.
Maybe a real gallery disrict so that we could somehow justify the preponderance of “lofts” in the so-called urban core.
A metro link that links the metro.