Best & Worst of 2011: World Series Win and Population Loss

Last week I had two separate polls asking readers to pick what they thought were the best & worst things to happen to St. Louis in 2011.

BEST

No surprise, the Cardinals 11th World Series win was the top pick among the best things to happen to St. Louis in 2011.

I’m not a sports fan but the civic pride after such an event is contagious. The second place item was the reopening of the Kiel as the Peabody Opera House after being shuttered for two decades.

I never saw the interior before the reopening, I was blown away by the beauty of the 1934 structure. Welcome back Kiel..er, Peabody. Here are the final results.

Q: Best thing to happen to STL in 2011 (pick up to 3)

1. Cardinals win their 11th World Series 90 [28.48%]
2. Kiel reopened as the Peabody Opera House 79 [25%]
3. Most public places became smoke-free 61 [19.3%]
4. Independent Scott Ogilvie elected to Board of Aldermen 20 [6.33%]
5. Pevely Dairy saved from demo 19 [6.01%]
6. Flying saucer (aka Del Taco) saved from demo 15 [4.75%]
7. Population loss not as much as in previous decades 13 [4.11%]
8. Cupples 7 saved from demo, although still at risk of collapse 7 [2.22%]
9. Other: 5 [1.58%]
10. Cardinals sign Carlos Beltran to 2-year deal 3 [0.95%]
11. Taxi stand removed from sidewalk in front of convention center 2 [0.63%]
12. Rams sold to Stan Kroenke 2 [0.63%]

The five other answers were:

1. Got a new job
2. Dorsa Lofts Sold Out
3. live music scene in STL is still AWESOME!!
4. DEL TACO, CUPPLES, AND PEVELY SAVED ; D
5. climbed the ladder to 3rd most dangerous city, Watch out Warez, your next!

Uh, okay.

WORST

The worst of vote also wasn’t a surprise, readers felt the population loss of nearly 29,00 residents on the 2010 Census was a downer.  The bad news came in late February 2011, as the US Census Bureau began to release 2010 figures for individual cities.  St. Louis’ official 2010 population was 319,294 versus 348,189 in 2000.

Q: Worst thing to happen to STL in 2011 (pick up to 3)

1. Population loss rather than gain 91 [37.14%]
2. Bob Cassilly died 74 [30.2%]
3. Albert Pujohls left St. Louis 31 [12.65%]
4. Redistricting 23 [9.39%]
5. Other: 10 [4.08%]
6. Most public places became smoke-free 9 [3.67%]
7. Rams sold to Stan Kroenke 7 [2.86%]

The ten other answers were:

1. we still have to many aldermen
2. Smoking by-law was much to weak. Should have been complete ban everywhere.
3. Aerostoplis didnt pass
4. Occupy Kiener Plaza
5. Continued deterioration in North City without a plan from the Mayor/Aldermen
6. Missouri’s special session dropped the China Hub and local control
7. Metro area homicides
8. Hostile state government: threats to tax credits, etc.
9. Add as a poll answer
10. tornados
11. Status quo remains unchanged

No doubt 2012 will bring both good & bad news for St. Louis. Let’s just  work to make the good more frequent and significant than the bad!

– Steve Patterson

Sustainability Summit Featured Majora Carter

Last month I attended a two day sustainability summit. The keynote speaker was the inspiring Majora Carter from the South Bronx NY.

Carter’s TED profile explains why she is important:

Majora Carter is a visionary voice in city planning who views urban renewal through an environmental lens. The South Bronx native draws a direct connection between ecological, economic and social degradation. Hence her motto: “Green the ghetto!”

With her inspired ideas and fierce persistence, Carter managed to bring the South Bronx its first open-waterfront park in 60 years, Hunts Point Riverside Park. Then she scored $1.25 million in federal funds for a greenway along the South Bronx waterfront, bringing the neighborhood open space, pedestrian and bike paths, and space for mixed-use economic development.

Her success is no surprise to anyone who’s seen her speak; Carter’s confidence, energy and intensely emotional delivery make her talks themselves a force of nature. (The release of her TEDTalk in 2006 prompted Guy Kawasaki to wonder on his blog whether she wasn’t “every bit as good as [Apple CEO] Steve Jobs,” a legendary presenter.)

Carter, who was awarded a 2005 MacArthur “genius” grant, served as executive director of Sustainable South Bronx for 7 years, where she pushed both for eco-friendly practices (such as green and cool roofs) and, equally important, job training and green-related economic development for her vibrant neighborhood on the rise. Since leaving SSBx in 2008, Carter has formed the economic consulting and planning firm the Majora Carter Group, to bring her pioneering approach to communities far outside the South Bronx. Carter is working within the cities of New Orleans, Detroit and the small coastal towns of Northeastern North Carolina. The Majora Carter Group is putting the green economy and green economic tools to use, unlocking the potential of every place — from urban cities and rural communities, to universities, government projects, businesses and corporations — and everywhere else in between.

“We could not fail to be inspired by Majora Carter’s efforts to bring green space for exercise to the South Bronx. We need more ideas like these to bring solutions to minority communities.”

Time

Most likely you weren’t at this summit to here her speak. Her presentation was an updated version of her excellent TED presentation, well worth 20 minutes:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ-cZRmHfs4

Over a decade ago Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx:

Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) has been championing hope and opportunity for the people of the South Bronx and other urban communities since 2001. Our unique and comprehensive approach delivers integrated economic and environmental solutions, resulting in more prosperous and revitalized communities.

• We specialize in pairing economic and environmental solutions.
• We prepare workers for jobs in the growing green collar field while laying the groundwork for healthier urban communities.
• We inspire the members of our community to improve their economic conditions, and back it up with education and job training.
• We’re public advocates, determined to provide a strong voice for our neighbors.

We accomplish the following aims through innovative Green Collar Workforce Training, Environmental Education, and Community Greening Initiatives:

• Attacking rampant un- and under-employment in a community where nearly 30% of the population is unemployed.
• Creating access to jobs with living wages that offer opportunities for growth.
• Adding to the growing (local and national) green-collar workforce.
• Increasing residents’ consciousness of the community’s environmental degradation.
• Raising local awareness of the benefits of greening the community, and the many opportunities for citizen participation.
• Remediating environmental threats, through the activities of BEST and BEST for Buildings trainees and FabLab participants.
• Developing awareness of Environmental Justice issues, so workers and other residents can mobilize to protect and preserve their community.

Carter isn’t anti-development and says she has embraced her “inner capitalist” which has allowed her to bring sustainable projects to the South Bronx. Sustainable from an economic perspective, creating profit for investors and employing members of the community, sustainable from an environmental perspective by using green materials and techniques rather than the status quo. Hopefully we will see some real change in St. Louis.

– Steve Patterson

One Year Smoke-Free

The predictions of a few were dire a year ago as St. Louis City & County went mostly smoke-free. What happened? Like every year, some places closed and others opened.

Some places started off claiming they were exempt, posting the required sign to warn potential customers before entering.

I used the above photograph in a post on January 10, 2011 titled Smoking Allowed Here where I questioned the exemption for this establishment. Milo’s is owned by 10th ward alderman Joe Vollmer. Ald Vollmer told me that day, barely a week into the new law, that he and his business partner were considering making Milo’s smoke-free.

I stopped in for lunch last month and confirmed they didn’t close because they went smoke-free nor did they go back to being a smoking establishment.

I received the following message from owner Ald Joe Vollmer:

Overall business is up maybe 3 to 5 percent. We are seeing new faces and we are missing some of the old ones. The majority response is highly positive. We have embraced the change, and will always do whatever we can to make Milos a great experience.

I’m told other establishments weren’t so fortunate, non-smokers didn’t replace the lost smokers. Others said smokers wouldn’t buy much but sit for hours…smoking.

The Royale on Kingshighway went smoke-free in 2008, I asked owner Steve Smith if he noticed a drop in business once more bars were smoke-free:

Honestly I saw no real difference. We have had our strongest sales year to date, but we have gained consistently every year since we opened nearly seven years ago. We saw a bit of a bump when we went smoke free. We were smoking from the spring of 05 to the spring of 08. People certainly still smoke here, but they now just step outside. It has been seamless if even unremarkable. There is no more noise.

People’s mindsets for the most part have changed. It has been two years since I even posted a sign that we are smoke free anywhere in the place. It is expected now to be smoke free, and most ask the doorman before entering if they can smoke out back. We have had only a handful of instances when we started the policy in which someone unwittingly lit up indoors. Now people are just expecting to step outside to smoke.

I talked to MokaBe’s owner Mo Costello last week, she was glad they were forced to go smoke-free a year ago. To Costello the construction on Grand, the closed Grand viaduct and the economy have been bigger issues for her

Many places built nice outdoor patios in 2011 to accommodate smokers. The very smokey Riley’s Pub on Arsenal is in the middle of improving the space in front of their business.

I have no idea what their plans are once this work is completed. I talked to friends that live within walking distance and they no longer patronize Riley’s because they now have so many smoke-free options. Hopefully they will opt to go smoke-free before the exemption expires. I found no mention of a patio on Riley’s Facebook page.

The last day of the exemption is New Year’s Day 2016, four more years to adjust and become smoke-free on 1/2/2016. I’m sure a few will cry fowl and say they didn’t  have time to prepare, to build patio space for their smoking customers. By then hopefully some places have smoke-free outdoor spaces as well, nothing ruins a meal like cigarette smoke.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Will the St. Louis Rams Exit Their Lease?

It’s 2012 and looking forward one of the big stories this year will be what happens when the Edward Jones Dome won’t be in the top 25% of all NFL facilities. The lease allows the Rams to exit after the 2014 season if the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission doesn’t keep the facility in the top quarter. It seems universally accepted the dome won’t be in the top quarter and the decision will be made within months. The Rams will be 20 years into a 30 year lease and they will have an out. Will they take the out?

Will the Rams go back to Los Angeles to take up residence in a new football facility planned there?

Los Angeles Stadium at Grand Crossing will be the first stadium built specifically for the NFL in California and will reflect the California lifestyle, with an outdoor environment, ample parking, plenty of room to tailgate, expanding the NFL game-day experience and great views for all fans.

Sitting at the crossroads of four counties, the Los Angeles Stadium will provide access to over 15.5 million people, playing host to 75,000 fans each Sunday. (Source: losangelesfootballstadium.com)

What kind of city would build a football stadium without a team? Oh right, we did that hoping to win an expansion team. The Rams will have the option to become an annual tenant rather than getting locked in for another decade. Frankly, they’d be foolish to agree to another decade.

As an annual tenant they could stay until the new LA stadium is finished. But the Rams isn’t the only team LA might try to lure:

The three teams which used to play in Los Angeles but moved elsewhere (the San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders) have all been rumored to be open to moving back. The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Minnesota Vikings, have also been identified by [stadium developer] Roski and others as possible prime tenants of the new stadium. However, the city of Santa Clara, California has since approved a ballot measure that will allow the 49ers to build a new stadium in Santa Clara, and the Raiders could be allowed to occupy that stadium as well. (Wikipedia)

This is the topic for the poll (right sidebar) this week. Happy New Year!’

– Steve Patterson

Numerous Venues Add Variety To NYE 2012

All over this city exciting venues will help ring in 2012.

A quick review of the Riverfront Times New Year’s Eve Guide shows we have lots of choices tonight, although some places may be sold out at this point.

No matter what you do tonight please be responsible. What are you doing tonight?

– Steve Patterson