The Loop on Delmar is working its way East toward the MetroLink stop and beyond. In the process, millions have been spent on rebuilding much of the street between Skinker and Des Peres (MetroLInk). All in all, I love what they’ve done.

I have two major complaints. First is the lack of bike racks. How can millions be spent and not a single bike rack is installed? A simple inverted-U rack costs about $150 and can be set into the concrete sidewalk when poured. About $5,000 would have purchased over 30 racks for this area – allowing parking for 60 bikes. Either no one thought to install racks or they were cut due to budget overruns. Whatever the excuse, it is a shame a brand new streetscape doesn’t have such a simple amenity.

One of the key things to a pedestrian-friendly area is short blocks. The block just East of Skinker is quite long before you get to the next intersection at Rosedale. Having a pedestrian crossing mid-way makes sense right? Conveniently the Pageant is basically in the middle and gets quite a bit of traffic.

The above photo shows the crossing from the Pageant side of Delmar (North) crossing to the South. One thing is missing – the curb cut required by ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act). Those persons in wheelchairs do not have a way to cross in the middle of this very lengthy block. But, it gets better when you look across the street…

The VW Bug you see is legally parked. Yes, this striped cross walk leads directly to a parking space! Of course the opposite side doesn’t have the required ADA curb cut either. Clearly, the planners that designed this new and costly streetscape didn’t consider that people would want to cross in the middle of the block.

If they didn’t think people would want to cross the street then no wonder they didn’t think people would actually bicycle to the area rather than drive car. Sad, very sad.

Steve

Work is progressing on the redevelopment of the long vacant City Hospital site. The only problem I have with the whole project (so far) is the name – The Georgian. Give me a break on the retro names already.

A display unit for the new condos is already open – I plan to visit soon. The website is quite complete. Contact your real estate agent to make an offer on a unit.

Michael Allen of the Ecology of Absence website and blog has been following the City Hospital complex for well over a decade. I’ve only gotten about halfway through all the information but what I’ve seen and read it is excellent and highly recommended. The essays and photos on the site are great.Click here to see Allen’s site on the City Hospital.

Steve

A few days I ago I was driving around the area just North of downtown – looking for some development opportunities. But I found something very disturbing.

Millions of dollars are being invested along Washington Avenue but what are the chances this will spread to adjacent blocks? Generally part of the theory is once developers have finished with Washington Avenue they’ll look to other blocks to continue the downtown rebirth. Sometimes, however, development hits road blocks – figuratively and literally.

A literal road block is the gate shown below:

This view is taken at Delmar looking North on 16th street. “Vandals” have damaged the gate so the could squeeze through but anyone in a car or bicycle you are out of luck. As a pedestrian how could you not feel like a criminal for passing through this gate.

16th street is a public street that is closed to traffic between Delmar and Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd to the North. In the next block the street has been abandoned by the city and the land is now part of a private parking lot. Two more blocks to the North is the Carr Square Village – a public housing project which was rebuilt within the last 10 years. As a resident of Carr Square Village how could you not feel like you are not wanted on the other side of the gate?

Above and below are pictures looking south from the same intersection at Delmar & 16th. On the SW corner is the Social Security Administration and on the SE is the wonderful City Museum. In the background are the backs of new lofts along Washington Avenue.

Before the rise of sprawl community centers weren’t needed because the street served that function – neighbors seeing each other as the walked from home to work to store. As we began to drive more and more the idea of a community center to create some false connection between neighbors began to sprout. Most fail as they are artificial.

But we are seeing a new kind of community center, the corner coffeehouse. Starbucks isn’t new but they are also not the sit and lounge type places. Groups don’t hold meetings there. No, it is the local corner coffeehouse that is taking over duties in bringing communities together. Besides doing social duty to bring neighbors together they pay for themselves by selling coffee, bagels, sandwiches and smoothies.

As I type this post (and the previous) I am sitting at Hartford Coffee at the corner of Hartford and Roger in St. Louis’ Tower Grove South neighborhood. Fellow REALTOR® Fred Hessel is sitting at the next table working and a friend just stopped in to get a danish & coffee. Other folks I recognize but don’t know have come and gone. We nod to acknowledge each other.

(Exterior of Hartford Coffee)

The future of neighborhoods are not huge sports stadiums downtown, parking garages in lieu of historic buildings or big box retailers. The future is the local coffee shop within a 15 minute walk of your house.

Steve

An ‘Urban Review St. Louis’ reader alerted me to a new Frontline special entitled, “Is Wal-Mart Good for America?”

It has already aired but it is repeating at 2am on the St. Louis PBS station – set your DVRs to record it. Click here for the web site.

Steve