Leather Trades Brings Art & Life To 16th & Locust

The Leather Trades Artist Lofts opened a few months ago across Locust from my building.

It has been a joy seeing lights on in the building and seeing people come and go. But passing by on 16th and seeing art in the windows has been great. I’ve even seen people painting in a studio space. It’s amazing how little it takes to bring life and interest to a sidewalk.

– Steve Patterson

Fire at Historic Crunden-Martin Manufacturing Co. Complex in Chouteau’s Landing

Yesterday morning a fire started in one of the buildings in the historic Crunden Martin Manufacturing Co complex:

Fire officials said the building, in the 700 block of 2nd Street in Chouteau’s Landing, caught fire some time between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. Authorities said the building is a six story, warehouse, formerly the Crunden Martin Manufacturing Co. (KMOV)

I saw the smoke but haven’t been down to the area following the fire.

The following quotes are from the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (PDF).

Crunden-Martin steadily developed into one ofthe more important and successful woodenware, willow wear and metal-goods industries ofthe city between 1891 and 1990; second only to the Samuel Cupples Woodenware Company.  By1924,Crunden-Martin was the only woodenware firm represented in the Merchant’s Exchange of St.Louis. During WWII, Crunden-Martin manufactured helmets, stoves, buckets and five-gallon gasoline ‘jerry cans‘ for the U. S. military; the company was one of two St. Louis companies to make helmets and the only one to manufacture ‘jerry cans.”

Between 1904 and 1920 they built seven buildings, each designed by leading architects of the day:

The Crunden-Martin Manufacturing Company is comprised of seven buildings; six are adjoining, the seventh is attached via a four-story bridge.

It was the building attached via the bridge that had the fire. The nomination labeled it #5 since it was the fifth out of seven constructed:

Building #5, a six-story brick rectangular-shaped warehouse, was designed (and completed) in 1912 by Mauran, Russell and Crowell; interior mill construction consists of wooden plank and beam(photo9).Primary elevations face south and east;elevations are identical in design to building #2. Building #5 is connected to the main complex (through building #2 to the east) via the 1912 four-story bridge located above the second story; the bridge continues to the sixth story. The first story ofthe east elevation contains six wide bays with tripled six-over-six double-hung windows; one bay contains an entrance surrounded by multi-lights and a transom above. At basement level the bays contain a pair of single-lights. A seventh bay contains a single, narrow six-over-six double-hung window. A corbelled cornice wraps the building just above the first story and continues to the south elevation. Windows at the second through the sixth stories are double-hung six-over-six with soldier arches and metal sills (twelve windows are at the second through the sixth stories;four additional windows are at the half-story between the second and sixth stories);windows are between brick pilasters capped with stylized, square-paneled capitals. An overhanging terra cotta cornice supported on corbelled brick crowns the building. A half-story projects above the building at the northeast side. The building corners are accented with rounded brick.

The south elevation of building #5 contains five wide bays; two have tripled six-over-six double-hung windows, two have bricked-in portions and one has a pair of six-over-six double-hung with brick in between. At the basement level each bay contains a pair of single-lights. The corbelled cornice, from the east elevation, wraps the building just above the first story. Windows at the second through the sixth stories are double-hung two-over-two and six-over-six with soldier arches and metal sills (nine windows are at the second, eight are at the third through the sixth); windows are between brick pilasters capped with stylized, square-paneled capitals. An overhanging terra cotta cornice supported on corbelled brick crowns the building. Iron fire escapes at the southwest corner are accessible from windows at the second through sixth stories. The building corners are accented with rounded brick. Above the first story the building remains unchanged (photo 9).

The north elevation is a blank wall of brick with no fenestration. A half-story (visible at the east elevation) extends above the building. The west elevation contains two wide garage doors and two rear entrances at the first story. The second story contains three pairs and one single double-hung two-over-two windows with soldier arches and metal sills. The third through the fifth stories contain thirteen similar windows; the sixth contains fourteen.

At this time I’m not sure of the extent of the damage and if the building can be saved. The history of the company and the manufacturing complex is certainly interesting,

– Steve Patterson

It’s Ice Skating Weather

It’s cold outside and so is the ice on the Gateway Mall across from The Peabody Opera:

Here is information on the rink:

Nestled in the park directly opposite the newly re-opened Opera House (on Market Street between 14th and 15th Streets), the specially designed rink will operate seven days a week, featuring skate rentals, music, and light food and beverage. Folks visiting the city from near and far during the holidays will now have a brand new destination for frozen winter fun, with the breathtaking Opera House as a backdrop.

A host of seasonal highlights and special promotions — including youth hockey clinics, “Late Skates” (following all Blues Saturday night hockey games) and special offers for families attending the Opera House’s production of “Scottrade Presents: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — will make this a one-of-a-kind setting for skaters (and spectators!) of all ages.

Tickets: 

• Admission: $6
• Senior Citizens: $5.50
• Skate Rental: $4

Group Tickets:

•  Groups of 1–20: $1 off admission
• Groups of 20 or more: $2 off admission
• Contact a Group Sales Executive at 314.622.5454 for more information. 

Hours of Operation:

• Weekdays (other than school holidays): 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• School Holidays: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Saturdays: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Sundays: Noon – 7 p.m. 

The hours offer day and night skating.

If you are  a downtown resident or employee there are special discount nights for you:

Special skate nights have been arranged for the Downtown residents and employees to enjoy the Downtown ice rink across from the Peabody Opera House (On Market Street between 14th and 15th – Schiller Park). The Downtown Residents Skate Night is Wednesday, December 14 and Downtown Employees Skate night is Thursday, December 15. Grab your friends and neighbors and enjoy ice skating under the stars. Both groups will receive $1 off admission each night. (info)

plan to stop by often to watch skaters.

– Steve

Readers Would Change Downtown On-Street Parking

In the poll last week two-thirds of the voters would like to see a change in the on-street parking policy. A third selected no change:

Q: On-street parking downtown should be…

1. as is, free after 7pm & weekends 46 [33.33%]
2. free after 5pm & weekends 38 [27.54%]
3. Other: 10 [7.9%]
4. paid 24/7: 9 [6.52%]
5. paid until 5pm, 7 days a week 9 [6.52%]
6. free 24/7: 7 [5.07%]
7. paid until 7pm, 7 days a week 7 [5.07%]
8. paid until 9pm, 7 days a week 7 [5.07%]
9. paid until 9pm weekdays, free on weekends 3 [2.17%]
10. unsure/no opinion 1 [0.72%]
11. removed to provide more driving lanes 1 [0.72%]

The problem? No consensus among the two-thirds that voted for a change. The biggest response for change is lowering the free period from 7pm to 5pm weekdays, keeping weekends free. In my opinion we need to go toward more paid time to discourage driving and to turn over the spaces for use by other drivers.

The other answers provided were:

1. Set at the precise amount where the supply and demand curve meet by 4 hr periods
2. free for downtown residents
3. Priced to promote maximum occupancy
4. keep as is, but offer monthly parking passes for downtown residents.
5. congrestion pricing
6. free after 7pm, Sundays and Holidays
7. I’ll pay, just sucks when your car gets broken into b/c police sux in the city
8. Need to install credit card machines. People rarely carry loose change.
9. variable, based on supply & demand
10. paid twice current rate to fund demolition of historic buildings

Add any additional thoughts in the comments below.

– Steve Patterson

Downtown’s New Entrance

Downtown St. Louis can be reached via car from all directions. None is particularly a nice drive, although I do like entering from Illinois via the Eads Bridge. When the New Mississippi River Bridgeopens in 2014 motorists on I-70 from Illinois and west of St. Louis will have a new option, an exit that takes them to Cass Ave and directly onto a new alignment of Tucker Blvd into downtown.

A short stretch of the rebuilt Tucker recently opened to traffic. I’ve had a chance to drive it twice and walk part of the sidewalk. It’s too early to do a review of the design of the road & sidewalks but so far it looks good with only a few problems I’ll note in a later post once more is opened.

The good is the road is only two lanes in each direction. Rather than have three per direction with the outside used for parking or buses, the third lane isn’t a through lane. Space is provided for buses and parking but the road doesn’t feel excessively wide the way say Jefferson does between Olive & Natural Bridge. New new road, median, planted areas at the edges and street trees will make a great first impression. But when motorists look past the new sidewalks they will likely be disappointed by what they see. Great buildings like the one above, instead of housing retail storefronts, has the city’s Mosquito & Rat control division, aka Vector Control. Welcome to St. Louis!

Most of the land is vacant — empty or surface parking lots as you near Washington Ave. Right now the only planning that’s been done is via Paul McKee’s Northside Regenerationplan:

The Missouri and Illinois Departments of Transportation are working together to construct a new bridge that spans the Mississippi River just north of downtown St. Louis. The new bridge has the potential to become both a catalyst for the revitalization of the area in the immediate vicinity of the “landing” and a new entrance into downtown St. Louis. For the catalytic effects of the new bridge to be fully realized, transportation improvements are needed in the area around the bridge ramps beyond what MoDOT has planned for their 2011 construction. McEagle has been working with the City of St. Louis and MoDOT to create a more efficient flow of traffic into the downtown and NorthSide areas from the new bridge. Along with the new N. Tucker Boulevard alignment planned to begin construction in spring 2010, McEagle has proposed two additional off ramps to the MRB interchange and a new Mullanphy Street realignment and bridge over the MRB Landing (MRB Extension). This Extension will provide a direct connection for west-bound traffic to the NorthSide as well as provide an alternative route for eastbound traffic to access the MRB interchange. The development yields for this area have been projected as follows:

• Office/Business space: 860,000 sq ft
• Retail: 173,000 sq ft
• Residential: 2019 units
• Hotel: 120 rooms

Regardless of your views on Paul McKee’s project you have to give him credit for recognizing the opportunity to develop new housing, offices and retail.

I’m still concerned the new buildings will lack connections to adjacent sidewalks. St. Louis now has a “Complete Streets” policy, but no requirement for adjacent properties to connect. The ADA requires minimal connection but a building can be built and occupied without it, leaving enforcement up to those who complain. If we take McKee, and his consultants, at their word the area will be pedestrian-friendly. My preference, of course, would be a requirement by ordinance. Former 5th Ward Alderman April Ford-Griffin never would initiate such a requirement and I don’t expect any of the three woman running to fill the vacant seat to do so either. The election is December 20th. Good or bad, McKee has the Tucker & Cass area under control. But what about south of Biddle St? The 1986 McDonald’s was just razed and replaced. The new one does have an ADA access route from one of the four streets bordering the property, but it’s still a prototype  best suited for a suburban/rural highway exit.

The west side of Tucker needs urban buildings up to the sidewalk, like they are on the east side.

This is one of those opportunities that doesn’t come along often. Will we step up and take the necessary actions to ensure Tucker develops right over the next 20-30 years?

– Steve Patterson