Urban Infill Apts Nearing Completion
Initial construction on the “luxury apartments” at 3949 Lindell (map) was destroyed by an arsonist in June 2007 (see post). Since that time crews have been busy rebuilding.
This stretch of Lindell between Vandeventer on the East and Whittier on the West is an urbanist’s hell of auto-centric shopping centers and fast food joints. So this project stands out as an exception to the rule as it is an urban mixed-use project built up to the sidewalk rather than set back behind a large surface parking lot.
While I have some minor issues with the building’s architectural detailing the massing is excellent. Three floors of residential set on a base of urban storefronts with structured parking concealed behind — an excellent formula that needs to be repeated as often as possible around the city. It needs to be done out there in the burbs as well.
This location, just west of Saint Louis University, is ideal for such a project. The well-to-do undergrads will rent these quickly.
Such mixed-use projects are also needed around our light rail stations. Density loves transit and transit loves density. Storefront retailers love both because that gives them foot traffic in front of their shop windows.
Decades ago building apartments over retail was the norm. Newer versions like this include costly items like a parking garage and elevators. If a streetcar ran up & down Lindell every 10 minutes this project could probably have skipped the garage or at lease reduced its size and cost.
What is refreshing about this project is that it goes way beyond the minimum requirements. Of course the city has no urban requirements. Developers can build all the auto-centric shlock they want because our leaders can’t be bothered to set out an urban vision for our main corridors.
The area is slowly coming back around. Lindell Marketplace, just to the West of the Arby’s that is next door to this project, made a major improvement by opening a long mostly blank wall along Lindell by punching in new street-facing storefronts. Over the next couple of decades, with the right guidance (form-based zoning), the parking lots of Lindell Marketplace will get infill projects like the one at 3949 Lindell. It may well happen without the mandate via zoning but that is leaving too much to chance.
A sound urbanist friendly building–why was this targeted by the arsonists? What is their motivation? It can’t simply be mayhem.
Not to fan those falmes again, but I think that the arsonist was a suburban profiteer seeking to cripple the city. Or maybe he was an anarchist hero. But he probably was just a criminal.
Did they ever connect this one to the one on South Grand?
Great post; I haven’t been back to STL in a few months and I wondered how this project was proceeding. It’s pointless to speculate on the reasons for this arson or the burned building on South Grand last year and when it was discussed on this site it turned into an argument about unions etc. Long story short, I’m thrilled to see urban projects like this and hope to see more.
“It’s pointless to speculate on the reasons for this arson or the burned building on South Grand last year…”
Pointless to speculate? Correct me if I’m wrong, but they’ve never been caught. I think speculation on the motives is still very important–it could lead to the culprits.
WOW! those look great! Far better looking that most of the junk that has been put up in Sarasota Florida which is where I am blogging from.
I know you don’t want to appear partial or for that matter say something offensive to your advertisers, but I would like to hear your thoughts on the eco-urban development, an advertiser here. Is it hype or is it real progress?
Chris, I see what you’re saying, I was just referencing that after the arson people on here ended up ranting pro/con about unions and it seemed based on their politics more than honest non-partisian thinking. Anyway I agree with you that I hope real estimated-guessing speculation could bring them to justice. I actually like the appearance from Steve’s picture…lot’s of different sized windows and balconies.
oops..meant to say “educated-guessing”
While not architecturally great from the street, it has a nice facade and is certainly urban in character. Hopefully this building and the new building at Jefferson and Lafayette will be successful and encourage more of an urban approach to design.
The City of St. Louis of course should be encouraging urban development based on transportation needs, density, walkability, development of public space, energy use and other important issues. However, as Steve points out, it seems it is the developers choice.
Thus we can only hope for success. Personally I have not seen any ability of “free market forces” to solve problems in society. It seems capitalism is an abysmal failure in that regard.
The manner in which this building collides recklessly into the garage seems indicative of the fact that that the union was not sensitively considered. While this should usually not matter when buildings of this scale, form and dwelling unit density are abutted by similarly scaled buildings, this juncture looks awful. That said, hail to the possibility of real form-based zoning because we need it so VERY badly.
While the architecture is an intersting mish-mash of styles, its overall bulk and relationship to the street is highly appropriate. IF more of the same gets constructed nearby, we’ll actually be making some meaningful progress toward a more urban, urbane and livable city.
Students today must have a lot more money than the ones I went to school with in the ’70’s: http://www.denverpost.com/economy/ci_10087493 “Luxury” apartments sure weren’t on our radar – it was more like did the plumbing work and would the roaches stay away from my Top Ramen?!
I’d love to see something similar (albeit on a much smaller scale) go in at the northwest corner of Lindell and Vandeventer, in place of the Rally’s. Such a prominent corner deserves better than a cheesy fast-food joint – it detracts from the lovely little pocket park across the street. I’ve always wondered what used to be there.
(Full disclosure: I was a regular customer of that Rally’s back in the day, used to be called Checker’s.)