Today is National Coming Out Day and, yes, I’m gay.  I was harassed for being gay, before I even knew I was gay, during the 5th-8th grade (1977-1981). I came out in 1983, at age 16 — a year after the term “AIDS” was first used.  Although scary times for me, it got better.
Last week I joined hundreds of others in the Central West End for an important event to show youth it gets better:
“They marched as one. Unified by candlelight, reflecting on some of their darkest days of bullying and harassment.” (Vigil Condemns Anti-Gay Bullying)
“Growing American Youth is a social support organization for youth who live near St. Louis and who are 21 and under and may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Growing American Youth has been serving St. Louis area youth for 30 years.”
In addition to the string of gay teen suicides we now have the story of violence against young gay men in New York:
“Outraged city leaders said Saturday that the city wouldn’t tolerate the “vicious” hatred that had apparently caused a street gang to allegedly beat and torture two teenage boys and a man inside an abandoned home over the course of several hours because they were gay.” (NYC officials outraged over anti-gay gang torture)
“The 2010 Great Forest Park Balloon Race is scheduled for Saturday, September 18, 2010 and will take place on Central Field in Forest Park, near the Jewel Box. The Balloon Glow will take place on Friday, September 17, 2010 also on Central Field. A detailed event schedule for the 2010 race is available here.”
Open Streets combines elements of your neighborhood block party, a day at the gym, and a relaxing weekend morning. It’s a chance to exercise, an opportunity to people watch, and a great time to enjoy our region’s wonderful spring and fall weather.
The City of St. Louis has hundreds, if not thousands, of beautiful urban buildings I’d like to see renovated. Significant buildings like the Arcade/Wright downtown, among them. But the one building I think I’d put at or near the top of my list is a 2-story building at the East end of Fountain Park (map):
4831 Fountain, November 2009
In researching this story I found a few posts from friends. Matt Mourning observed on July 6, 2008, “The pleasant building seems to literally embrace the oblong Fountain Park that is its neighbor.” So true, the building was built before zoning existed yet it manages to do a spectacular job. As cities write form-based codes they look at buildings like the above to see if it could be built under a new zoning code. Our 1947-era zoning would not allow this fine building to be built today. We need to do two things about that. 1) save this example of how to have a building relate to the sidewalk and adjacent area and 2) change our zoning to allow/encourage modern versions.
Matt’s post led me to Toby Weiss’ post from February 4, 2007 where she wrote:
It was built in 1897, with store fronts at ground level and apartments above. The building curves to match the geometry of the neighborhood, and the cylindrical turrets are like lyrical bookends. I immediately imagined decades of people lounging in these spaces, gazing out over the park, and it felt magical.
Magical indeed. Whenever I’m in the vicinity of Fountain Park I take a spin past this building. Toby linked to Robert Powers’ photo site, Built St. Louis. I scrolled down to the comments on Toby’s post and the first one was from me. I had posted a link to a post I had done on this building in February 2005. At the time I wrote:
The building curves to follow the street pattern. This is a lost art — most people just build square buildings these days. The composition of this building is one of the finest I’ve ever seen — anywhere. Seattle has nothing like it. Vancouver has great buildings downtown but their residential neighborhoods are a bit dull architecturally. Same for San Francisco, D.C., and most others. Scale, proportion, materials. All come together in a way that most newer buildings just don’t. This building just belongs – feeling perfectly at home with the adjacent houses. Rarely is a commercial building such a fit in a residential area.
Obviously I can see past the current condition. Hopefully you can too. The surrounding residences are being rehabbed and if someone is smart they’ll snap up this building and do a coffee house/deli/cafe/market on the ground floor. The sidewalk facing Fountain Park is just begging for outdoor dining. The old upstairs apartments would make great condos.
Only after we see past old racial lines and boards on windows will we fully realize the potential of our city. Good urbanity is colorblind.
I had a wide angle lens back then:
February 2005
Two comments after mine on Toby’s blog was from yet another friend, Lisa Selligman. She wrote in February 2007:
The mixed-use castle on the corner, embracing the square with its turrets and archways, remained derelict, and I dreamed of buying it, restoring it, opening a coffee shop on the ground floor, with tables on the sidewalk filled with chattering customers. My studio on the second floor overlooked a renewed park with the fountain splashing in the distance.
As has been noted by others the building is actually two buildings joined by a brick wall.
November 2009
The north structure is fine in its own right but the combination of the two it was make this corner of the city such a gem.
I am positively captivated by this building.
With several storefronts the options are many. A coffee shop on the ground floor at the corner seems ideal. Cafe tables and umbrellas out front. Something modeled on Hartford Coffee or the original Kaldi’s.The reasons for this building to never be renovated are numerous: low adjacent values, perception of neighborhood by outsiders, current economy, etc. I want the harder list — the ways in which this project can once again be occupied and be a part of a vibrant Fountain Park neighborhood.
On September 21st Forest Park Forever’s new Executive Director was announced:
Forest Park Forever, the nonprofit that maintains Forest Park, named Lesley Hoffarth its president and executive director on Monday following a nationwide search.
Hoffarth, currently the I-64 reconstruction project director, will join Forest Park Forever in January. (Source: St. Louis Business Journals)
It didn’t take long for some to question the wisdom of hiring an engineer with 20 years at the Missouri Department of Transportation to head the non-profit . The day after the announcement:
Now, I don’t know Lesley Hoffarth, and she may be more urban-minded than I’m aware. But any head of Forest Park Forever, a group that has done great work strengthening and improving the innards of the park, should know that its edges are important too. (Source: STL Dotage)
And the day after that:
I’m keeping an open mind regarding the new President of Forest Park Forever. By all accounts the I-64 project has been managed well. I think it’s unfair to say that Lesley Hoffarth personally will favor roads and car-centric changes. However, the Forest Park Forever mission statement doesn’t emphasize the experience of the non-destination visitor or pedestrians. With all the attractions in the park you can bet that open roads and parking will play a big part in future park development. My fear is that the new Forest Park Forever President is a perfect fit. (Source: STL Urban Workshop)
Mayor Slay chimed in on Twitterwith a general welcome; “Looking forward to working with Lesley Hoffarth at Forest Park Forever.”
FPF is a private organization which partners with the City of St. Louis to maintain St. Louis’ largest, most adored park. The organization, led by Todd Epsten, CEO of Major Brands and heavy Democratic donor, hired Hoffarth away from MODoT.
Forest Park has a lot of trails and sidewalks. But one assumes that Hoffarth’s ability to manage the reconstruction of the main highway in St. Louis, and do so ahead of schedule and with minimal disruptions, was the main selling point. She should be able to manage the Forest Park which operates as the city’s premier melting pot.
I suppose I’d join the other bloggers in their suspicion if not for one fact: I know Lesley Hoffarth. I’m not talking about having briefly met her at a public meeting. I’ve known her and her family for years now, spending time in their home. I’ve seen her spend hours volunteering to help the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market. So I’m willing to give her a chance to prove she can lead Forest Park Forever.
Many fought hard to keep the 1960s San Luis Apartments at Lindell and N. Taylor (map link). The battle, however, was lost and the demolition crews have been busy razing the structure. Little remained on Thursday:
Above: we can see the spray of water as the building was being wrecked. The water spray didn’t appear to be effective in other directions. Driving through the area you could see dust everywhere.
Neighbors (presumably) expressed their view on the alley side of the old garage being razed.
The dust will end once the building is fully razed. And just think, they won’t need any help from construction noise since the St. Louis Archdiocese is paving the prominent corner to store cars.
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
Today is National Coming Out Day and, yes, I’m gay.  I was harassed for being gay, before I even knew I was gay, during the 5th-8th grade (1977-1981). I came out in 1983, at age 16 — a year after the term “AIDS” was first used.  Although scary times for me, it got better.
