Readers: Vacant Ballpark Village site now downtown’s biggest eyesore, I-70 close behind

The top winner for downtown’s biggest eyesore is the vacant site that was planned to be Ballpark Village.  But second & third place were the depressed lanes and the elevated lanes of I-70, respectively.  City to River’s idea will take care of I-70. Each person was allowed two picks.

Q: With the St. Louis Centre pedestrian bridge being removed, downtown’s biggest eyesore becomes? (pick up to 2)

1. The vacant Ballpark Village site 106 [28.42%]
2. The I-70 depressed lanes in front of the Arch 98 [26.27%]
3. The I-70 elevated lanes North of Washington St 92 [24.66%]
4. Other answer… 24 [6.43%]
5. Twain 20 [5.36%]
6. Lumiere Casino 19 [5.09%]
7. The Kiel Center parking garages 7 [1.88%]
8. US Bank’s parking garage (8th & Washington) 7 [1.88%]

Total Votes 373

“Other” edged out the other answers I had suggested.

1. Kacie Starr Triplett
2. Chouteau’s Landing
3. Arcade Building
4. Highway 40 and the railyard to the south
5. The building to the right of I-64 , just before you cross the Poplar (name?).
6. Downtown
7. Lumiere’s digital sign needs to go!
8. The vacant Arcade building
9. Powell Square
10. Kiener Center parking garages–particularly considering their prominent location
11. The I-40 bridges running through the center of the city
12. “Powell Square”
13. The Stadium Parking Structures
14. Kiel Opera House
15. The countless surface parking lots
16. All buildings on 70 Northbound from the Arch all the way to the Airport
17. Powell Square
18. The Peabody Building
19. Statdium East and West parking garages
20. Gateway One
21. Powell Square
22. Amrica’s Center
23. Macy’s garage
24. GatewayOne tower

I want to comment on a couple of the “other” answers.

Peabody is a tenant in the Gateway One building, occupying 7 of the 15 floors. The plan decades ago was to have four of these half buildings. I’m glad only one was built but I like obscured view of the Old Courthouse and Arch.  It forces you to walk closer to get the full view.  While Gateway One is not great architecture, it is not remotely close to being an eyesore.

I don’t consider Powell Square in downtown as I tend to think of I-64/40 as on the near south side.  But assuming it is part of downtown it is an eyesore in it’s windowless state. But this is not an eyesore to be removed.  This building just needs windows to be stunning.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: your view on regulation of valet parking

The poll this week is about a favorite subject of mine: valet parking.  I feel that on weekends in certain areas of the City of St. Louis some valet companies take over the public streets for their own use. I’ve had one business owner, adjacent to another business that has a valet, that his customers have nowhere to park because one business takes every public parking space.

I’ll go into more detail when I present the poll results on the 23rd. Please take a moment and vote in the poll in the sidebar to the right.

– Steve Patterson

A birthday extravaganza for St. Louis’ youngest alderperson

Kacie Starr Triplett was elected alderman in the 6th ward in the Spring of 2007, at the time she was the youngest member on the Board of Aldermen.  In 2009 Antonio French & Shane Cohn, also young, were elected in the 21st & 25th wards, respectively. Both, however, are slightly older than Triplett so she retains the youngest title.

A week from today Kacie Starr Triplett is having a combination birthday party and re-election campaign kick-off.

I was asked to serve on the host committee and I accepted.  In the past I’ve called for term limits and other measures to ensure turnover at the Board of Aldermen, has something changed? No, but I’ve been pleased with Ald Triplett so a second term in office is reasonable in my mind.  The event is June 19, 2010 from 7pm-11pm in the Grand Hall of Union Station.  Tickets start at $50 per person.  For more information or to order tickets click here or the image above.  With Ald Triplett’s birthday we no longer have any aldermen in their 20s.

In the Spring of 2011 we will have elections for the fourteen aldermen in even numbered wards. In order to have a choice on election day I’d like to see each ward have contested races. And since we still hold a partisan primary before the general I’d like to see each political party (Republicans, Greens & Democrats) have more than one candidate for each office. If not, we need to work to eliminate the partisan primaries as they are a massive waste of money.

– Steve Patterson

Fotbal has a long history in St. Louis

I am not a sports fan but I do like seeing the occasional baseball game in person.  But I don’t like football. I am, however, taking an interest in fotbal.  My interest first started four years ago when I was traveling in Toronto during the final match of the World Cup.

The fans were everywhere displaying flags for their team.  The city went crazy.  I’ve since watched a few games on TV but not yet in person — but soon.  Tonight I will be at the Old Post Office Plaza to watch a free showing of The Game of Their Lives:

“The film details the true story of the 1950 US soccer team which, against all odds, beat England 1-0 in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil during the World Cup. The story is about the family traditions and passions that shaped the players who made up this team of underdogs. One group of teammates were from The Hill neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. Another group came from the Corky Row district of Fall River, Massachusetts.”  (Wikipedia)

That is a great legacy!

Trailer:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_OLwqVc7M4

The movie is free and should start around 9pm.  Bring food and a chair.  The Old Post Office Plaza is located on the north side of Locust St between 8th and 9th.

Much of the filming was done in Marquette Park (Compton & Gasconade).

On the weekends local groups can be seen here playing soccer. This is a great use of our many city parks.  St. Louis has long been a city of immigrants and what better way to bring together various groups than soccer?

– Steve Patterson

Police post emergency no-parking signs in no-parking zone

For some reason one block of 8th Street (Locust to Olive) is a no-parking zone on one side of the street.  But someone felt it was necessary to place “emergency no-parking” signs.

Perhaps someone in one of the cars parked in the no-parking zone had the signs put up to ensure nobody parked on the street so it would be empty so they could park there?  Downtown’s on-street parking policies are truly a clusterf*ck. The block should have metered parking just like most blocks.  Having these cars parked there reduced the travel lanes to two and afforded some separation between pedestrians and passing vehicles.

– Steve Patterson