New Arby’s has Required ADA Access Route

For a couple of years now I’ve showed project after project lacking a federally mandated ADA-compliant access route. The biggest culprits are often fast food joints with drive-throughs taking priority over the pedestrian (see post on recent Starbuck’s locations). Shopping centers are no exception and it wasn’t until I began highlighting the flaws at Loughborough Commons did they make changes to the original access plans. To date there is still not proper access to the Lowe’s. Granted a person in a wheelchair doesn’t come off the street to take home drywall but smaller items like light bulbs are still in need when you are disable.
I think the city’s former commissioner on the disabled used to just count the number of disabled parking spaces and give projects an OK if it met the required number. But I can assure you that not everyone arrives by car which means if they are not bicycling they are walking or using a wheelchair. And the ADA access route provides equally good access for those who are able bodied and those that are not. Those who are out pushing a baby stroller will appreciate the provisions as much as the person in a wheelchair.

So when the Arby’s on Lindell was rebuilt following the fire at the construction project next door (see post) I was not optimistic about what sort of pedestrian access they would provide. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the final outcome:

As you can see above it doesn’t take much — just a way to get from the public sidewalk to the main accessible entrance. Clearly here the pedestrian was given due consideration.

Given the urbanity of the apartment project next door it would have been nice to see the Arby’s be less suburban in nature — closer to the street, fewer auto drives, etc but at least they got the pedestrian access right. So if we are going to continue to build more suburban structures in the city, such as this Arby’s, we need to ensure they all have pedestrian access to the public sidewalk as this does.  Anything less is unacceptable.

Not all residents are happy with the King

Some owners of lofts in the King Bee building on Washington Ave have taken their complaints to court.  From a current RFT article:

In 2006 building and fire inspectors confirmed several problems: a furnace system without proper ventilation; a four-story staircase with several air conditioners stored on landings, also improperly ventilated; and untested sprinkler and alarm systems.

St. Louis’ acting building commissioner Frank Oswald calls the violations at the King Bee “major,” but says none of them are severe enough to warrant condemnation. What’s unusual to Oswald is the way they arose in the first place.

“Usually when somebody else is [violating code],” says Oswald, “they’re doing it on their property, and they haven’t sold it as a condominium.”

The fundamental issue, adds Oswald, is that the developer failed to alert the St. Louis Building Division before converting the warehouse to residences. He explains that most developers begin by filing a plan, which kicks off a series of reviews and inspections, before anyone moves in. “It clearly was not done appropriately,” Oswald says.

Deputy Fire Marshal Baron Ross agrees. “The life-safety requirements for a warehouse or factory are quite different from where people are going to be sleeping,” he explains.

Interesting.  As the article also notes, the developers asked for and received tax abatement.   So while the building division didn’t have a master plan in front of them the developers would have had to show something to St Louis Dev Corp and the Board of Aldermen.  This is probably one of the most glaring examples of a breakdown in communications between the many city departments and agencies.

U.S. stopping oil shipments into reserve

In past commentaries I had suggested that dubya might try to do something (other than a tax holiday) to impact gas prices. Comments went like this:

“Can someone explain how the President has any effect on gas prices?”

He doesn´t. Only an idiot would suggest that he does. Oil prices, and by extension gas prices, are set on a world market. It´s that pesky supply and demand thing.

The sad part is, these idiots are allowed to vote, which is why we get the “leaders” that we do.

My response had to do with the federal strategic oil reserve, that two month supply of oil owned and stored by the feds. In the news last week:

Responding to congressional pressure, the Bush administration on Friday said it is suspending oil deliveries into the government’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the remainder of the year.

The move came days after Congress passed legislation requiring President Bush to temporarily halt shipments into the reserve in hopes of lowering gasoline prices. The president is expected to sign the bill.

It remains to be seen what impact this move will have on global prices, if any. Still, congress can tell their constituents they tried.

Meanwhile, in parts of the country (like Chicago) motorists are paying over $4/gallon for self serve and nearly $5/gallon for full serve.  Diesel is quite a bit higher.  While some can afford to continue filling the tanks on their Escalades many others cannot.  The working poor are most impacted but they are also most likely the segment of the population not adverse to taking public transit.

I don’t think stopping shipments to the oil reserve will have much of an impact — about as much as a federal gas tax holiday would.  Releasing the millions of gallons of oil in the reserve back onto the market— that could have an impact.

This is our new reality folks.  Do we listen to groups like MoDot and build more highways based on their prediction of more trucks or do we realize we must as a society do a better way of getting people and goods from place to place?

Help Welcome me back this Saturday from 5pm-7pm at The (smoke-free) Royale

As regular readers know, I was in three hospitals over the course of three months (February-April) following my stroke on February 1st. I received so many cards and emails of support it was wonderful. I know some of you came to see me while I was still in ICU at SLU and later while I was at St. Mary’s. Cards are great but nothing beats a face to face conversation. I think many others didn’t really know me other than as a reader and they didn’t feel comfortable showing up at the hospital.
When I knew when I’d be returning home some of my close friends wanted to throw a big party — at my place. I ruled that out quickly — I wanted something more casual and where everyone could just show up.

So this Saturday (5/17/08) I will be at The Royale at 3132 S. Kingshighway from 5pm-7pm. Weather permitting I will be on the back patio. Stop feel free to just stop by my table and say hello or even tell me how much you disagree with me. Get a drink at the bar and pull up a chair. I might even do special tricks like walking or moving my left arm!

The Gadfly is back!

Learn to Grow Your Own

With gas, food and other prices on the rise people’s budgets are being stretched. One way of dealing with this is to put your yard to work for you by growing some of your own food. If you toyed with the idea but didn’t know where to start then I hvae a workshop for you.

This Saturday May 17th the New Roots Urban Farm will present:
Home Grown, a backyard gardening workshop for city folk
10am to 3pm

Their description

a how-to vegetable production workshop that will cover basic soil science, backyard composting, no till
and raised bed construction, intensive planting methods, garden design, and more.
come prepared to create a garden plan and to get your hands dirty!
cost: $10-20 for those who live in Old North St Louis, Hyde Park, or St Louis Place; $45 for
any other city resident. Workshop, farm tour,lunch, and basic gardening supplies provided.

location: 1830 Hogan St Louis, MO 63116.  If you’d like more information or would like to register email molly@newrootsurbanfarm.org or call 314.664.2361  www.newrootsurbanfarm.org

This workshop funded in part by a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant

Like expensive leeks?  They are easy to grow.  Eating produce you raised yourself is one of the most enjoyable things you can do.