St. Louis’ Cherokee Street developing organically

I recently attended an evening open house on Cherokee Street.  Not the blocks immediately East or West of Jefferson, but on the block East of Compton (aerial of Cherokee & Compton).  Slowly and organically storefronts along Cherokee Street have been filled by various businesses.

Pictured above is local garment company STYLEhouse (advertiser STL-Style), gallery Fort Gondo (compound for the arts) and restaurant Tower Tacos.   Across the street snowflake/citystock was hosting an event as well. To the West is a new independent bookstore,  The Archive.  See Dotage St. Louis for a list of independent bookstores in the City of St. Louis. All Along Press was on this block but they recently moved East on Cherokee Street.

What is great about Cherokee is that the rebirth is very organic.  There was no grandiose plan, no multi-block project.   Building by building the area is coming back.  Collaboration among the individuals and entities has been important but that is different than a big physical project.  In places where you have strong urban context intact all you need are measures to ensure the urban/walkable building fabric remains — no razing a block for a drive-thru.  In those parts of the city what the urban fabric has already been lost you need good form-based codes to guide new construction so you eventually end up with good walls along the streets.  With good zoning in place, the infill can also happen organically over time.

Whenever you have the transformation of a street or neighborhood one word often comes up: gentrification.   As it happens, gentrification is the discussion topic for the March 4th City Affair to be held at STYLEhouse (STL-Style) on Cherokee:  CITY AFFAIR XIV: GENTRIFICATION.

– Steve Patterson

Parking shortage downtown; a bike parking shortage

Last Thursday I spotted a bike in front of the Gateway One building (701 Market).  The bike was chained to a tree.  With the exception of Washington Ave (West of 9th) and a few other spots, downtown St. Louis has no places to park bikes. Considerable effort goes into creating bike trails, paths & lanes yet places to secure bikes once the user has arrived don’t receive attention.  We’ve lost far too many buildings to create surface & structured parking for an increasing number of automobiles.

The public rights-of-way can accommodate both bike parking and more automobile parking. We need to freeze the creation of new spaces for autos on private land and focus on using the public streets (road + sidewalks) to provide bike parking throughout the central business district.

– Steve Patterson

Would local control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police reduce corruption?

When St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay was sworn into his third term last year he mentioned local control of the St. Louis Police as a priority. For those readers not aware of the back story, during the Civil War pro-Confederate Missouri took control of the police in pro-Union St. Louis.  The state has yet to return control of the police to the local citizens. Four out of five police commissioners are appointed by the governor, the 5th is the current mayor.

Last week we learned that Police commissioner Vince Bommarito made a phone call and his nephew was released from police custody after he was arrested.

On Thursday Democrat Jamilah Nasheed asked Governor Jay Nixon to take the action following news that Bommarito used his influence to have his nephew freed from jail Saturday following an arrest on suspicion of drunk driving.Nasheed is sponsoring a bill that would return the St. Louis police department to local control after a century and a half of state oversight.  (KWMU: State Rep. wants police board member removed)

I support local control of the St. Louis Police but I don’t think it will lesson any potential corruption. It may, in fact, increase it.  But problems big or small need to be handled from within, by the people we elect to represent us.  Yes, the Missouri governor represents us, but the rest of the state as well. Maybe the state will make a deal — give us back our police if we reform our own city charter?  The current city structure would do no better a job with the police than the state government.  The state has an interest in seeing the city revise it’s outdated city charter.  The ransom demands might include eliminating an excessive number of elected offices, cutting out wasteful partisan primary elections, and doing away with the Board of Estimate & Apportionment.

The poll this week asks how local control would change corruption.  Please vote in the poll in the upper right corner and share your thoughts on the topic below.

– Steve Patterson

A Visit to the Old Courthouse

In the last two weeks I’ve visited the Old Courthouse downtown.  I had forgotten just how wonderful the building is.

“The majestic Old Courthouse has remained over the past 150 years as one of St. Louis’ most prominent architectural landmarks. Plan your visit to see all the permanent exhibits and special events! The Old Courthouse was the site of the first two trials of the pivotal Dred Scott case in 1847 and 1850. It was also where Virginia Minor’s case for a woman’s right to vote came to trial in the 1870s. You may tour this historic structure, and visit the restored courtrooms to learn more about our 19th century judicial system.”  (National Park Service)

So much history, much of it bad.  Humans were sold on the front steps!  I find that fact so difficult to understand.

We often think of the front as the West side facing Kiener Plaza, but the front actually faces onto 4th Street toward the river.  The wheelchair access is off Broadway (5th) though.  If you have not been before or if it has been many years consider stopping in.

– Steve Patterson

Give up (bad) fish for Lent

Today many of you will begin an annual routine, the Friday fish fry during Lent.  Fish does have many beneficial qualities:

“Seafood plays an important role in a balanced diet. It’s often rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help boost immunity and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and other ailments. Omega-3s are especially important for pregnant and nursing women, and young children. Unfortunately, some fish carry toxins that can become harmful when eaten frequently.”

Toxins?  Yes, toxins:

“Seafood contaminants include metals (such as mercury, which affects brain function and development), industrial chemicals (PCBs and dioxins) and pesticides (DDT). These toxins usually originate on land and make their way into the smallest plants and animals at the base of the ocean food web. As smaller species are eaten by larger ones, contaminants are concentrated and accumulated. Large predatory fish-like swordfish and shark-end up with the most toxins. You can minimize risks by choosing seafood carefully.”

Some fish is safe for humans and harvesting doesn’t harm the oceans.  Others, however, are bad for people and oceans.

Local PBS affiliate KETC did a nice 10-minute segment showing the considerable work that goes into a weekly fish fry:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADp6d4QPLV0

In ancient times meat was expensive and fish was cheap.  For the rich, giving up meat was indeed a sacrifice. Today good fish that is sustainably harvested is quite expensive.   My understanding is the fish commonly used is cod.  As with most fish, quality depends on where and how it was harvested:

AVOID: Cod: Atlantic, Iceland and Northeast Arctic (trawled), and Pacific (imported)

GOOD ALTERNATIVES: Cod: Atlantic (Northeast Arctic and Iceland), Cod: Pacific (U.S. trawl)

BEST CHOICE: Cobia (US farmed), Cod: Pacific (trap, hook-and-line, longline from AK+) (Source: Seafood Watch)

For most of us not on the coast our fish is frozen:

If you buy for your local fish fry, please ensure the fish used is not on the “avoid” list.

– Steve Patterson