Giving Away Parking at City Hall

Saturday April 2nd I noticed the main portion of the parking lot south of city hall was full while the part closer to 14th St was empty.  The Cardinals had an away game this day so I’m not sure why all the cars.  I thought it was good to see the parking lot bringing in revenue on a Saturday rather than just sit vacant.

But wait, the gates are wide open! Of course on a Saturday there probably isn’t enough turnover to staff the booth.  The Treasurer’s Office needs to enter the 21st century and get technology to automate the process to collect the parking fee. Of course the Treasurer also has downtown parking meters at no charge on weekends but some [refer lots and would pay.

- Steve Patterson

Bollards Reconfigured At America’s Center To Create Protected Pedestrian Zone

ABOVE: relocated bollards at America's Center, view looking west

Link to above pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanreviewstl/5587359644/

I’ve done numerous posts about the sidewalk along Washington Ave in front of America’s Center (St. Louis’ convention center), in January 2007 the pedestrian experience was bleak (Taxi Cabs Block Sidewalk at Convention Center, Exit Via Crosswalk).   By May 2007 bollards were installed to prevent cabs from exiting at the crosswalks, but they were still on the sidewalk space (Taxis Still Blocking Pedestrian Sidewalk at St. Louis’ Convention Center)  It took me until December 2010 to get the cabs relocated onto 8th Street so the sidewalk was free for pedestrians (Sidewalk In Front Of Convention Center Now Just For Pedestrians).

Last week the bollards were relocated to clearly separate the circle drive from the pedestrian space.

ABOVE: protected pedestrian zone in front of America's Center, view looking east

Link to above image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanreviewstl/5586769385/

The lesson for me is to get to the person in charge.  I was only after I left my card for Kitty Ratcliffe, president of the St. Louis Convention & Visitor’s Commission, that change happened. Once I was able to explain the situation directly to her she began having meetings to get the cabs relocated.  After that was done she hired a form to redesign the bollard locations so the pedestrians would be protected from vehicles in the circle drive. I picked up a copy of the bollard plan the week prior to the work being done just in case I saw something that might need correcting. But the plan was great.

- Steve Patterson

U.S. Bank Plaza To Remain A Dead Space?

ABOVE: U.S. Bank Plaza as seen from the former St. Louis Centre November 2010

Back in 2008 it was announced that the plaza at 7th & Locust would be replaced with a parking garage (Tough Decisions: Useless Plaza Vs. Another F-ing Parking Garage).  The plaza unfortunately replaced the Ambassador Theater.

Since the 2008 announcement St. Louis Centre is being converted into a parking garage with ground-level retail. So the plaza remains a lifeless hole downtown. Don’t even think about sitting on the grass at lunch, the guard will run you off. The grass, and the entire plaza space, are for show only — not use.

The Ambassador filled the space beautifully but it has been gone more than 15 years now.  Mercantile Bank, later bought by U.S. Bank, wanted to create a welcoming entrance to the tower.  A massive dead space isn’t welcoming! The solution?

In the short term invite vendors to sell food from carts & trucks at lunchtime.  A vendor truck can just pull into the circle drive.  Also, invest in a few tables, chairs and umbrellas.  Encourage people to sit on the grass and play in the fountain. Basically the opposite of what they’ve done for 15+ years.

Longer term the grassy area should be replaced with a highly  modern glass & steel building of at least 2 stories in height. I’m thinking a restaurant space, perhaps with more seating on the roof.  The auto access for the circle drive could be removed and the plaza repaved to eliminate the curbs, part being used for seating of the restaurant.

We just can’t afford dead corners like this to remain lifeless, no matter how green the grass is even in November.

- Steve Patterson

The Corner ‘Blade’ Sign Making A Comeback

I’ve eaten at Rosalita’s Cantina only once since it opened a few months ago, but I’ve admired their sign each time I pass by. My admiration of their sign began last October.

ABOVE: A worker installs the metal bracket that will hold the sign, Oct 27, 2010

Blade (projecting) signs were once common throughout cities, but in the 1970s a national movement to remove “clutter” began that killed off unique signs, especially those that projected from the building facade.  Thankfully those decades old attitudes are slowly dying off.

Note to self, have lunch at Rosalita’s Cantina again soon.

- Steve Patterson

May Amphitheater On Leased Land

ABOVE: Morton May Amphitheater at Kiener Plaza

The west end of Kiener Plaza containing the Morton May Amphitheater was built long after the east end, the city only owns a small amount of the land, the rest of the west block is owned by the Southern Real Estate & Financial Co, presumably established by the May Co.  The land is leased by the City of St. Louis.

- Steve Patterson

Mmm, Cupcakes From A Truck

ABOVE: Ladies who lunch buy cupcakes afterwards on Washington Ave

Last fall I spotted these ladies lining up to buy cupcakes from Sarah’s Cake Shop.  Purely for research purposes I got a carrot cupcake, just to test out the experience.  I love street & truck vendors as well as those who operate brick-n-morter locations.  To me, increased activity on the sidewalk means more business for everyone.

- Steve Patterson

Left to Right: Nothing But Dead Space

ABOVE: View looking north from the Hampton Inn at 4th & Washington

Left to right:

1. Massive dome that generates zero daily activity on sidewalks.
2. One-way southbound Broadway, basically a wide highway exit
3. Dead parking garage.
4. One-way northbound 4th Street, basically a wide highway on ramp
5. Elevated lanes of I-70
6. Massive casino that generates zero daily activity on sidewalks.

Did I miss anything?

- Steve Patterson

Wall Repair Ongoing at Renaissance Suites

Wall repair is ongoing at the Renaissance Suites hotel at 9th & Washington Ave.

ABOVE: Repairs to the East wall of the Renaissance Suites, March 2011

The exterior surface of the wall collapsed in June 2009 (pics of the damage here). Quite a long time!

- Steve Patterson

Downtown Trolley Important To This Downtown Resident

The (#99) Downtown Trolley has become, for me, an important part of downtown. Yesterday I had to go to the Millennium Hotel on 4th Street for an Affordable Housing Conference.  Sure, it is a regular bus with a unique exterior wrap but the frequency & route are why I use it regularly.

ABOVE: Downtown Trolley at Broadway & Market with the Old Courthouse in background

As a downtown (west) resident I could have “walked” since I have a power chair. But Google Maps says the distance is 1.4 miles via a direct route. That distance in the chair is no big deal, it has plenty of power for the round trip.

Just like physically walking that distance, it becomes exhausting dealing with the number of intersections to cross.

The Downtown Trolley has a limited fixed route that covers much of downtown, but not all. I had to go a few blocks from my loft to catch the trolley and another few to reach my final destination. Still, I was able to do about a mile of my journey on the trolley.

Studies show people are generally willing to walk about a quarter of a mile but anything beyond that those willing to walk drops off dramatically.Returning home at the end of the day it was a nice evening and I had stop to make so I skipped the trolley entirely.

- Steve Patterson

Buildings on Locust Still Standing

ABOVE: Two buildings on Locust at 10th have been approved for demo

The Roberts Brother had planned to raze these two structures as part of converting the building to the right to a Hotel Indigo.  I assume that project is on hold, a victim of the economy.  While I wish the windows were still in the one building, I’d rather see these two buildings remain standing & vacant than razed for an auto court.

- Steve Patterson