St. Louis Redevelopment says “No” to Tattoos & Pizza by the Slice

Today I was shocked to find 285 St. Louis City Ordinances containing the word “Tattoo.” One ordinance regulates Tattoo & Body piercing establishments. The remaining 284 are redevelopment ordinances where an area is blighted for redeveloped. Tattoo parlors are one of the uses prohibited from the redevelopment areas:

Pawn shops, adult bookstores, x-rated movie houses, massage parlors or free-standing health spas, auto and truck dealers (new or used) pinball arcades, pool halls, secondhand or junk shops, tattoo parlors, truck or other equipment rentals requiring outside storage, blood donor facilities, free standing package liquor stores, check cashing centers, any use (except financial institutions or pharmacies) that utilize a sales or service window or facility for customers who are in cars or restaurants that sell products to customers who are in cars or who consume the sold products in cars parked on the restaurant premises, or sell products through a sales window to customers who are in cars or to pedestrians outside the building for immediate consumption by the customer either on or off the premises, automobile or service stations.

The above language seems to be a standard paragraph that is placed in all legislation pertaining to redevelopment areas. I don’t know yet if this is a requirement from some other ordinance or if city staff simply cuts & pastes this language without any thought. Either way, I have issues with the language and its implications to the vibrancy of the city.
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To Convert or Not?

I’m referring to the current St. Louis trend of taking two-family buildings and converting to a single family house and taking a 4-family building and converting to two attached townhouses. So prevalent is this trend that to suggest anything other than such conversions is like suggesting a suburbanite trade-in his vinyl-clad box of a house and SUV for a downtown loft and a Toyota Prius. You get blank stares and arguments.

The most common arguments presented by the pro-conversion faction are reduced density and more appealing living space. I hear the rhetorical question all the time, “What else are you going to do with a four family?”

Before I get into some of the specifics I think we should define some of the buildings. I’m going to break down the buildings into two broad categories – the shotgun style and the hall & bedroom style:

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Another Reason to Hate Suburbia – Finding an Address

Today I went out to visit a loan officer I work with at Gorman & Gorman. Unfortunately for this city guy, they are located out in the Westport area. I had the address and knew where to go, 11960 Westline Industrial Drive.

I turn off of Westport Drive onto Westline and I see signage for the ‘12000 Building’:

I failed to notice the listing of Gorman & Gorman on the sign as I drove by. I get to the next building and see 11920. OK, I’ve missed it. Turning back I deduce that the 12000 Building must be located at 11960 – brilliant! Pulling into the parking lot I can barely make out from a distance the correct number on the awning at the entry. At lease urban buildings are close enough to the street that you can usually make out the street address.

So the building’s owner either decided the ‘11960 Building’ wasn’t a good building name or they couldn’t convince the post office to give them the street address 12000 Westline Industrial Drive.

Entering the building through the main entrance (above) I discover this is actually a three story building – you enter on floor two. I know this happens sometimes but it is just weird to enter a building on a floor other than one. Especially in a basically flat area. Yes, I realize the tenants on the ground floor want a suite number that sounds dignified so anything other than something like Suite 110 wouldn’t cut it.

I was so glad when my trip to suburbia was over and I was able to return to the city! It the city we don’t have address issues like the one above. Of course, we do have that one business located at One Jefferson Avenue yet no entrance on Jefferson (Note: this linked post from November 2004 contains lots of four letter words).

– Steve

Backlog of Topics to Review

Since I’ve been campaigning over the last two months my postings have trickled off more than I had expected. Well, the election is over and I am moving on. This includes returning to critiquing our built environment.

Below are just a few of the things I intend to review (in no particular order):
• SLU’s anti-urban Research Building.
• Wash U’s decimation of the edge of Forest Park Southeast.
• Disappointment over the new Target – a missed opportunity.
• Southtown Site – a little bit of Ballwin in the City.
• 5th Ward Elderly Housing Project – wait until you see this one!

• The McRee Town city clearance disaster.
• The pros & cons of converting two family buildings to one.

• A closer look at New Town at St. Charles – great idea but bad location.
• The problem with special districts like the Grand Arts Center.
• The key principals to creating great urban neighborhoods.
• How sprawl is damaging our region.
• New parking at Shaw & Vandeventer.
• How modern in-fill housing can be both urban and complimentary to historic architecture.
• The need for ordinances controlling small & big box development in the city.
• Less open space and more urban space downtown.

You get the idea, I’ve got lots of topics to cover. I will have all the biting commentary and telling photos you’ve come to expect.

– Steve

Closing of Urban Churches: Resurrection of Our Lord

Like many in St. Louis I was disappointed by the list of churches announced on Friday. One of the most disappointing is the closing, oh excuse me, “suppression” of Resurrection of Our Lord Church on Meramec.

First, this church and all the others on the closing list are an important part of their respective communities. But this closing, along with St. Hedwig Church and St. Anthony School, are all in the 25th Ward – the Ward in which I am seeking to become the Alderman. The tower at Resurrection can be seen from great distances.

For years I’ve admired Resurrection. I’m a modernist and this is one of the best modern churches I’ve ever seen. Walking along Meramec it draws you up the steps and into the front door. The alignment of one set of doors with the old school across the street is brilliant. Parking, as it should be for a neighborhood church, is limited and at the back off the alley.

The future of the buildings of this parish are uncertain at this point. If you have not had a chance to see this church I strongly suggest you do so before it closes.

– Steve