Football Fans Block Public Sidewalk Before Games

One of the joys of living downtown is accepting the influx and outflux of people for events.  At one time in history various events were held throughout the cities, where ever the team or organization could buy property.  Once we managed to kill our downtowns, we used stadiums and other attractions to attempt to prop them up.  And until a better stadium deal is coming along, the St. Louis Rams are not going anywhere.

Sunday I was out for a post-brunch walk and noticed tents and all sorts of otherwise normal looking people, dressed in blue and gold, standing around their SUVs.  After viewing the windows at the downtown Macy’s I was heading back toward my loft when in the middle of the sidewalk was this group of fans.  Once passed I turned back around to snap this shot.

For me this wasn’t really that big of a deal.  My friend and I were able to squeeze by the parking meters to go around them.  You can’t tell from this image but they had a grill out smack dab in the middle of the sidewalk.  I’ve had my share of sidewalk confrontations but I knew better than to argue with a large group of football fans that had been drinking in the AM.

I guess the paved parking lot wasn’t enough room for them?  Or the “plaza” across the street at the US Bank — the site of the former Ambassador Theater?  I’m all for a good time but must it be in the path of pedestrians used by real residents?

I should have asked them where they lived.  Then I could have rented a car and BBQ’d on the sidewalk on their cul-de-sac.   Somehow I don’t think they’d get it.

They’d never do this in say NY or Chicago.  Or course, there, they actually have such a steady flow of pedestrians people wouldn’t think of setting up the tailgate on a sidewalk.  Here we make it almost perfect for such a blockage — back the SUV into the space, open the tailgate and commence partying on the sidewalk.   I’m told this helps downtown but I haven’t quite figured out how just yet.

Expensive Streetscape Falls Short of Having Good ADA Compliance

Since moving downtown I’ve been doing more walking and one of those streets, as you might expect, is Washington Ave — our main focus for the rebirth of downtown.  It started a number of years ago with a complete new streetscape — new paving, curbs and sidewalks.  From Tucker to 18th Street is was completely rebuild for a hefty sum ($17 million or so).  While I think they went overboard with the design, I believe a new streetscape project by the city was necessary to spur private investment in the area.

That said, I’ve noticed some interesting design decisions.  OK, make that some really bad design decisions.  For example, the curb ramps at 16th & Washington Ave:

Probably looks fine?  Look closer.

Anyone using a wheelchair, such as my neighbor two doors down, or to anyone pushing a baby stroller, this is really messed up.  One side of 16th has you aligned with the flow of pedestrians while the other side uses a corner ramp.  The corner ramp in the foreground serves the dual purpose of crossing Washington Avenue as this point — one of the very few places where someone in a chair can cross.

Seen from the other direction, looking Westbound, you can see how someone has to jog and angle to continue straight along Washington Ave.  Several solutions would have been worth considering here.

First, the corner ramp could have continued further to the South so that a person rolling along Washington Ave could continue straight without having to veer out toward traffic.  Second, the ramp crossing Washington Ave could have been positioned in a number of other nearby spots so that the ramps crossing 16th St could have been aligned.  Simple really, all it takes is an eye for details and functionality.

Despite all the money spent on fancy paving and custom light fixtures, little details like this were overlooked.  Do not assume, that because professionals were involved, that the design is always good.  Clearly, more time could have been spent getting these details right.

Can I Borrow Some Vanilla?

So here I am starting on making a couple of pumpkin pies, thinking I had everything I need. Organic canned pumpkin? Check. Ground ginger? Bought it today. Pie shells? Yes, got those at Local Harvest Grocery last week. Tofu? Yes, it takes the place of milk and eggs — except for the honey used to sweeten the pies they are totally vegan. Moving on, Vanilla? Damn, knew I’d forget something!

It is starting to rain and I really don’t feel like running to the store. Nor do I feel like running to my old place where I know that I have some real vanilla (not that vanilla-flavored stuff). Ah, no problem. I call my friends down the hall — I know they’ll have vanilla. In less than five minutes I had called them, used a couple of teaspoons of the wonderful liquid and was back in business. Thanks Jerry & Diane!

The pies are baking and boy the place smells great. Hmmm, reminds me of the smell from the wonderful pumpkin empanadas I get every year from one of those bakeries on Cherokee. I may just have to run out in the morning to grab a few before my friends show up at my place for our annual vegetarian thanksgiving feast.

So, I am thankful to all my friends.  Those that I know and see everyday, those of you who live out of town and those of you who I know only through my website.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Legal Wrangling Over Century Building and Parking Garage that Mocks the Century Continues

Readers of the St. Louis Business Journal were treated last week to another of their one-sided near press release type articles, this time an update on the latest in the lawsuits between interested parties of the 9th Street Garage (that over lit monstrosity facing the Old Post Office) and two citizens that happen to be friends of mine, Marcia Behrendt & Roger Plackemeier. The latest? Well, the developers (and city and state agencies) are filing a motion to have attorney Matt Ghio named as a defendant as well.

I should back up a bit here and explain how we got to where we are today. In short, Behrendt & Plackemeier both sued a long list of people over the plan to raze the Century Building for the construction of a parking garage. Various lawsuits focused on process, such as approvals, as well as the official downtown plan which indicated no parking garage should face the Old Post Office. Behrendt & Plackemeier were seeking to save the Century Building which was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Once the building demolition was underway, as these citizens could not post bond sufficient to get a restraining order, their suits became moot. However, the developers and others came back and sued them with malicious prosecution. This is basically a legal way of suing if someone sues you with no basis — if they sued you simply to be disruptive. However, in the case of Behrendt & Plackemeier I know that they were seeking to save a historic structure from meeting an untimely mess and to protect their personal property interests. Proving Behrendt and Plackemeier had no foundation for their lawsuits it a tough legal challenge. This brings us current.

Now, the Business Journal is talking about a motion filed by the developers seeking to name Behrendt & Plackemeier’s attorney Matt Ghio as a defendant. They seek to add two counts of “abuse of process” to the claim of malicious prosecution. Although the developers just filed their motion and the judge has not ruled, later in the article writer Christopher Tritto calls them a “trio of defendants.” Uh, maybe it is best to wait for the judge to determine that?

Today the garage is finished and damn if it ain’t boring as, well, a parking garage. Recently I was at a function on the top of the Metropolitan Building and the most visible building downtown was this parking structure. The lighting level are so bright we don’t even need street lights. At least it doesn’t have mag wheels attached to it like the one over on 7th. The Old Post Office Square area is also boring, very little to do. The most visibly active of the tenants in the building is the Pasta House Pronto which seldom has any customers on the times I’ve been there. The razing of the Century and construction of yet another downtown parking garage is Slay’s equal to Schoemehl’s Gateway One decision — controversial at the time and in hindsight a very poor decision.

I personally applaud Behrendt & Plackemeier for their continued fight in this battle. Of course, when you are being sued for a million dollars you kinda have to keep fighting.

Neighbor Leaves Lights On All Night, All Nine Floors Lit Up 24/7

A neighbor of mine leaves their lights on all night long, on all nine floors. The neighbor I am speaking of is CPI Corp, the Sears Portrait Studio folks.

At right is the view of the CPI corporate headquarters as seen from my balcony. In the far left is the back of the other building as part of the Printer’s Lofts. For a couple of years now I had wondered why people in the other building with their units facing North had such severe window treatments — privacy I presumed — as they would not have a direct sun issue like those facing South.

The answer, as I am finding out, is light pollution. For the most part it would not be so bad except that on their 4th floor (I’m on the 4th as well) you can see to the left that CPI does not have any window treatments on that large window. Other blinds on that floor are turned just so that light from the bright overhead lights beam directly at our lofts.

I’ve sent a very polite email to the CPI feedback email address, asking them to turn off their lights at the end of the day or at least close the blinds on all the floors. We’ll see what response I get.

Other light streaming in my 4th floor windows are from a condo-owned security light between our buildings and a public street light on Locust, both rather annoying but minor relative to the angle and intensity of the light from CPI.