Poll: Initial Reaction To The Updated Flying Saucer (Formerly Del Taco)?

Lsat year one of the big controversies was the threat of demolition of the “flying saucer” on Grand adjacent to the Saint Louis University Campus (the Del Taco tenant had just closed). In June 2011 I wrote a post trying to find justification for razing the iconic structure (see Pros & Cons of Saving the 1960s Flying Saucer at Grand & Forest Park), the following are selected quotes:

“I won’t lose any sleep if the Del Taco is razed but I will be mad as hell if some generic anti-pedestrian strip mall is built in it’s place.”

“I can picture the Del Taco structure gone, replaced with a high-design modernist structure to compliment the other buildings. But I don’t think that’s what we’ll get.”

“If I were developing this site I’d use the Del Taco building as a draw. Renovate the building and accenting it with great lighting, new pedestrian-friendly site design connecting to a new structure to the east on the existing surface parking lot. I can see the building not as a fast food joint but as a pub with a focus on great outdoor patio seating. This could become THE corner where SLU students hang out.”

“Most developers would kill to have such a widely known building to attract customers to their development! Certainly the 24 hour drive-thru is nice after you leave the bar but let’s face it, the use of the building can easily change.”

“Razing this building makes zero sense no matter how you try to look at it, believe me I tried!”

I couldn’t justify razing the building. Thankfully the developer changed his mind — or the demolition threat was just a clever way to demonstrate to prospective tenants the affection many in St. Louis have for the building. If so, well played!

To refresh your memory let’s go back a bit.

For the poll this week I want to get a sense of your initial reaction to the change to the building. The poll is in the right sidebar (mobile users switch to full layout). The poll will be open until Sunday October 7th and results will be presented on Wednesday October 10th along with my detailed take.

— Steve Patterson

ADA Access Into Historic Buildings Is Often Relatively Easy

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law just over 22 years ago by President George H. W. Bush. Retrofitting older building for accessibility  isn’t always easy but surprisingly some of the monumental buildings from late 19th and early 20th centuries aren’t bad.

So many of these buildings have very grand entrances with multiple series of steps, but the main floor is often enough above grade the basement isn’t excavated at all or very little. Here are some examples.

Going in the back way isn’t glamorous but neither would ramps out front. We wouldn’t build this today but it works. But not all basement entrances are around back.

Another example is the building I posted about yesterday — the vacant German House on Lafayette Ave:

These buildings were built with elevators so going from level to level is also easy, the elevators are generally replaced or modernized during renovation. At times I get to ride in an old elevator though, such as at Scottish Rite, which is fun.

— Steve Patterson

The New Highlands Development Replaced The Arena Next Door To The Original Highlands

The Highlands was an amusement park on the current site of the St. Louis Community College Forest Park campus (see Fire Cleared Forest Park Highlands, St. Louis Community College Forest Park Opened 7 Years Later).  Today The Highlands is a real estate development on the site to the west, the longtime location of The Arena.

According to the book “St. Louis Day by Day” by Frances Hurd Stadler, The Arena was dedicated on September 24, 1929 (Wikipedia says 9/23/1929). The former home of the National Dairy Show was razed in 1999 after the Blues hockey team began playing in the Kiel Savvis Scottrade Center.

A business / residential development now occupies the land that the St. Louis Arena called home, including:

Two apartment buildings featuring loft-style units

A Hampton Inn Hotel

1001 Highlands Plaza Drive West, an office building home to—among other business—the St. Louis group of Clear Channel Communications radio stations (KSLZ, KMJM-FM, KBWX, KATZ, KLOU, and KSD). A grass plaza, with an oval grass section surrounded by concrete sidewalks now sits at 1001 Highlands Plaza Drive West at the location where the original Arena stood.

The Krieger’s Sports Grill on the site closed in early 2008 and subsequently reopened as “The Highlander Pub & Grill” in September of the same year. (Wikipedia)

This post is a look at how the site was redeveloped after The Arena was razed. Let’s start with an aerial overview.

The green center mentioned in the quote and shown above is much smaller than the former Arena, you can compare them at historicaerials.com. The green is smaller but I appreciate the idea and arranging buildings around a central lawn can be powerful. The following photos were taken on the afternoon of Monday July 9, 2012.

I want to continue on Oakland Ave and work our way back to the center.

Now let’s take a look at the building facing Oakland Ave on the east side of the drive as well as the hotel and restaurant.

I was on the adjacent campus of St. Louis Community College after I left the Highlands and saw someone walking with lunch from the Jimmy Johns restaurant in the building with the retail spaces. The Highlands isn’t friendly to those who live or work there and it’s unwelcoming to those on the outside.

Additional housing will soon be built on the remaining vacant land  south of the central lawn:

Balke Brown brought in Humphreys & Partners, a prolific design firm based in Dallas, as the Cortona’s architect. The five-story building will have an exterior “reminiscent of an Italian villa,” with earth-tone panels, the developer said.

When completed in early 2014, the Cortona will have nearly 200 one-bedroom apartments and 80 two-bedroom units. A large courtyard will have a 7,000-square-foot clubhouse, a saltwater swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen and a spa, the company said. (stltoday.com)

Given the fact Balke Brown started with a blank 16 acre site adjacent to a college campus I’d say they did a poor job creating interesting public space. Perhaps it’s sufficient enough to please their investors and those Gen Y types that are afraid  to live in authentic neighborhoods.  Living in a generic office park isn’t appealing to me. Here’s a promo video for the lofts which look like suburban apartments.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CP4bc_OUVs

(view on YouTube)

I just don’t get it.

— Steve Patterson

Seating For All

For many years the establishment Flannery’s Pub at 1324 Washington Ave has had sidewalk seating. Unfortunately, those seats have been tall seats & tables.

When I started this post it was going to be to thank them for adding regular height tables so the rest of us could eat alfresco.

But thursday night I passed by and these tables I photographed a few days earlier were gone already. What’s the big deal? With help I can get into a high stool but for many that’s not an option. Restaurants need to offer some regular height seating indoors and out.

— Steve Patterson

Culinaria’s Dock & 9th Street Garage Hostile To Pedestrians On Locust

When Desco built the 9th Street garage to support their renovation of the Old Post Office they didn’t design is for a grocery store, even though Desco is Schnuck Markets development arm. If you’ve shopped at Culinaria you’re well aware of the shortcomings inside.  If you’ve walked there you’re likely aware of them from the exterior too.

This time I saw the truck on my way to Culinaria so I stayed on the north side of Locust. Other times I was blocked, I even had to wait once while a truck backed in.

That’s the loading dock, before then is the vehicle exit from the parking garage.

Pedestrians are told through falling signs to use caution because of exiting vehicles. Some garages have an audible sound to alert pedestrians when the gate goes up to allow a vehicle to leave. Not here. Well, I’m sure motorists are cautioned to look for pedestrians.

Nope! Nothing on the ramp to remind drivers to look out for and to yield to pedestrians.  If an audible sound were to go off when the gate goes up that would also help alert drivers to pedestrians crossing their exit route.

Warn the pedestrians about cars but not warn the drivers about pedestrians. Figures.

— Steve Patterson