Ninth Street Needs To Be Unblocked Through Citygarden

Ninth Street through Citygarden was, to my knowledge, never officially vacated by the city.   The late Peter Fischer of the Gateway Foundation just decided it would be closed. He

St. Louis loves closing streets. A block here, a block there. The cumulative effect has been disastrous for the city, especially downtown. We have one-way streets but with blocks either closed or some two-way. It’s confusing to residents and visitors.  Everyday at the Downtown YMCA I see cars going to wrong direction on Locust St.

Thankfully Citygarden was designed to have 9th Street open to vehicles.

At each end rain garden curb bulbs narrow the street to just two lanes — this is a natural message to drivers to slow down. In the center is a crosswalk. On each side is a passenger drop-off point. This is helpful for the elderly and disabled.

One thing everyone involved failed to do is provide a pedestrian signal for those crossing 9th on the wide “Hallway” that’s supposed to eventually extend the length of the Gateway Mall.

Spend tens of millions but not even consider the basics of pedestrian safety.

Most who took the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll thought 9th Street should remain closed.

Q: Agree or disagree: 9th Street through Citygarden should remain closed to vehicle traffic

• Strongly agree: 16 [41.03%]
• Agree: 6 [15.38%]
• Somewhat agree: 2 [5.13%]
• Neither agree or disagree: 1 [2.56%]
• Somewhat disagree: 2 [5.13%]
• Disagree: 7 [17.95%]
• Strongly disagree: 5 [12.82%]
• Unsure/No Answer: 0 [0%]

It could still be closed on nice weekends when it’s busy and during special events. It would be nice to be able to exit I-64 at 9th and be able to take it all the way into Columbus Square neighborhood to go home.

Still need to figure out how to fix the lack of pedestrian signal though…

— Steve Patterson

St. Louis Board of Aldermen: New Board Bills Week 12 of 2019-2020 Session

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen will meet at 10am today, their  12th meeting of the 2019-2020 session. While they usually meet on Friday, they’re meeting today because of the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

As previously noted, they have the first two meetings labeled as Week #1, so they list this as week/meeting 11.

Today’s agenda includes four (4) new bills:

• B.B.#85 – Dan Guenther – An ordinance approving the dissolution of the Cherokee Station Special Business District and the discharge of the members of its board of commissioners, by repealing Ordinance No. 58600, approved May 6, 1982.
• B.B.#86 – Roddy – An ordinance pertaining to parking within the “4400 Gibson Avenue Residential Parking District;” establishing the location and restrictions for curb parking in the restricted parking zone within the 4400 Gibson Avenue Residential Parking District (the “District”); authorizing the placement of Permit Parking Only signs within the District; and prohibiting the parking, within the District, of any vehicle which does not display the authorized permit; containing definitions, a penalty clause and an emergency clause.
• B.B.#87 – Narayan – An ordinance approving a blighting study and Redevelopment Plan for the 7202-7220 Arsenal St. Redevelopment Area
• B.B.#88 – Martin – An ordinance repealing Ordinance 69427 approved February 21, 2013, and pertaining to City public works contracts, Tax Increment Finance projects and St. Louis Bonded Projects, and workforce diversity, and establishing apprenticeship training, construction workforce development, and a Community Jobs Board, and in lieu thereof establishing a new ordinance pertaining to the same; and containing a severability clause and effective date.

The meeting begins at 10am, past meetings and a live broadcast can be watched online here. See list of all board bills for the 2019-2020 session — the new bills listed above may not be online right away.

Next week they’ll meet on Friday July 12th — their last meeting before Summer break.

— Steve Patterson

My Visit To Fields Foods in Downtown West

Back in April I visited a new grocery store located in a building I could see from my windows/balcony for over 11 years. Naturally a very convenient grocery store didn’t open until after I moved.

The CPI building at 17th & Washington is now known as The Monogram. It has apartments on the upper floors, and now a Fields Foods on the ground floor.

I don’t recall now what I bought, but I do remember they hadn’t been open long and they had ApplePay working — very important to me.  Like their original, prices on some things are lower than other stores, while others are higher. When I was car-free I would’ve gladly paid a little more for the convenience.

I suspect many of my old neighbors will continue to shop where they had been if they’re already out in their cars. If you’re used to driving to ALDI or Costco to stock up you’re not going to like shopping here. However, if you’d rather make frequent walking trips then this will be a great addition to the neighborhood.

I wish them well!  Fields Foods’ Downtown West location is at 1706 Washington Ave.

— Steve Patterson

Sunday Poll: Should 9th Street Through Citygarden Remain Closed or be Opened to Traffic?

Ten years ago today Citygarden, an urban sculpture garden in downtown St. Louis, was formally dedicated. No ribbon was cut, instead the water features were turned on.

Citygarden is an urban park and sculpture garden in St. Louis, Missouri owned by the City of St. Louis but maintained by the Gateway Foundation. It is located between Eighth, Tenth, Market, and Chestnut streets, in the city’s “Gateway Mall” area. Before being converted to a garden and park, the site comprised two empty blocks of grass. Citygarden was dedicated on June 30, 2009, and opened one day later, on July 1, 2009.

Citygarden is 2.9 acres (1.2 ha) in size—occupying two square city blocks—and cost US$30 million to develop. St. Louis’ Gateway Foundation, a not-for-profit organization supporting public art, funded the design and construction of the garden. While the city owns the land on which Citygarden was developed, the foundation owns the statues and covers all park maintenance costs except water and electricity. The Gateway Foundation is also in charge of providing additional security for the garden. (Wikipedia)

Two city blocks, divided by 9th Street  In fact it was 9th Street where the stage was set up for the dedication. However, 9th Street never reopened for more than a day or two after the stage was dismantled. The Gateway Foundation had attractive movable barriers made to block off each end of 9th, preventing vehicle traffic from traveling northbound on the one-way street. Eighth & 10th streets are both one-way southbound.

This one block of 9th Street, Market to Chestnut, is the subject of today’s poll.

Today’s poll will close at 8pm tonight. Results and pros & cons on the topic will be online Friday morning.

— Steve Patterson

St. Louis Board of Aldermen: New Board Bills Week 11 of 2019-2020 Session

The St. Louis Board of Aldermen will meet at 10am today, their  11th meeting of the 2019-2020 session. As previously noted, they have the first two meetings labeled as Week #1, so they list this as week/meeting 10.

Today’s agenda includes three (3) new bills:

• B.B #82 – Coatar – An Ordinance Adopting and approving the petition to amend the Petition To Establish The 705 Olive Community Improvement District to add property to the 705 Olive Community Improvement District, finding of public purpose for adding property, and containing a severability clause
• B.B. #83 – Coatar – An Ordinance Approving The Petition Of An Owner Of Certain Real Property To Establish A Community Improvement District, Establishing The Soulard Community Improvement District, Finding A Public Purpose For The Establishment Of The Soulard Community Improvement District, And Containing An Emergency Clause And Containing A Severability Clause.
• B.B. #84 – Coatar – An Ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a First Amendment to Cooperation Agreement between The City of St. Louis, Missouri and 705 Olive, LLC; authorizing other related actions; and containing a Severability Clause

The meeting begins at 10am, past meetings and a live broadcast can be watched online here. See list of all board bills for the 2019-2020 session — the new bills listed above may not be online right away.

Next week they’ll meet on Wednesday July 3rd due to the Fourth of July holiday. The following week they’ll meet on Friday July 12th — their last meeting before Summer break.

— Steve Patterson