More Sprawl Planned Adjacent to Soulard Neighborhood in 7th Ward

A Walgreen’s and attached strip center next to Bohemian Hill and across from City Hospital is not enough. Nor is the under construction strip center at 7th and Russell. The latest in Phyllis Young’s plan to surround Soulard with all the beauty of O’Fallon (Missouri or Illinois — they look the same) is on the former parking lot of Nooter, at Broadway and Park (map). Mere blocks from The Lasalle Park neighborhood, the rebirth of the Chouteau’s Landing area, Soulard Farmers’ Market and other establishments between this site and downtown.

Site is located to the right in the above image. On another day I’ll have to deal with the bike lane suddenly ending at Park with the Bike St. Louis sign pointing you to the left — like somehow you are supposed to get into the left turn lane, across two lanes of traffic, from the bike lane at the intersection.

Closer up you see the nearly four and a half acre parking lot which is to become this:

Is this the future of St. Louis? Filling in every vacant area with generic strip malls fronted by a sea of asphalt parking lots? While I hope not I am afraid this is the best we can hope for given our politically crippled planning department and inept leadership at city hall. Of course the sketches are pretty honest, they never show an ADA-compliant access route for pedestrians from the main public sidewalk. Bike racks, who needs those? Plenty of “free” auto parking? You bet!!! While the above image is from the sign posted in front of the property it could be anywhere in the region. There is nothing about this that says it is blocks from the river in one of the oldest areas of town.

For years cities had massive change forced upon them in the way of urban renewal — interstate highways ripped through established neighborhoods and high-rise public housing projects wiped out more neighborhoods. These areas really stood no chance of survival with such a large scale approach. Today we cannot afford to come in and reconnect areas on such an equally large scale — nor would we want to. The bigger the scale the more watered down the solution. What we need is to methodically and incrementally piece our city back together again.

While this incremental construction would take place over many years, on many parcels and via many different builders/developers the planning must be done upfront and on the bigger scale. This does not mean we design every building. No, what is means is that we set out a community vision — what will we expect of the building types once built. Will they be multi-story and built up to the street with any parking below or behind the structure? Cities such as Seattle, Portland and Denver are seeing great success through the use of districts-scaled plans with the power of zoning. The goal is not to control uses but forms of new buildings, relationships to the street and the disposition of parking. Slowly but surly the vision will come together — getting increasingly urban and dense with each passing project. Biking and walking from place to place will become better and friendlier over time. This approach takes the long view on rebuilding a walkable city that also happens to accommodate motorists along the way.

I have no problems with generic chain stores in this location. What I do have a problem with is the form in which they are proposed. Even smart suburban areas in the US aren’t allowing this sort of lowest common denominator of development anymore. Yes, this is probably better than a vacant parking lot but when we have no standards at all we get development that is a reflection of that lack of vision.

If you share my perspective on this the people you need to talk to are long-time 7th Ward Alderman Phyllis Young, “Planning” and [Sub]Urban Design Director Rollin Stanley and Deputy Mayor Barb Geisman via Mayor Slay.

Preservation Board to Consider Plans for 2-Block “Urban Garden”

Today at 4pm the city’s Preservation Board, chaired by Slay’s PR man Richard Callow, will consider the plans for the Gateway Foundation’s gift of funding a sculpture park. The rubber stamps are being cleaned and distributed. Issues I have are larger issues for the entire Gateway Mall area.

First, I’m opposed to the removal of off-street [on-street] parking from both Market Street, Chestnut and cross streets such as 8th, 9th and 10th. These spaces provide convenient parking for the space — meters should be set for 90 minutes to 2 hours maximum and actually be enforced. Chalk the tires and ticket those that simply run out of their glass office to feed the meter. If they don’t like it they can use transit or car pool with a co-worker. On-street parking also provides a nice barrier between pedestrians and passing cars. People parking and getting in and our of their vehicles creates urban activity. And finally, these on-street spaces lessen the need for more massive and costly parking garages. I know that if I were to bring my elderly father here we’d need very close parking as he is physically unable to walk too far. On-street scooter/motorcycle parking would be nice as well.

The other thing I’d like to see are numerous bike racks. Not one rack that holds 20 bikes off in some hidden corner but the perimeter dotted with simple inverted-U racks. This would give cyclists safe and secure places to lock up their bikes so they can then enjoy walking around the various planned paths of the new sculpture garden without having to leave their bike unattended or push it around. I’d like to see 2 of these racks, each capable of holding two bikes, per side. Two blocks means eight sides so a total of 16 racks that can hold 32 bikes. Really this should be the standard throughout downtown. On either side of 9th, between the two garden blocks, you could probably have only one per side for a total of 14 racks and 28 spaces. Given the budget in the millions paying for and installing 14 racks might cost all of $5,000-$7,000 total. Given the extent and budget of this project good bicycle parking should not be overlooked.
I’m disappointed the block between 10th and 11th, containing “Twain” by Richard Serra, isn’t included in this project. It will remain, for now, disconnected from the surroundings. It will continue to serve as an unofficial dog park.

I have noticed a food vendor that sets up his shop on the corner of 10th & Chestnut to sell BBQ to AT&T employees and any others in the area (jurors?). Most likely he will get the boot which is unfortunate. He picks a spot in the shade of the existing trees so even if AT&T were agreeable to having him on their side of the street it might be too unbearable. Hopefully he can use a corner of the block containing twain or be allowed to use a tiny bit of the real estate on the north edge of the urban garden. Like bike racks, I want to see food & beverage vendors all over downtown (hopefully with some selling vegetarian hot dogs).

Another thing I’d like to see all over downtown are rickshaws — old fashioned bike taxis (aka pedicabs). Even if subsidized through say the Downtown Partnership this would be a great way to ferry people throughout downtown — from Union Station, to Washington Ave, to the Old Post Office Square, to Ballpark Village, to the Convention Center to the riverfront — there are a lot of places and often the distances are farther than people are willing to walk. One of my favorite memories of New York City is taking a bike taxi. The Partnership could purchase the pedicabs and lease them at nearly nothing to those that want the work or exercise. Advertising could be sold to offset the purchase and maintenance of the pedicabs. Let the drivers set their own fee and collect the tips — and not require a business license. This might even prove a good vocation for the homeless or near homeless. Furthermore, a downtown loft dweller might just enjoy a saturday shift as a pedicab driver as a way to contribute to the city and meet new people. A portion of the street around the urban garden could provide space for people to catch a pedicab, auto taxi or a horse drawn carriage.

With the Danforth Foundation calling for local control of the riverfront area, the new open space north of the Old Post Office and the linear Gateway Mall I still don’t think we have the population or the surrounding urban fabric to make all these spaces useful. Even after this urban garden opens in 2009 the surrounding buildings will continue to be the dreadful anonymous boxes they are today.

We Can All Agree, St. Louis’ Riverfront Needs Help

Yesterday I had a chance to hear a presentation by Danforth Foundation President Peter Sortino (as a guest at the monthly chapter meeting of the AIA St. Louis). The foundation recently submitted a report to St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. In the report they basically concluded that nothing “transformative” can be done as long as the National Park Service retains control of not only the Arch ground proper but also Memorial Drive.

I’m still reading through the detailed report and appendix of items but here is where we certainly agree:

• The arch grounds, while beautiful, is a large passive area.
• Pedestrian access to the arch grounds and riverfront from downtown is problematic.
• The riverfront is lifeless and disconnected from downtown.

Figuring out goals, objectives and solutions is where I think we may have some differences of opinion.  Still, the foundation is looking for support from the community to agree a problem has existed for some decades — I fully support increased discussion about the future of the area around the Arch.

Truck Uses Curb Ramp as Entrance To Downtown Surface Parking Lot

So I’m at a red light the other day and I scramble to get my camera out of my pocket because I can’t believe what I am witnessing — a massive pickup using the corner curb ramp as an entrance to the large surface parking lot.

Geez, is that really necessary? Maybe it is not a big deal? Would the driver have seen someone in a wheelchair coming out from behind the traffic signal box seen behind the truck’s bed?

With this lot, and so many others, no parking is allowed around them because all the curbs are open for easy access. So despite having virtually unlimited access on the sides this guy has to use the ADA ramp on the corner to access the parking space he wants.

After using the corner as the entrance he pulls up a bit further within the lot so he can back into the space. Why he couldn’t have just pulled in using the wide driveway near the front of his truck in the above photo is beyond me. Maybe he felt more like he was driving a truck by driving over something he shouldn’t?

He finally manages to back the gargantuan vehicle into a space and a half. I think if people are going to drive these things as personal vehicles they need to learn how to maneuver them better.

The parking attendant comes over to collect the money from the guys in the truck — I hope they got extra given the amount of room they took up on the lot. In case you are having trouble seeing it, that would be Missouri plate 843 TX7.

Once the two were nearly out of the truck I went by and made a quick smart-ass comment about using the ramp as an entrance and then I sped away on my scooter. I figured it would take them too long to unpark that big truck to chase me down by that point, plus they had already paid to park. In reality, in this situation, the truck using the corner wasn’t a big deal. It was over in seconds and this time nobody happened to be there on the corner. Had someone been on the corner he probably would have waited or simply used the drives instead.

The real problem is that at 11th and Locust we have a large surface parking lot which is paved right up to the sidewalk — to the point the parking and sidewalk contrast only in that one is concrete (sidewalk) and one is asphalt (parking). At the very least we need some bollards or something around these lots so that the sidewalk is protected from vehicles except where permitted to enter/exit. Just to the North of Washington Avenue we have two small city blocks that are nothing but surface parking right up to the sidewalks. Another there is not even paved — it is gravel. Yes, a gravel lot in a downtown!

We must find a way to change the economic model — this cannot and should not be the highest and best use for this land. Among the options, once explored, is the idea of taxing land and not improvements. Thus, the person with a city block occupied by surface parking pays the same taxes as a person with a building(s) on the same size land. I’m sure this is fraught with all sorts of legal issues — my point is we need to look at alternative models employed in other cities for these vast wastelands where buildings once stood. As bad as all the parking garages are — and we have tons of those — these surface lots are worse.

So where do these fit into downtown planning?  Do we simply wait until the property owner decides to sell or build something?  Do we find some incentives to get the owner to upgrade the surface lot with some bollards, a low brick wall or something to separate the pedestrian from pickup? Do we punish the owner with increasing taxes to the point he breaks and sells the land to a developer?  Can we set minimum parking pricing within the CBD so that the owner can make as much money with fewer cars — leaving room around the edges for an improved buffer?  What about simply suggesting the owner lease the corner to someone for a temporary newsstand like the type you see in NY?

I’m not content just waiting and I doubt our downtown leaders are working on creative solutions.  What are your ideas?

Ald Young Thinks Downtown Condo Prices “Skyrocketed” Based on Centene Announcement

At last night’s Downtown St. Louis Residents Association (DSLRA) meeting, at Dubliner’s on Washington Avenue, 7th Ward Alderwoman Phyllis Young proclaimed to the loft dwellers that their property values had just “skyrocketed” based on the news that Centene would be relocating their headquarters to a portion of Ballpark Village, bringing with them some 1,200 jobs.  I think she was looking for cheers from the group with her non-reality based assertion.

REALTORS® in the room, myself included, were skeptical.  Pressed on the issue of foreclosures, long days on the market and more new projects as rentals, Ald Young indicated “I think” this news will have a positive impact on the market.  Yes, a new corporate headquarters and more M-F workers will translate into more people during the work week.  We may see more lunchtime restaurants as well as stores catering to the office workers.  The impact, however, on residential housing units in the downtown area and a 24/7 lifestyle remains to be seen.  The condo market, days after the announcement, has not changed substantially.  Proclamations of dramatic and overnight increases in property value is typical of St. Louis political spin.  If values are so much higher now, I guess that means she’ll stop supporting subsidies for developers?

If Ald Young wants cheers from the downtown residents she needs to announce a new 24-hour Walgreen’s within walking distance — not the one to be built on Lafayette across from the former City Hospital.

If you have thoughts on this topic be sure to share below and/or contact Ald Young directly.