TOD Needed at Civic Center Transit Center

Transit-oriented development is a great concept:

A transit-oriented development (TOD) is a mixed-use residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership. (Wikipedia)

In St. Louis, TOD is just a dream.

We have a great need for retail around transit hubs but the design of these spaces doesn’t provide space for small businesses serving the public using transit. The number of people that pass through the Civic Center MetroBus Transit Center and MetroLink Station each day is a large number. This is the ideal space for commerce to take place. As I noticed one day, it does.

The number of riders won’t support a Walmart but a small snack shop makes sense. Even just a kiosk or two would work — the rent has to be low. Something that would allow a person to get a quick bite and water between buses/trains. Put the existing space to use.

In addition to kiosks at 14th & Spruce we need to build over the light rail lines on both sides of the 16th Street bridge. From 16th to the curve at approximately 15th and from 16th to 18th (Union Station MetroLink).

Ground floor spaces could be small retail shops and offices while upper floors could be offices and affordable workforce housing. East of 16th you might have a restaurant or two catering to the Scottrade Center/Blues hockey & The Peabody Opera House.  Yes, this creates a long tunnel which requires expensive exhaust equipment but the value of the habitable space created would make it a worthwhile investment. Clark Ave desperately needs something to make the walk from 18th to 14th interesting.

Metro is looking to expand the MetroBus transit center because they feel the existing one isn’t big enough to handle all the buses. Now is the time to think about creating more than just a place to change transit  modes.

– Steve Patterson

Seventh Anniversary of UrbanReviewSTL.com!

To my knowledge, UrbanReviewSTL.com is the oldest urban blog in St. Louis, with the first blog posts appearing on Sunday October 31st, 2004 – seven years ago today!

At 12:50pm on October 31, 2004 I created the “about me” section, shown above.  Here is the text, sans my real estate pitch:

WHAT IS IT ABOUT ME THAT WANTED TO BLOG ON ST. LOUIS?

I’m often involved trying to save buildings from being demolished all the while stating I am not a preservationist. How can I put so much effort into saving old buildings and not be a preservationist?

I view myself as an urbanist first and foremost. Dynamic urban life is more important than any individual building, sports team, business or mayor. Great neighborhoods, by nature, incorporate existing urban-friendly buildings – especially those that are historic by virtue of architect, design or simply age.

[snip]

As an urbanist I see many mistakes being made in our urban environment. My intention with this blog is to highlight the positive and decidedly pro-urban parts of our city and region as well as show the mistakes. I hope that by showing the mistakes (and explaining why it is a mistake) we will begin to rebuild St. Louis into one of the countries [country’s] great cities.

My first post was a short while later at 2:30pm that day:

A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT

A month ago I was having lunch at Wasabi on Washington Avenue and I captured the essence of urbanity emerging in St. Louis.

Four more posts would follow later that same Sunday! Thousands of posts later, I’m still having fun. Hard to believe the eighth year begins tomorrow…

Tune in to KDHX 88.1FM tonight at 8:30pm to hear me on DJ Wilson’s show Collateral Damage. Thank you for reading!

– Steve Patterson

Winning Transit Photo

Congrats to the St. Louis Cardinals — 2011 MLB World Champs!

I’ve been submitting photos each month in CMT’s transit photo contest and finally I won. The prize each month is a transit pass.

The pass is useful for us regular riders but also a great way to try out transit for a month. The November event is on Facebook here.

– Steve Patterson

Missouri Baseball Fans Don’t Ride Buses, Illinois Fans Do

The following is an October 18th press release from our transit agency Metro:

Extra MetroLink Service for World Series Games 1 and 2

The excitement is building in Cardinal Nation on the eve of Game 1 of the World Series in St. Louis, and Metro Transit is ready to help Cards fans and visitors avoid downtown traffic congestion on game nights.

Metro will operate extra Eastbound and Westbound trains after the Wednesday and Thursday night games to help the crowds get home, and Metro staff will be at the Stadium MetroLink Station and other nearby stations to monitor the crowds and assist with customer boarding.

Great, but no mention of MetroBus service at all.  Maybe bus service isn’t that significant relative to light rail?

From the bottom of Metro’s press releases:

Metro is the operator of the Metro public transportation system for the St. Louis region, which includes the 87 vehicle, 46-mile MetroLink light rail system; 365 MetroBus vehicle fleet that operates on 75 MetroBus routes; and Metro Call-A-Ride, a paratransit fleet of 120 vans.

The fact is buses move many more people in the region each and every day than light rail. The exception might be game days. What about the person in north city or south county that wants to attend a game with no nearby access to light rail but one of the 75 regular MetroBus routes? Sorry, no extra bus service. Most likely there isn’t a need — no masses of people crowding bus stops wearing red.

Except in St. Clair County across the river. In addition to MetroLink light rail service in St. Clair County the transit district operates the RedBird Express — $5 per adult round trip:

TO THE GAME –

Buses leave from: 134 St. Clair Square, Fairview Heights, Il, 62208, near the Water Tower. First bus leaves 2 1/2 hours prior to game time with service every 5 – 10 minutes.

Fares are round trip only. Cash fares only. No passes, tickets, or transfers accepted on Special Service. Exact fares please.

Last bus leaves 40 minutes prior to game times.

All Buses are wheelchair lift equipped and unload/load outside Gate 4 (Left Field) which is on the corner of 7th & Clark.

HOME FROM THE GAME –

The buses will be lined up at the corner of 7th and Clark at the pick-up/drop-off point. When leaving the stadium, board the front bus and once the bus has a seated load it will return to Fairview Heights.

In the event of an early exit (rain delay, extra innings, heat related, etc…), passengers always have the option to exit the stadium and board the bus to return whenever they see fit. Once there are enough passengers to warrant a return trip, a bus will return. Always go to the front bus unless instructed otherwise by one of our representatives.

MOST IMPORTANT: The last bus will return from the stadium 25 minutes after the official end of the game.

Are baseball fans in Illinois more willing to ride buses or they do so because the service is offered and promoted? Would such service from Jamestown, Chesterfield and South County malls see similar use if offered?

I’d like to see many more baseball fans using transit to reach the games. The fares though won’t cover the costs but that is true of all transit. Of course the cost of auto exhaust, accidents, etc is a cost we all share in. I’d like to see one or both stadium garages  removed so that land can be used for people not cars.

– Steve Patterson

4th Annual MetroLink Prom 7pm Tonight

Tonight is the annual MetroLink Prom. Here is the full press release:

METROLINK FANS TO DON CORSAGES AND BOUTONNIERES FOR THE FOURTH ANNUAL METROLINK PROM

Citizens for Modern Transit, City Affair, and the Transit Riders Union of St. Louis Present Celebration of the MetroLink Blue Line

FEELING BLUE? AT METROLINK PROM, BLUE IS THE COLOR OF HAPPINESS!

Five years ago, St. Louis’s illustrious MetroLink light rail system took a great leap forward with a brand new line that connected St. Louisans for the first time by rail to exotic locales such as Maplewood, Richmond Heights and Shrewsbury. For the fourth time in as many years, St. Louisans will unite to dance aboard the the trains in the off-beat, one-of-a-kind MetroLink Prom. Why do we do this year after year? Because MetroLink—and public transit in general—makes St. Louis a better, more accessible city. Now, with the Blue Line in place, St. Louis can experience our resurgent, historic urban core as well as our thriving, inner ring suburbs in just seven light rail stops.

WHAT: 4th Annual MetroLink Prom

WHO: All lovers of mass transit and formalwear

WHEN: Friday, October 7, 2011 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Meet at the Forest Park/DeBaliviere MetroLink Station at 7pm

HOW MUCH: A two-hour Metro pass ($2.75) – Purchase your own, please!

WHAT IS IT?

Just like it sounds – a full-blown, high school-style PROM aboard your favorite transit system. Dress in your finest attire—try to wear something blue—and meet us at the MetroLink Forest Park/DeBaliviere Station on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 7 p.m. We’ll direct you from there. When we arrive at Shrewsbury Station, we’ll award the night’s finest dressed (blue-themed formalwear or costumes) with the title of Prom King and Prom Queen before riding back to the Skinker Station.

The newly anointed Prom Court will then lead us in our promenade from the Skinker Station to the Moonrise Hotel’s rooftop bar for our Blue Moon Ball – a night of drinking and dancing with an unparalleled bird’s eye view of the city and its duo of MetroLink lines. (That’s a half mile parade to show off our finery to the general public. A drum line will lead the way!).

The official Facebook event is here. Last year was my first MetroLink Prom and I had a great time so I wouldn’t think of missing this year. If you live in the city or inner suburbs you can easily get to the MetroLink system via MetroBus if you don’t live close to a station. You can use Metro St. Louis or Google Transit to check your transit options.  The #01 Gold and #90 Hampton MetroBus lines stop at the Forest Park MetroLink station.

I’ve been trying to think of a fun themed event to do on MetroBus. MetroBus Homecoming?

– Steve Patterson