On-Street Parking on Clark Ave
On-street parking exists on Clark Ave. between Tucker (12th) and 14th Street but it is all off limits to the general public.
I’m not complaining, the spaces have been designated for police and others in the area, such as the medical examiner.  I’ll be interested to see what happens once the St. Louis Police move their  headquarters to a building on Olive (see post). Will most be made available to the general public? What will become of the old police headquarters?
– Steve Patterson
Since they’ll be moving, it’s too late to change now, but I’d rather see things reversed – have city employees park in the city lot and leave the street spaces available for metered parking by the public. Bigger picture, how many of these unmarked vehicles are truly needed for doing their jobs outside of HQ, and how many are just perks, used primarily for commuting? I’m guessing these pictures were taken on the weekend – during the week, these spaces are always full, used by employees apparently working 9-5 jobs . . .
Since they’ll be moving, it’s too late to change now, but I’d rather see things reversed – have city employees park in the city lot and leave the street spaces available for metered parking by the public. Bigger picture, how many of these unmarked vehicles are truly needed for doing their jobs outside of HQ, and how many are just perks, used primarily for commuting? I’m guessing these pictures were taken on the weekend – during the week, these spaces are always full, used by employees apparently working 9-5 jobs . . .
Either demolished or shuttered for as long as the Municipal Courts or Kiel Opera House. Hopefully not the former.
Either demolished or shuttered for as long as the Municipal Courts or Kiel Opera House. Hopefully not the former.
Or the latter. The challenge is that, inside, the place is a dump, in need of major renovation. The most logical answers would be other city departments, especially those in leased, not owned, spaces, followed by selling to a private developer for conversion to housing or a charter school. The problem with selling is a combination of location, location, location and the larger supply and demand equation downtown. This isn’t really near anything (other than governmental uses), like Washington, Busch Stadium, the river or a Metrolink stop. And, bigger picture, can (or should) we, as a city, continue to sit on / maintain / secure multiple vacant structures? When we have multiple other demands on our finite revenues? As illustrated in the recent Post-Dispatch article on the public schools?
I thought the police academy was going to remain next door. Perhaps they need more space. If city & county training were combined this might make sense.
I’m not sure about the academy, but I do know that the crime lab will be staying where it is, to the west. As for the academy, the real question is what sort of non-classroom facilities they need to add, if any. The existing classrooms, to the south, seem to be adequate for the number of recruits now being trained.
In Denver, where a similar situation occured, some arts groups moved into the old police HQ after the new one was completed. This might actually make sense here, too, give the proximity to the Kiel/Peabody.
Or the latter. The challenge is that, inside, the place is a dump, in need of major renovation. The most logical answers would be other city departments, especially those in leased, not owned, spaces, followed by selling to a private developer for conversion to housing or a charter school. The problem with selling is a combination of location, location, location and the larger supply and demand equation downtown. This isn’t really near anything (other than governmental uses), like Washington, Busch Stadium, the river or a Metrolink stop. And, bigger picture, can (or should) we, as a city, continue to sit on / maintain / secure multiple vacant structures? When we have multiple other demands on our finite revenues? As illustrated in the recent Post-Dispatch article on the public schools?
I thought the police academy was going to remain next door. Perhaps they need more space. If city & county training were combined this might make sense.
I’m not sure about the academy, but I do know that the crime lab will be staying where it is, to the west. As for the academy, the real question is what sort of non-classroom facilities they need to add, if any. The existing classrooms, to the south, seem to be adequate for the number of recruits now being trained.
In Denver, where a similar situation occured, some arts groups moved into the old police HQ after the new one was completed. This might actually make sense here, too, give the proximity to the Kiel/Peabody.