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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I detailed Hubbard’s fictional accomplishments here but this race is too important to the entire city to ignore.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
AARP Livibility Index
The Livability Index scores neighborhoods and communities across the U.S. for the services and amenities that impact your life the most
Built St. Louis
historic architecture of St. Louis, Missouri – mourning the losses, celebrating the survivors.
Geo St. Louis
a guide to geospatial data about the City of St. Louis