Downtown Trolley Debuted Two Years Ago Today, Sunday Service Added Last Month

The #99 MetroBus is also known as the “Downtown Trolley.” It’s not an actual trolley, just a standard short-length bus wrapped to vaguely resemble a trolley. From Metro’s website:

The #99 Downtown Trolley provides regular, all-day service throughout Downtown Saint Louis moving workers to jobs, visitors to cultural and sports venues, and everyone to the restaurants, retail, and service providers. The #99 Downtown Trolley route also recently expanded to serve downtown’s thriving residential developments, retail outlets, and cultural attractions along Washington Avenue. A reliable schedule, frequent trips, and quick connections to MetroLink and numerous MetroBus routes at the Civic Center Station make this route a practical option for traveling around Downtown Saint Louis.

The Downtown Trolley was introduced two years ago today and I’ve used it often in that time. Tourists use it as well to get from their hotel to different spots like City Museum and America’s Center. Conventional buses are intimidating to many but the cartoonish wrap, colorful signs for stops and simple route map put people at ease. The #99 Downtown Circulator bus that did a similar loop before the Downtown Trolley debuted didn’t have the same level of ridership.

Since many bus lines don’t go east of 14th Street many local transit riders have to take the #99 to reach their final destination. But when it began service it didn’t operate on Sundays, which presented challenges to locals and tourists in town on Sunday. Last month Sunday service was added.

— Steve Patterson

Duncan Ave Sidewalk A Challenge Because Of Solae’s 2008 Construction

When Solae built their new headquarters at 4300 Duncan Ave at S. Boyle Ave. (map) in 2008 they created a pedestrian problem.

The contractor dug out the old sidewalk at the west edge of their properly to create an auto driveway. The driveway works great for autos but they left a gap in the sidewalk that’s hard to navigate in a wheelchair.  Solae and/or their contractor need to fix the situation. I’ve had to pass through here on numerous visits to Solae.

I’m emailing a link to this post to Solae’s facilities manager, hopefully they’ll see fit to fill in this gap. It won’t be perfect until the adjacent sidewalk is replaced but it can be made significantly better.

— Steve Patterson

Readers: High Density Development or Save the AAA Building

Nearly thirty-percent of the readers that voted in the poll last week felt the iconic AAA building on Lindell should be protected from demolition for “any and all development that calls for its demolition.” That’s a strong statement about the feelings for this building. I think it’s worth exploring developing only the west half the site and reusing the AAA for an ad agency or hip restaurant.

Sixty-percent think it should only be razed for a high density development. Just over five-percent selected the answer supporting a typical CVS.

Oh I’m sorry, per the CVS presentation before the Preservation Board,  the proposed CVS isn’t their prototype — it would have a tower over the entry and more brick. BFD. It, and a new AAA building, would be “beautiful”, they said.  I’ve yet to see a CVS, Walgreen’s or any other big chain pharmacy that I’d describe as beautiful…except for a few built inside an existing historic building.

On Monday June 25th “The city’s Preservation Board Monday shot down plans to demolish the round, glass-walled structure near the corner of Lindell and Vandeventer and build a new CVS drugstore on the site.” (stltoday)

Here are the poll results:

Q: AAA building on Lindell: Save, Raze or?

1. The AAA building is interesting, it should only be razed for high density mixed-use development 69 [60%]
2. The AAA building is a great asset and should be protected from any and all development that calls for its demolition 34 [29.57%]
3. The AAA building is obsolete and CVS is ready to build – raze it 6 [5.22%]
4. Other: 4 [3.48%]
5. Unsure/No Opinion 2 [1.74%]

The four “other” answers:

1. Reuse don’t destroy! Why can’t CVS use the AAA building?
2. There is no urban strategy, do we really need another chain pharmacy
3. Don’t raze the building to put something worse there.
4. Like everything else, if you can afford to buy it and tear it down, then…!

I don’t subscribe to the idea if you can buy it you can do as you damn well please. I believe in the greater good when consideration is given to a corridor, district, city and region — not just the selfish thoughts of property owners at a given point in time.

Washington University students Rasheda Bowman & Jessica Manning looked at the AAA building for a Historic Preservation and Urban Design course. I’ve seen their full report but I don’t have permission to publish it in full. They did say the following as an alternative use as a restaurant:

The structure of the building is still in very good shape as the building has been well maintained by the AAA company (its only occupant). It is possible to rehabilitate the AAA Building.

A restaurant/lounge would require minimal changes to the buildings distinctive features and require little changes to the buildings character.

Only the addition of exterior glazing and a centralized kitchen and service area would be required. This would further add to the original design intention because it would allow for more exterior views. Thus bringing more of the exterior to the interior. Furthermore additional landscaping elements, such as the addition of trees and lush gardens will further enrich the environment.

Locating the kitchen and services in the center would allow for seating all around.

This has the potential to become a popular hangout for Saint Louis University students. The issue isn’t going away since AAA owns the building but doesn’t appreciate what they have. Vanishing St. Louis has a site plan showing a CVS on the site with the AAA here. I’d like to see a multi-story building on the site with the AAA.

Happy Independence Day!

— Steve Patterson

Wellston Station TOD: Small Businesses in Liner Buildings on Plymouth Ave

In April I posted about the Wellston MetroLink Station and again yesterday. After attending three days of events with Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute I’m convinced we can make improvements at low cost that deliver a big impact. I’d like to see the following happen between the MetroLink line and the MET Center some 300 feet to the east:

Liner Building Description: A building specifically designed to mask and enliven the edge of a parking lot, parking garage, public assembly or large retail facility (big box) along a public frontage. 

Placement and Massing: Minimum frontage build-out is 60%. Minimum liner building depth is 16 feet. The façade along the ground floor on a Public Frontage must change visibly at an average of at least forty feet (40’) in height, setback, materials, or colors along the street frontage and with no module exceeding 75 feet in length. An entryway must be provided on the ground floor every 40 feet at a minimum. Courtyards or forecourts shall not exceed 10% of the street frontage. (City of Albuquerque North Fourth Street Rank III Corridor Plan)

There are many examples of liner buildings online but the basic idea is to construct inexpensive buildings (temporary or permanent) to either conceal something and/or to create a pleasing streetscape. Let’s take a quick look at the area.

The vacant industrial park is owned by St. Louis County. My idea would create roughly 7,000-7,500 of new retail space immediately adjacent to the Wellston MetroLink Station.  Rather than be one small box this could be 7-10 incubator spaces. The wide sidewalk would be more inviting to pedestrians and could provide space for cafe seating in front of a small restaurant.

Locals that live and work in the area know the needs best. Based on what I heard last week a small grocer would be good. This might be a co-op model like the Old North Grocery Co-Op. A small cafe, possibly part of the grocery co-op would also be nice. Passengers on MetroLink passing by the Wellston Station would do a double-take to see a tree-lined retail street with sidewalk tables and bright umbrellas.

I’d love to see local food production in the industrial park but past contamination means growing food in the soil is unlikely. An industrial building with an indoor hydroponic farm is a possibility though.

Other businesses might include a small bike shop modeled after St. Louis BicycleWorks, a newsstand, coffee shop, etc . I’m sure there are local residents that have a concept for a business, they just need help getting started and a place to operate.

I’m going to conclude with the same words I used yesterday: “I’m sure many of you can list numerous reasons why my list can’t/shouldn’t happen. I’m not interested. I’m interested in thoughts on how the type of connection that should have been built 19 years ago  can finally get done.”

— Steve Patterson

That Last Mile To A Light Rail Station

Recently I posted about the lack of transit oriented development (TOD) around the Wellston & Rock Road MetroLink light rail stations (see Let’s Build Around Light Rail).  Both stations have been open for 19 years now.

For both I made my observations from each station and seeing a lack of connection in various directions. Last week I found myself 9/10ths of a mile from the Wellston station so I got to experience the problems area residents face in reaching that particular station. Before I get into the problems I want to explain why I was nearly a mile from that station.

Walkability expert Dan Burden was in St. Louis for a few days last week. Thursday morning a group met at the MET Center near the Wellston station and did a “walking audit” of problems we observed.

The next afternoon a group met at the University City Library on Delmar at Kingsland (map) to discuss safe routes to schools.  I’d arrived by MetroBus (#97).  After the presentation we walking north to the new Pershing school. Well, it was very hot so everyone else drove and I made my way the 8/10th of a mile to the school.

It was over 100 degrees and when we finished here the sessions were over, we were all on our own. A bus route was close but the sidewalk to reach it was blocked by construction at the school. I decided to “walk” to the Wellston Station in my power chair.  I’m not sure when I left University City and entered Wellston.

The housing stock in Wellston appears older and not as nice even when new as the housing in nearby University City. Though modest, I didn’t feel unsafe in what many would consider a “bad area.”  I encountered no one, probably because of the excessive heat.  The  sidewalks were all complete and passable until I got out of the residential area and into the industrial area near the station. Sixty-sixth street only had fragments of sidewalks, I ended up in the roadway.

The last part of my trip would take me through Robert L. Powell Park.

I’d seen the park on map before and got up to it back in April to see the sign facing Metro’s largely empty parking lot.

The park is appropriately named because it’s a disgrace.

Once I reached the station I didn’t catch the train, instead I got on the #94 (Page) MetroBus since that’d drop me off only a block from my loft. It’s clear to me that in the last two decades nobody has done anything to make it easier for Wellston residents to get to transit. What can/should be done?

1. Replace sidewalks along 66th Street.
2. Pave path through Powell Park, plant shade trees along path and have a few benches and a water fountain. Will require a ramp to navigate the grade change.
3. Rename the park something besides a disgraced former mayor.
4. Develop the parking lot, provide a nice sidewalk to reach the light rail platforms and bus stops.

– Steve Patterson