Saint Louis University Law School Shuttle

One reason for trying to build the St. Louis Streetcar is to reduce the number of polluting buses on the streets, in particular, from shuttles for the new Saint Louis University School of Law (my review of the building). The law school is open and the diesel-powered shuttles are very visible.

Here’s a quick summary of the route:

Scott Hall Shuttle You can access Scott Hall from the main university and designated law school parking via a new shuttle. Hours and information can be found here. The shuttle will connect Scott Hall to the main University campus, Salus Center and the law school parking at Schnucks Culnaria and 1215 Olive St. surface lot. The final shuttle runs from Scott Hall at 10:10 p.m. with drop-offs at Culinaria, the 1215 parking lot and finally at Busch Student Center. (source)

And here’s visuals:

Seems excessive too me, especially when they sit and idle, spewing diesel fumes. Guess law students won’t mix with the general public with such an elaborate shuttle system at their disposal. Presumably, though, amy SLU faculty, staff, or student, can ride it.

— Steve Patterson

Recycling Dumpsters Completely Block Sidewalk, Hopefully Just Temporarily

I’m a huge advocate of recycling. I also know making it easier will get more people to recycle. But that convenience shouldn’t come at the expense of walkability. Unfortunately that’s what happened in south St. Louis recently.

It wasn’t until  this point in writing this post that I realized the dumpsters probably sit on the road most of the time, they likely got moved to the sidewalk while Clifton Ave was being resurfaced. I’m going to verify with city officials to ensure this was only temporary.

— Steve Patterson

Readers Apathetic About Bridgeton Landfill Issues

The poll last week was a bust, only 34 people voted, about a third of the usual number of responses. I attribute this to a combination of the poll itself (poorly phrased?) and apathy about an issue miles from the municipal limits of the City of St. Louis.

Here are the results:

Q: Thoughts on government (EPA/MO-DNR) regulation/oversight at the Bridgeton & Westlake landfills?

1. Government should’ve done substantially more 18 [52.94%]
2. Government should’ve done a little more 7 [20.59%]
3. Government reaction has been just right 7 [20.59%]
4. Government should’ve done a little less 1 [2.94%]
5. Government should’ve done substantially less 1 [2.94%]
6. Unsure/No Answer 0 [0%]

For what it’s worth, more than half thought government should’ve done substantially more. I agree, but I also think we can all do substantially more to reduce what we send to landfills.

My boyfriend and I recycle everything we can, but also to reduce the items sent to landfills & recycling:

• Buy some items in larger sizes to reduce packaging waste from multiple smaller packages
• Make cleaning products with Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, such as liquid laundry detergent & dishwasher powder. Saves lots of packaging, as well as money.
• For 3 months now we’ve been vermicomposting in a Rubbermaid container in our loft. Yes, red wiggler worms eat our kitchen scraps!

Here are some other green things we do:

• Use connected LED bulbs in our 3 most used lights
• Use the Nest thermostat to control our HVAC system
• Line dry our clothing indoors
• Use reusable shopping bags
• Try to buy more fresh fruits & veggies rather than packaged processed “food”
• Make our own yogurt, hummus, and other items.

The two landfills with issues mentioned in my original post have been closed for years now, but everyone should be concerned about the mountains of trash we create.

— Steve Patterson

Poll: Thoughts on Government (EPA/MO-DNR) Regulation/Oversight at the Bridgeton & Westlake Landfills

Two landfills in St. Louis County ceased accepting trash after 12/31/2004.

Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill, from here forward referred to as Bridgeton, is currently owned by Bridgeton Landfill LLC, and is a subsidiary of Republic Services Inc., from here forward referred to as Republic. The landfill waste mass encompasses approximately 52 acres with approximately 240 feet below the ground’s surface and a total waste thickness of 320 feet. The waste is located in two distinct areas known as the North and South Quarries. Bridgeton was initially permitted on Nov. 18, 1985 and ceased accepting waste on Dec. 31, 2004. (DNR)

The West Lake Landfill site is on a parcel of approximately 200 acres in Bridgeton, Missouri. The site consists of the Bridgeton Sanitary Landfill, which stopped receiving waste on Dec. 31, 2004, and several old inactive areas with municipal solid waste and demolition debris. The site is divided into two Operable Units, or OUs. OU-1 consists of radiological areas and OU-2 consists of the other landfill areas, which did not receive any radiologically contaminated soil. In 1990, West Lake Landfill was listed on the National Priorities List making it a Superfund site. In May 2008 a Record of Decision was signed for OU-1, which describes the Selected Remedy to contain the radiological contamination using a modified solid waste landfill cover. EPA is the lead agency for this site. (DNR)

Both now have issues, including a smoldering underground fire at one that some fear will reach radioactive material buried in the other. How did this happen? Could government (federal, state, or local) have done more? Were the companies over regulated? Maybe you think the government response was just right? The poll in the right sidebar is where you vote, the answers are presented in random order.

— Steve Patterson

The Architectural Legacy of Henry Shaw

Many people have had a positive impact on St. Louis, but few can compare to that of Henry Shaw (July 24, 1800-August 25, 1889). Shaw was born in England but arrived in St. Louis via New Orleans on May 3, 1819. St. Louis had been founded 50+ years before his arrival but the population by 1810 was only 1,600.

Shaw’s marker on the St. Louis Walk of Fame sums up his contribution:

Henry Shaw, only 18 when he came to St. Louis, was one of the city’s largest landowners by age 40. Working with leading botanists, he planned, funded and built the Missouri Botanical Garden, which opened in 1859. Shaw donated the land for Tower Grove Park and helped with its construction. He wrote botanical tracts, endowed Washington University’s School of Botany, helped found the Missouri Historical Society, and gave the city a school and land for a hospital. Of Shaw’s gifts, the Botanical Garden is best-known. Said as early as 1868 to have “no equal in the United States, and, indeed, few anywhere in the world,” it epitomizes the legacy of Henry Shaw. 

In addition to the Missouri Botanical Gardens institution, Tower Grove Park, and numerous trees, Shaw left a great architectural legacy of buildings he commissioned, here are a few:

Here’s more detail on the city townhouse:

This tall three-story townhouse was originally built for Henry Shaw in 1850 at the southwest corner of Seventh and Locust Streets. Shaw, who had made his fortune in mercantile pursuits and real estate, had retired by that time and had completed his new country home at Tower Grove the previous year. For his city home, Shaw chose a design by architect George 1. Barnett that was inspired by a Florentine palace. After Shaw´s death in 1889, and according to a provision of his will, the house was razed and relocated on the grounds of his Missouri Botanical Garden, where it now houses offices and related activities of the Garden. The house´s downtown site became the location of the Mercantile Club, later Compton Building, in 1893. (source)

Today the site has been a surface parking lot for decades, the Mercantile Club was razed before 1958.

All of these buildings were designed by George I. Barnett, a fellow Englishman 15 years younger than Shaw.

Barnett designed hundreds of buildings in St. Louis, many in Greek Revival, Italianate, and Gothic design. Barnett did not deviate from classical designs, and his portfolio was largely responsible for establishing Classicism as St. Louis’ dominate architectural influence. His works included houses, churches, commercial, and civic structures. Among his best known structures are renovations to the Old Courthouse, the Missouri Governor’s mansion, the structures of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Tower Grove Park, and the Southern Hotel.

Obviously Shaw liked Barnett’s work, most likely Barnett liked having a steady stream of commissions from a prominent & wealthy member of the community.

— Steve Patterson