Board of Elections Open Saturday March 2nd 9am-1pm

February 28, 2013 Politics/Policy Comments Off on Board of Elections Open Saturday March 2nd 9am-1pm
ABOVE: The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners is on the first floor at 300 N. Tucker (@ Olive)
ABOVE: The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners is on the first floor at 300 N. Tucker (@ Olive)

Are you one of those unable to get to your polling place on Tuesday? The St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners will be open Saturday March 2nd from 9am-1pm.

Presumably absentee voting rules apply:

1. Who is Eligible to Vote Absentee?

Any voter may vote an absentee ballot if he/she expects to be unable to go to his/her regular polling place on election day for any of the following reasons:

  • Absence on Election Day
  • Incapacity or confinement due to illness or disablity (sic)
  • Religious Belief
  • Employment as an election authority
  • Incarceration provided all qualifications for voting are retained.

If voting on Tuesday will be a challenge I encourage you to vote Saturday.

— Steve Patterson

 

Bollards Needed to Protect Pedestrian Route Into Omni Majestic Hotel on Pine Street

I’m used to building entrances being oriented to auto driveways, such is the case at the Omni Majestic Hotel at 1019 Pine St.  This hotel does have a pedestrian sidewalk to get from the public sidewalk to the entrance.

The design flaw is that it’s too easily overtaken by vehicles and used as additional parking, as happened on the morning of February 12th when I attended a breakfast meeting in the restaurant off the lobby.

ABOVE: The entrance to the Omni Majestic Hotel on Pine faces the mid-block circle drive.
ABOVE: The entrance to the Omni Majestic Hotel on Pine faces the mid-block circle drive.
ABOVE: Moving closer we see the first SUV parked out of the way for other vehicles.
ABOVE: Moving closer we see the first SUV parked out of the way for other vehicles.
ABOVE: The problem is this leaves very little of the walkway for pedestrian use.
ABOVE: The problem is this leaves very little of the walkway for pedestrian use.
ABOVE: Looking from the entrance back out to Pine Street.
ABOVE: Looking from the entrance back out to Pine Street.
ABOVE: The SUV is just outside an emergency exit
ABOVE: The SUV is just outside an emergency exit

This SUV was here when I arrived and when I left an hour later.  Though the driveway and sidewalk are different colors, the fact they are level encourages drivers to park here.

A couple of tasteful bollards are needed to keep the walkway open, a link to this post will be sent to the Omni.

— Steve Patterson

 

Readers: Either February 14th or 15th is OK For St. Louis’ Birthday

February 27, 2013 Featured, Sunday Poll 1 Comment

The poll last week on St. Louis’ birthday was a dud, not getting many responses:

ABOVE: Fireworks on the 4th with the Arch and St. Louis skyline in the background. Taken with an iPhone 4S.
ABOVE: On Feb 14th/15th next year St. Louis will celebrate turning 250 years old.
    Q: Do you think St. Louis was founded on February 14th or 15th on 1764?

  1. Either is OK 30 [45.45%]
  2. 15th 15 [22.73%]
  3. 14th 10 [15.15%]
  4. Unsure/no opinion 7 [10.61%]
  5. Other: 4 [6.06%]

Here are the “other” responses submitted:

  1. Don’t care
  2. founded in 1904 and downhill ever since
  3. who cares
  4. Show us a copy of the manuscript so that we can make an intelligent guess!

I’ll try to get a copy of the original document so we can see if we think the date was the 14th or 15th.

— Steve Patterson

 

Where’s Tammika?

Last Wednesday evening ten candidates took time from their busy campaign schedules to appear at Trailnet’s Amazing Candidate Race:

Trailnet and the Livable St. Louis Network are proud to present the first St. Louis candidate forum focused on livability issues of land use and transportation. Come join candidates from the 5th, 6th, and 15th wards and the mayoral candidates for a lively discussion on the future of St. Louis.

How much do the candidates really know about multimodal transportation and sustainable development? Do they have special skills that distinguish them from other candidates? You’ll find out these answers and more at The Amazing Candidate Race! Civic participation has never been so fun.

When: Wednesday, February 20, 7:00-8:30pm

Where: Contemporary Art Museum

Invited Candidates in ballot order: Francis Slay, Jimmie Matthews, Lewis Reed (Mayoral); Michelle Hutchings-Medina, Tammika Hubbard (5th Ward); Christine Ingrassia, Damon Jones, Michelle Witthaus (6th Ward); Jennifer Florida, Lisa Miller (15th Ward)

So all candidates from most contested primary races were invited to attend. That’s great, a chance for voters to hear from the candidates so we can make an informed decision a week from today. Except those of us in the 5th ward haven’t had a chance to hear from both of the candidates seeking to represent us for the next four years.

ABOVE:
ABOVE: Left to right: Lisa Miller (15), Jennifer Florida (15), seat for Tammika Hubbard (5), Michelle Hutchings-Medina (5), Christine Ingrassia (6), Damon Jones (6), Michelle Witthaus (6), Lewis Reed (mayoral), Francis Slay (mayoral), Jimmie Mathews (mayoral), Jean Ponzi (moderator)

Perhaps Ald Hubbard is confused, thinking she’s a ghost employee. Hubbard was a no-show for the 3-way candidate forum in December 2011 when we had to select someone to finish the term of April Ford-Griffin. The Board of Aldermen is no place for someone unwilling to face her challenger(s) in public and respond to questions from voters.  If you live in the 5th ward please vote for Michelle Hutchings-Medina March 5th.  If you have friends in the 5th ward please encourage them to vote for Hutchings-Medina.

ABOVE: Current 5th ward map, click image to view larger PDF.
ABOVE: Current 5th ward map, click image to view larger PDF.

I detailed Hubbard’s fictional accomplishments here but this race is too important to the entire city to ignore.

— Steve Patterson

 

Grand Center’s Northern Boundary?

If you were to ask most people what is the northern boundary of Grand Center is they’d likely tell you Delmar Blvd. That’s where the urban buildings end and the parking lots begin, the change is stark.

ABOVE: For a few blocks from Olive to Delmar, Grand has an urban feel to it.
ABOVE: For a few blocks from Olive to Delmar, Grand has an urban feel to it.
ABOVE: Upon going north to Delmar you can quickly tell you're suddenly in a different place.
ABOVE: Upon going north to Delmar you can quickly tell you’re suddenly in a different place.

The Grand Center website confirms Delmar Blvd as the northern boundary:

Where is Grand Center?

The Grand Center district is conveniently located in Midtown St. Louis. The boundaries of the district run along Grand from Lindell to Delmar and from Vandeventer to the west and Josephine Baker to the east. The heart of the district is located at Grand and Washington, next to the Fabulous Fox Theatre. (Grand Center district FAQ)

That’s settled then isn’t it? Hold on, not so fast. Let’s go for a walk north to see if we can find any evidence that suggests a different boundary.

ABOVE: The street sign at Delmar is a "Grand Center" branded sign. Ok, north edge so that makes sense, right?
ABOVE: The street sign at Delmar is a “Grand Center” branded sign. Ok, north edge so that makes sense, right?
ABOVE: Same at Franklin Ave
ABOVE: Same at Franklin Ave
ABOVE: And at Bell Ave
ABOVE: And at Bell Ave
ABOVE: and at
ABOVE: and at Windsor Place
ABOVE: And Finney Ave
ABOVE: And Finney Ave
ABOVE: One block before Page Ave is the last Grand Center sign, Cook Ave is the street on the north side of the Rock Church
ABOVE: One block before Page Ave is the last Grand Center sign, Cook Ave is the street on the north side of the St. Alphonsus Ligouri “The Rock” Church

Five blocks (map) covering a third of a mile is marked on street signs as being part of Grand Center but you don’t see the signature double head streetlights north of Delmar, just the standard issue cobrahead lights. No banners, no branded trash receptacles. Nothing except a different street sign.

Grand Center folks like to say the district is “steeple to steeple” referring to Saint Francis Xavier (College Church) on the south and  St. Alphonsus Ligouri “The Rock” on the north. That sounds good but the reality is this isn’t the case in practice.

ABOVE: The distinctive Grand Center double-head light are continuous from Lindell to the south side of Delmar.
ABOVE: The distinctive Grand Center double-head light are continuous from Lindell to the south side of Delmar.

Clearly the streetscape sends a very different message than the phrase “steeple to steeple” does. Clearly Grand Center.

This week Grand Center is holding a “public open house”, maybe they’ll present something to improve the streetscape north of Delmar.

ABOVE: Conveniently Grand Center is hosting an open house on February 28th
ABOVE: Conveniently Grand Center is hosting an open house on February 28th

The open house is being held at the Metropolitan Artist Loft building. How do you get to Grand Center? Let’s take a look at how Grand Center Inc tells you to do it via public transportation and then I’ll add in the other ways they fail to mention:

Public Transportation

MetroBus

Take the #70 Grand MetroBus for several stops available in Grand Center. Click here to plan your trip through Metro Transit – St. Louis.

 MetroLink

The Grand MetroLink Station is now open. Travel about two blocks north on Grand Boulevard once out of the MetroLink Station to get to Grand Center at Lindell Boulevard and Grand Boulevard. (Grand Center, Inc)

That “about two blocks” is a half mile walk, that’s just to reach the south edge of Grand Center.  Use your MetroLink ticket as your transfer and catch the #70 northbound. For the Metropolitan you want the stop just on the north side of Lindell.

Not arriving via MetroLink? You can catch the #10 MetroBus from downtown, CWE and even  south city along Gravois. Other good MetroBus options include the #97 (Delmar) and #94 Page, getting you to Grand & Delmar and Page, respectively. Remember the farthest north Grand Center sign is just a block from Page.

You’d think since Grand Center President, former Mayor Vince Schoemehl, is also on Metro’s board the transit information would be more complete.  The five block discrepancy in the northern boundary remains a mystery.

UPDATE: 2/26/2013 @ 9:35am: In the comments below it was pointed out the website says Page, not Delmar. So here’s the proof

From http://www.grandcenter.org/about/district/ on 2/17/2013
From http://www.grandcenter.org/about/district/ on 2/17/2013

— Steve Patterson

 

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