The Future of Downtown St. Louis Depends Upon [insert latest project here]

Tavia Evans reports in yesterday’s Post-Dispatch that RGGA’s Dick Fleming is tossing out yet another scare tactic about the future of downtown:

That is funny. Last year all the downtown “advocates” said the future of downtown depended upon tearing down the historic Century Building for a parking garage serving the Old Post Office Square. Before that downtown depended upon a new Cardinals baseball stadium. A convention hotel was going to save downtown too. Don’t forget an arena for the Blues. And the football dome, that was the key to saving downtown.

I’m sick of it. These guys are worse than the local TV news. They couch all these projects as a must have so that nobody will speak out against whatever project they want to publicly fund.

The writing is on the wall. Federated is buying out May Company with the building next door to St. Louis Centre. The mall’s new owner, Barry Cohen, is saying it can be made to work as a mall, perhaps without the skybridges. Can another round of good money after bad be far behind?

Back to the Post-Dispatch:

Cohen bought the mostly-empty mall in August at a foreclosure sale, reportedly for $5.4 million; St. Louis Centre was built in the 1980s for about $95 million.

Massive public supported real estate projects sure don’t hold their value very well do they? Would you buy a house if the value 25 years later would be less than 10% of the purchase price? No wonder people such as Fleming must work overtime to sell the public a bill of goods.

If we are to believe them downtown will be in ruins if we don’t support the project of the year. I hope us in the general public are not stupid enough to believe this load of BS. I know I can see through it – although it keeps getting thicker and thicker.

Downtown is well on its way because of the work of residential developers and businesses like City Grocers. This is what makes downtown great. They add true value, not just take our tax dollars for a ride.

– Steve

Missouri Botanical Garden’s New Parking Lot Not Pedestrian Friendly

The Missouri Botanical Garden is putting the finishing touches on two new parking lots at the corner of Shaw & Vandeventer. These lots will serve as overflow lots for the gardens which are two short blocks to the East (along Shaw). Events such as the upcoming Whitaker Music Festival attract thousands of people with most arriving by car.

A number of years ago the gardens attempted to raze a couple of blocks of houses in between them and the highway. Thankfully, that plan was scraped after they received complaints. So, they looked to the West at a corner with very marginal buildings. They were neither urban or worth fighting to save. But, when starting anew I like to think we’d build back in an urban fashion. Not here.


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Bike Parking an Afterthought at the International Institute

St. Louis’ International Institute serves thousands of new immigrants each year. Unfortunately, it seems these new Americans adopt cars for transportation just like the rest of us.

A few years back when the International Institute redid their building on South Grand they forgot more than just windows. They forgot a bike rack.

They do have a rack — well somewhat. They have the tired old “dish drainer” type rack, one of the worst. It was clearly an afterthought (nothing pre-planned should be done this poorly).

When I was biking home yesterday on Grand I spotted this bike locked to the rack. I’m not sure if it belongs to their staff or a client.

The owner only locked the front wheel to the rack. This bike doesn’t have quick release hubs so you’d need a wrench to undue the front wheel to steal the bike. The lock the owner uses is good — a short cable loop. But, due to the poor design of this rack the owner cannot use the rack and lock properly. One must be compromised. I personally would have taken one side of the rack or the end and locked the frame to the rack.

The rack is halfway into their planting space despite a large area of concrete at the building entrance (which faces their parking lot rather than the street).

Anytime you’ve got a dish drain bike rack sitting in a planting bed locked to a lamp post with a rusty chain you send the message that bike parking isn’t very important.

– Steve

Adler Lofts Will Close Part of Street Grid

Just a few short years ago this area on the West edge of downtown St. Louis saw little construction activity. When Pyramid began lofts in the Sporting News Building at 2020 Washington some thought they were crazy. But in the year or so the Sporting News has been completed we are seeing lots of activity in the immediate area, including the Adler Frame Building across the street and the Majestic Stove complex to the North of that.

At right is the Washington Avenue face of the Adler Lofts. While I think their floor plans are quite creative and prices reasonable, their site plan sucks.

The one story section in the foreground should be some sort of retail space such as a market, deli, coffee house or other space serving local residents. Instead, it will be covered parking. What is the likelihood that once the area is booming that residents will give up these spaces so a needed retail space can move in? Highly unlikely. We will forever be stuck with a huge section of dead sidewalk for indoor parking.

This view is the SW corner of the building at Washington & 21st. Street (map). Well, I should say the former 21st Street.

The site plan for the Adler Lofts indicates the street will be vacated and combined with a small parcel to the West of the building (shown to the left in the picture). Big deal right? Just one short block? Well, yes and no.

The distance from Washington Avenue to Lucas Avenue to the North is very short. And it is true this street has not seen much traffic in recent years. But, once 21st is missing the length of this block will be substantial as the distance from 20th to 22nd is quite long on foot.

In the coming five years this area will be rebuilt with all existing buildings becoming lofts with lots of street-level retail and restaurants. However, if start chipping away at the street grid we will compromise future walkability in this area. We must look ahead and not be so short sided.

At right is the view looking South on 21st street from Delmar. If I rented one of the new lofts in the Majestic (at left in picture) and wanted to walk to the Tap Room at Locust & 21st I’d have to either go over to 20th or to 22nd to do so. It just doesn’t seem right to be starting off an area with such clear compromises. Would it be so bad if residents had to cross 21st street to get to their secured parking? My friend in Seattle has secured parking across the street from his condo and it seems like no big deal. In fact, having his car across the street we will often just keep walking rather than rely on his car to get around.

If you go back to the site plan and look closer you’ll see that not only is 21st Street closed but the folks to the North get to look at fenced in services. When we do close streets we need to make sure we do it with some style and class. Terminating 21st street into a service gate is not a good idea.

As upset as I am about the closing of 21st Street I am even more concerned about Lucas Avenue. Looking closely at the Adler site plan it looks like the interestingly narrow Lucas Avenue will be closed from 20th to 21st as part of the Majestic Lofts project. This is as bad as closing 21st unless the general public can continue to cross this area by foot & bike. I’ve had no luck securing any documentation on the site plan for the Majestic Lofts. Anyone know what is going on with Lucas?

Our street grid is just as important as the buildings. They work together. Destroying the street grid is damaging the area’s potential. Sure, it will still be interesting and exciting just not as functional as it could or should be.

– Steve

Daycare Center Appeal Hearing Rescheduled to May 25th

The proposed daycare center on Virginia at Itaska was supposed to have a hearing on May 4th. However, at that hearing the applicant appealing the denial of the occupancy permit asked for an extension which was granted. The new hearing date is May 25th.

For more information (and pictures) read my posts from March 16th and May 2nd:

PUBLIC NOTICE-A public hearing will be held by the Board of Adjustment at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, 2005, in Room 208 City Hall to consider the following:

APPEAL #8441-Appeal filed by Montrice Lewis, from the determination of the Board of Public Service in the denial of an occupancy permit authorizing the Appellant to operate a day care center for 20 children at 4657 Virginia. Ward 25 #AO328491-05 Zone: “F” Neighborhood Commercial District.