Stimulus funds helped with renovation of building in Marine Villa neighborhood

Yesterday afternoon the ribbon was cut on a newly renovated property in south St. Louis. The handsome 4,932sf building at 3500 Illinois Ave was renovated with the help of federal stimulus funds.

I couldn’t check out the 2nd & 3rd floors but the first floor was nice.  The building was in very poor condition when the project started.  This was the 8th renovation project on this block where the city helped out to get the project done.

I saw a number of the contractors and suppliers who were present.  The stimulus was about jobs and getting money flowing.  Using the money to continue to target a once run down block is a good strategy.  The house has already sold — it closed last week. This is a key difference from what we might see in other areas.  Alderman Ortmann (D-9th Ward) and Alderman Craig Schmid  of the adjacent 20th Ward both focus on owner-occupied single-family homes. So what had contained 2-3 units is now a massive single family property.

Their bias against multiple units and rentals means buildings wait for renovation until a pile of money is available to make a project work as a single house.  I question the wisdom of creating such massive single-family homes.  How will such homes do when resold? Wouldn’t more units help support local businesses?

I did like that the rear entry to the home was level — no steps at all from the new sidewalk to inside.  The bathroom on the first floor featured a small shower without a step — another good touch for the accessibility. The many residents from the Marine Villa neighborhood were pleased to see the building finally renovated.

– Steve Patterson

A mom sets bad example for her kids

Even before I was a teenager I’d tell the librarians at my local branch when someone would park in a disabled parking space without the proper permit.  This was a good 15 years before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as well as before I became disabled in 2008.  These days most drivers seldom park in a disabled parking spot without a permit.

But the loading space next to the disabled parking spot is another story. On Friday I was in the St. Louis suburb of Warson Woods Missouri (Manchester & Sappington).  When I left the store I was visiting I see a mom unloading two kids from her car.  One was a baby in a stroller and they other maybe 4-5 years old.  My car was parked not in the disabled space to the left of her car but in the regular space to the right. I parked to the right of the loading zone because getting in and out of my car requires me to open my driver’s door fully.

As I made my way to my car I had to pass right by her.  I said something like, “You know that is not a parking space?” She replied, “Oh, yeah.” I then told her that space is very helpful for those using wheelchairs and that she was setting a bad example for her kids.  I  was very upset.  Perhaps I should get stickers printed to slap on a window — one of those that is hard to remove? But that would probably be considered an act of property damage or something.

The loading zone is critical for a ramp from a van but also a must when helping a passenger to get in and out of a manual wheelchair or even using a walker. As the Baby Boomers age we will see more and more people who need a bit of assistance — and space.

What really upsets me is she had the choice of two space nearly as close — the one in front of her car and the one in front of the disabled space.  There was no shortage of parking, she just felt that she was entitled.  I think when someone parks as she did they don’t expect to get called out by some who is disabled.  Hopefully she will remember me.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Now what is downtown’s biggest eyesore?

When St. Louis Centre opened in 1985 it was a success, albeit briefly.  But even then the 4-level pedestrian bridge over Washington St between 6th and 7th was been considered an eyesore – downtown’s biggest in fact.  But the pedestrian bridge is nearly gone and soon it’s twin over Locust St will also be gone.  So that begs the question, what takes on the role of downtown’s biggest eyesore?

I’ve listed some you might consider to be eyesores in the poll on the right. These include a few of my top eyesores such as the I-70 depressed lanes by the Arch, the elevated lanes that will soon be more visible, US Bank’s 1975 parking garage and so on.  This week I’ve given you the option to select one or two answers.

– Steve Patterson

Holly Hills neighborhood the subject of new book, author signing event today

Among St. Louis neighborhoods, Holly Hills is among the newer ones — dating to the 1920s.  Holly Hills is the subject of a new book by my good friend historian NiNi Harris.  The publisher’s description of the book:

“Holly Hills is a brief history of the Hollywood-inspired neighborhood that borders St. Louis’s treasured Carondelet Park. Author and longtime St. Louis historian NiNi Harris follows the history of the area, from the faint traces of early French settlers, through its purchase by railroad magnate Jay Gould, and finally to the dynamic developers who envisioned a California-styled neighborhood. Harris highlights the lasting institutions, civic leaders, and colorful characters that have shaped the neighborood. Also featured are Holly Hills’ extraordinary architecture and lush landscape setting. Engaging text and rich images depict the development of the adjacent Bellerive area, which boasts a rich collection of early twentieth-century Arts and Crafts architecture, luxuriant Carondelet Park, spectacular Bellerive Park, and the boulevards that tie the parks and residential areas together.”

This Sat. June 5, 2010, local historian and author NiNi Harris will be signing copies of her new book “Holly Hills” at from 2-4 p.m. The Bungalow is home of the oldest beer garden in St. Louis!

Although I’ve had a review copy for a few weeks now I’ll admit I haven’t read the book cover to cover — yet.  What I have done is go through the entire book looking at a great collection of images and reading about each.  Harris enjoys highlighting small facets of community — the people, where they lived, where they worked and so on.   The history of Holly Hills, like much of our region, actually goes back to the 19th century.

Other posts I’ve done about books by NiNi Harris:

• Book Review; ‘Unyielding Spirit, the history of the Polish people in St. Louis’ by NiNi Harris
• Book Review; ‘Historic Photos of the Gateway Arch’ by NiNi Harris

– Steve Patterson

Extending “hallway” element must be a top priority for the Gateway Mall

The hallway — that wide sidewalk along the north side of Market St — is what will eventually tie the blocks of the Gateway Mall together.

Unfortunately as well designed as Citygarden is, when built they didn’t plan to connect the hallway element to the blocks to the east and west. The crossing at 9th Street meets the design criteria of the master plan but at 8th and a 10th it was somehow forgotten. Hopefully we will get all the blocks from Broadway (5th)  and 20th.  Right now we have only the two between 8th and 10th.  Going forward we will need to make sure as each block is done that we plan ahead for the next adjacent block.

– Steve Patterson