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Construction Vehicles Break Up Bleak Area

February 22, 2013 Downtown, Featured, Planning & Design, Walkability 9 Comments

Walking next to One Memorial Drive/Gateway Tower is about as bleak as it gets in St. Louis. Look to the east and you can see the Old Cathedral and Arch, but right next to you is rock and a tall blank wall. The other day at least a few vehicles parked on the beige rock added some visual interest.

ABOVE:

ABOVE: Construction workers parking between the Memorial Drive sidewalk and the blank wall of One Memorial Drive

I’m an advocate of on-street parking because it creates a nice fixed barrier between traffic and pedestrians. Conversely, I generally oppose parking between sidewalk and building because  it creates a fixed barrier limiting pedestrian access. Here the area nearest our big national monument is so dismal the vehicles were a welcomed sight. The contempt  for the pedestrian in 1966 is clearly evident. Pathetic!

– Steve Patterson

  • http://www.facebook.com/thomas.fortenberry.5 LordThomas Fortenberry

    They should do some St. Louis wall art (Artwork of the zoo, forest park, ted drewes, other places in St. Louis) That would be awesome

    • moe

      I always thought that a group should do murals on the north wall of the resevoir along Highway 44 and Grand. Scenes highlighting public attractions.

  • Fozzie

    Contempt? Please.

  • moe

    Soon this will all be underground. Inconvienence comes with improvements. I think when all is said and done, the Arch renovations will greatly improve that whole section of downtown. Patience. At least give them credit for not parking ON the sidewalks.

    • http://urbanreviewstl.com/ Steve Patterson

      Underground? This block will not be changed with the CityArchRiver plan. Yes, was glad the sidewalk remained passable.

  • JZ71

    Plant & irrigate some green, living vegetation!

  • JZ71

    Did you notice that the box attached to the photo-enforecement pole violates the ADAAG regs, projecting too far into the pedestrian path?

    • http://urbanreviewstl.com/ Steve Patterson

      Yes, but I decided not to mention it. I’m glad you brought it up. To fill in others the problem here is a blind person might walk into this box.

  • GMichaud

    To be honest the vehicles are hardly an improvement. Your article only highlights once again the horrible city planning of the city leadership going back decades. This goes far beyond these blank walls as you know. St. Louis is a pretty well a second rate city living on its past glory. With a few notable exceptions these blank walls symbolize the dead streets of St. Louis anywhere the the old city is not the dominant urban form.

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