Leather Trades Artist Lofts Nearing Completion

September 1st is the move in date for the Leather Trades Artist Lofts at 16th & Locust. Before I talk about the development I want to talk about the area 100 years ago.

According to city records, the Leather Trades building was built in 1912. The YMCA to the east across 16th Street wouldn’t come until 14 years later in 1926. The small building to the west was built in 1917.

The blocks of Locust from 14th to 18th once contained large homes but the growing city would expand into this area once known as Lucas Place. On a 1909 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map stone fronted houses and flats stood on the south side of Locust between 14th and 17th.  The massive Butler Brothers warehouse between 17th and 18th had just been built a year earlier.

On the north side of Locust the evidence of the change was more clear.  At 14th & Locust, now surface parking, you had the Gayety Theater.  Heading west you had houses, many now boarding houses by 1909, until you got to the NE corner of 16th Street.  There was a building attached by two bridges over St. Charles St to the huge Ely Walker Dry Goods building facing Washington Ave.  Ely Walker is still here but the building at 16th & Locust was razed at some point and now has a parking structure.

At the NW corner of 16th & Locust you had the Blackwell-Weidlandy Bldg.  It was built in 1907 and labeled on the 1909 Sanborn map as the Jno L. Boland Book & Stationary Co. Sadly this beautiful building was razed in 1988 and the land is now a surface parking lot. The rest of the block was houses in 1909, my building and our other building at Printer’s Lofts were built shortly after 1909.

Of all the houses that once existed in this area only one remains, the Campbell House at 15th & Locust, which has been a museum for decades:

Built in 1851, the first house in the elegant neighborhood Lucas Place, the Campbell House was the home of renowned fur trader and entrepreneur Robert Campbell and his family from 1854 until 1938. The museum contains hundreds of original Campbell possessions including furniture, paintings, clothing, letters, carriages and a unique set of interior photographs taken in the mid-1880s.

If you haven’t been before I strongly suggest you check it out!

Back to 16th and the Leather Trades Artist Lofts:

Located in the downtown warehouse district, Leather Trades is ideally situated for working artist and cultural workers to live, create and connect in one of the most established arts scene in St. Louis. Leather Trades Artist Lofts will consist of 86 affordable homes for working artists and cultural workers, opening September 1st, 2011.

Our community at Leather Trades will include several working studio spaces for artists who live in the building. A painting & drawing studio with 16 foot ceilings will overlook Locust Street. A pottery studio with fully vented kiln will provide room to wedge and sculpt. Dancers and musicians will benefit from a spacious dance studio with cushioned hardwood floors and a sound-proofed studio for media and music. Picture rails throughout the building and the large windows to 16th Street will be designated for residents to display their work.

Last week I attended their open house and hard hat tour.   The open house was held at Whiz Tech Cafe and groups of 8 at a time went across Locust to tour the unfinished 7th floor of Leather Trades.

The last time I was in the Leather Trades was 9/6/2007 when the now-defunct Pyramid Construction had a party in the newly completed condo display unit. Pyramid’s plan was for 63 high-end owner-occupied condos. When the building opens on September 1st it will have 86 “affordable” one & two bedroom apartments for artists. Frankly, I think this is much better than 63 condos. I got to meet many of the people who were putting in applications for a loft, the neighborhood is about to get far more creative come this fall.

One bedroom lofts will rent for $679/month and two bedroom lofts for $827/month but there is a catch:

This property participates in an affordable housing program. Household income limits are as follows, however, future residents of this community need to speak directly to a leasing agent to learn more about how your household can qualify.

• 1 Occupant – $29,040
• 2 Occupants -$33,240
• 3 Occupants -$37,380
• 4 Occupants -$41,520

The other is you must be a cultural worker (aka artist):

You do not have to make your living off the creation and sale of your work. We also recognize that there are many creative fields other than the ones listed above. If you’re curious, just call us and ask.

We define cultural workers as:

1. Someone who works for an established arts organization, both non-profit and for-profit.
2. Someone who works for an established non-profit arts service organizations.
3. Consultants who have a history of work with established arts organizations, both non-profit and for-profit, or with established non-profit arts service organizations.

Here is a just released video from the developers showing a similar project elsewhere:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMzXosn3RBU

As a neighbor I will be very happy having a building full of artists across the street.  We’ve got enough bankers & lawyers downtown already.

– Steve Patterson

Restaurant, Lounge or Late Night Club?

The business Rich Girl Lifestyle, LLC is seeking a liquor license at the address 1627 Washington Ave, in the space previously occupied by Cummel’s.  The building is known as the University Lofts.  Few things are as controversial as the issuance of a liquor license and the application for the place to be called Couture is no exception.

In April liquor license compliance specialist Joe Kelly sent a letter to property owners, businesses & registered voters within a 350 feet radius of that address seeking their approval for a liquor license at a new “restaurant and lounge” to be called Couture. My building is within the radius but only those on the first three floors get any say about such matters. The city must think sound can’t reach me or my neighbors on the 4th floor or higher.

Teri Little indicated to KMOV’s Maggie Crane that Couture would close most nights by 11pm:

The proposed hours of operation are 11a-11pm M-Th, 11am-130am Fri-Sat.

In a nutshell, it’s a boutique styled cafe/lounge(speakeasy style venue) geared towards the fashion friendly. We will serve food and exotic handmade cocktails as well as some light retail. (source)

However, a resident of University Lofts told me they are now saying they will be open until 1am 7pm every night.  Late nights on Friday and Saturday nights are expected, especially on Washington Ave.  But the rest of the week the area is a mostly quiet residential neighborhood.

Neither LeTeri Little, or her business partner Angelique Hover, live in the City of St. Louis. Residency isn’t a requirement to obtain a liquor license, of course, but I don’t know that residents of nearby suburbs can appreciate the concern of those who live in close proximity to others.

The resident I talked to indicated the lobby doorway would not be the main entrance.

He said the side door would be the doorway used instead.  I haven’t verified his claims but I doubt the doorway would be used as is, it’s just too steep.  It is possible to build a platform and easier steps to use this door, perhaps even a deck for outdoor seating.

Using the side door makes since to bring some life to this short block of 16th Street.  The problem is the width of the public right-of-way is only 50 feet.

Given how sound can bounce from wall to wall it is absurd residents on the 4th floor or higher don’t get a say in liquor license applications.  My windows face the building next door, about 75 feet away, and I hear everything that goes on in the parking lot below. This limitation needs to be reviewed and revised.

LeTeri Little’s husband, Chris Little, ran the Label in Chouteau’s Landing, which has been in the news since April:

St. Louis Police are mourning the loss of one of its veteran officers, following a downtown altercation in a nightclub parking lot. (source)

Very different area, there might be a few residences in the upper floors of these buildings but parking lots and other businesses is the norm.  Is there guilt by association? Yes, prior and affiliated businesses are a basis I would use to approve a new license — if I got a say in the matter.

Personally I like the idea of a new establishment near me and I like a drink now and then so I wouldn’t flat out reject it.  But most restaurants are not open until 1am seven nights per week.

– Steve Patterson

Ameren Shows Off Solar Panels & Energy Learning Center

Last week I attended an event at the headquarters of electric utility Ameren. From the press release:

AmerenSolar.com

Ameren Missouri constructed the largest multi-technology solar installation in the state as part of its vision to lead the way to a secure and sustainable energy future. The company is testing four solar technologies to compare performance and reliability in a Midwestern climate.

At AmerenSolar.com, customers can now access, in real-time, data on how much energy each solar technology generates atop Ameren Missouri’s headquarters. Using easy-to-read graphs and charts, the website also provides customers insight into how net metering works, as well as information on rebates and other financial incentives. By advising customers on this issue, they can make a more informed decision whether solar power is right for their home or business.

Energy Learning Center

Hands-on education is available at the Energy Learning Center, located overlooking Ameren Missouri’s rooftop solar installation. Here, tour groups can access the latest information on various renewable energy sources – including solar, energy efficiency options for their homes or businesses, and environmental upgrades throughout the Ameren system. To book a tour for a group or organization, go to the Energy Learning Center Section of AmerenSolar.com.

No matter what questions customers have or which option they choose to find an answer, Ameren Missouri is ready to be their trusted source for energy information.

Interesting, even though a couple of decades late.

I liked that the roof was fully  accessible!

Slight differences between the four types of solar panels.  Not sure how helpful this data will be to someone considering adding solar panels to their home or business but hopefully it will be.

– Steve Patterson

Transit Changes During the Komen Race for the Cure Saturday June 11

Thousands will gather in downtown St. Louis for the annual Komen Race for the Cure. Thousands means thousands of cars.  Public transit is an option for those coming to walk, run, volunteer or just watch.

First the good news, Metro is operating MetroLink light rail trains on a rush schedule, from the alert:

Komen Race For the Cure Special Service- June 11, 2011

DETAILS

On Saturday, June 11 from 5 a.m. until noon, MetroLink will operate:

Every 15 minutes on both Red and Blue Lines

Every 7-8 minutes between the Forest Park and Fairview Heights MetroLink stations

And now the bad news, because 14th Street, Market and Olive are closed during the event nine (9) buses will be rerouted:

• 74/94/97
• 4/10/11
• 30/32/41

Hopefully those who ride these buses to get to work are aware of these reroutes.

If you are coming to the event please consider taking a MetroBus or MetroLink.  Those coming from Illinois should definitely consider taking transit:

I-64 Weekend Closures:

MODOT will close all lanes of westbound I-64 from the Poplar Street Bridge to 20th Street beginning 8 am Saturday, June 10 for bridge repairs. The closure will end at noon Sunday, June 11.

Komen Race for the Cure Participants should be aware of several closures that could impact getting to the event:
• On Saturday, from 5 am to 2 pm for the Komen Race, the following ramps will be closed: the eastbound I-64 exit ramp to Market Street/Bernard and the exit ramp to 20th Street and Chestnut and the westbound I-64 exit ramps to 21st Street and Market, and the exit ramp to the 3000 block of Market. (source)

Have a great weekend!

– Steve Patterson

Happy 137th Birthday to the Eads Bridge

When I moved to St. Louis, almost 21 years ago, I immediately fell in love with Eads Bridge. The rail lines on the lower level of the bridge hadn’t been used in 15 or so years. The road deck was in place but it was removed during construction of the  MetroLink light rail that opened in 1993. The bridge was so beautiful to my young eyes.

The history of the bridge is fascinating.  It opened 137 years ago today on June 4, 1874 with the official dedication was a month later on July 4, 1874:

The bridge is named for its designer and builder, James B. Eads. When completed in 1874, the Eads Bridge was the longest arch bridge in the world, with an overall length of 6,442 feet (1,964 m). The ribbed steel arch spans were considered daring, as was the use of steel as a primary structural material: it was the first such use of true steel in a major bridge project.

The Eads Bridge was also the first bridge to be built using cantilever support methods exclusively, and one of the first to make use of pneumatic caissons. The Eads Bridge caissons, still among the deepest ever sunk, were responsible for one of the first major outbreaks of “caisson disease” (also known as “the bends” or decompression sickness). Fifteen workers died, two other workers were permanently disabled, and 77 were severely afflicted.

On 14 June 1874, John Robinson led a “test elephant” on a stroll across the new Eads Bridge to prove it was safe. A big crowd cheered as the elephant from a traveling circus lumbered towards Illinois. It was believed that elephants had instincts that would keep them from setting foot on unsafe structures. Two weeks later, Eads sent 14 locomotives back and forth across the bridge at one time.

The Eads Bridge, which became an iconic image of the city of St. Louis, from the time of its erection until 1965 when the Gateway Arch was constructed, is still in use. The bridge crosses the St. Louis riverfront between Laclede’s Landing, to the north, and the grounds of the Gateway Arch, to the south. Today the road deck has been restored, allowing vehicular and pedestrian traffic to cross the river. The St. Louis MetroLink light rail line has used the rail deck since 1993. (Wikipedia)

This bridge, and the railroad tunnels under downtown, allowed the first Union Station to open a year later on June 1, 1875.  This Union Station was located at 12th (now Tucker) & Poplar. The Union Station we know opened 6 blocks to the west just 19 years later on September 1, 1894.

In 2024 we need to have a big party to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Eads Bridge.  Hopefully by then the raised section of I-70 at the west end of the bridge will be gone, opening sight lines.

– Steve Patterson