Ville Phillips Estates Remains Unfinished Months After New Alderman Takes Office

Nearly four months after I showed the unfinished mess left by developer Mary ‘One’ Johnson, the issues at the Ville Phillips Estates look to remain the same.  Click here to see my prior post.

Above was the scene earlier this year, an open sewer adjacent to a sidewalk where I child playing could get hurt by falling in.

Monday the same sewer is still open.  Do I need to personally find a piece of plywood and some bricks to cover this hole myself?  Hmmm, I think Mary One’s old signs remain in the pile of weeds, perhaps I simply use those to secure this dangerous situation?

Building lots remain empty with no marketing signs in place, unfinished sidewalks only add to the appearance of failure.

An alley remains just shy of reaching the street.   Sure, money is limited but so are people’s patience.  If we can’t finish the infrastructure and new homes right now let’s at least find a way to keep the lots looking moderately decent and get some signs up marketing the lots to potential home owners.  These lots aren’t going to sell themselves.  Tearing down every vacant building in site also isn’t going to fix the ills of the neighborhood.

In many ways we are starting from scratch.  The area has needs an economy — unless we think the Ville should simply become a bedroom community for jobs elsewhere.  Like neighborhoods everywhere, the Ville is overwhelmingly occupied by decent hard working people with a few bad apples.  But as we know from past experience, tearing down old buildings or constructing new ones will not stop people from dealing drugs or engaging in other illicit activities.  A good economy and a hopeful future, while significantly harder to achieve than razing or constructing buildings, is the more sustainable path.  Covering open sewers is likely one of the easiest first steps.

Book Review; “Down Town, True Tales of Trial & Triumph on the Mean Streets” by Robert E. Lipscomb

I’ve never been homeless and hope that is the case throughout my life but one should never assume they will never be in that situation. Author Robert Lipscomb takes the reader through his journey from the good life (penthouse apartment overlooking Forest Park) to, at 51, living homeless living in various shelters downtown.
After talking with a priest at the suburban church where his father was a founding member, Lipscomb prepares to be homeless:

“I’m heading into society’s version of Hell, called poverty and invisibility. The living ghost existence. But I am encouraged. I feel stronger than I have felt in a very long time. As I have virtually nothing, how can this be? Choosing not to examine this too closely right now, I begin selecting which items can fit in my backpack, which will contain the sum total of my earthly possessions for the future to come.”

Lipscomb’s strength turns to fear and anger and back to strength through his “adventure” on the streets. Along the way we learn how the “normal” homeless make fun of the ones who are crazy, the best wearing brand of shoes, and where to get a meal. Lipscomb’s writing was very engrossing, making me want to continue through to the end without a break.

Down Town is preachy only to the extent of the importance of “God” to Lipscomb, a perfectly reasonable expectation given the circumstances. The book’s intent is not to make those of us with homes feel guilty so that we give to charities. Furthermore, the book does not make out the homeless to be a homogeneous society we should all pity. Instead, Lipscomb shares his experiences and mindset as he goes from being new on the streets to being more seasoned.

Lipscomb also talks about What’s Up Magazine, the street newspaper sold by homeless to raise money, and its program director Jay Swoboda. Swoboda, if the name sounds familiar to you, is the main person behind the EcoUrban modular green housing project. Lipscomb was an original writer & vendor for What’s Up when Swoboda started it.

There were many times in the book where I could not keep from getting watery eyes. This book is an emotional roller coaster ride — a ride all of us would just as soon never experience in person.

I don’t want to give away any more information but I do highly recommend this book. You can order the book directly from Lipscomb at Eagle’s View Press, I bought my copy at local independent Left Bank Books. Or if you must, Amazon.

Land Trust Receives $15,000 to Clean-Up Former Gas Station Site, Plans Permanently Affordable Housing

Last week the Missouri Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (aka EIERA, yes we joked about E-I-E-I-O) presented a $15,000 check to the Red Brick Community Land Trust (RBCLT) for clean-up of the brownfield site where they plan to build some affordable housing. The St. Louis Business Journal announced the event last week.

First let’s figure out who is who and what is what.

The EIERA explains best who they are on their website:

“The Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (EIERA) is a quasi-governmental agency that serves as the financing arm for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Established by the Missouri General Assembly in 1972, the EIERA Board Members are appointed by the Governor.

The EIERA’s primary mandate is to provide financial assistance for energy and environmental projects and protect the environment. The agency also conducts research, supports energy efficiency and energy alternatives and promotes economic development. The Authority is not a regulatory agency.”

So what is a brownfield? In short, a brownfield is a previously developed site (with or without a building) that is contaminated (see wiki entry). Contamination can happen a number of ways; from the type of construction materials used to the former activities on the site, such as this former gas station site with two empty tanks remaining in the ground. These tanks will be removed before the RBCLT can construct the new affordable housing. RBCTLT’s press release covers more about how a land trust works:

RBCLT separates the cost of the land from the cost of what is built on it. This allows low-income residents to buy a quality home and at an affordable price. When homeowners choose to move and sell the home, they sell the home at a price that balances their interest to have a downpayment for their next home with the community’s interest in keeping the home affordable for another low-income family. In this way RBCLT homes remain permanently affordable from generation to generation. Community land trusts also help to preserve open green space for community gardens, parks and playgrounds.

“The land trust locks in resources like the state grant, permanently securing the benefits for the entire community. This allows the state agency to recycle the subsidy,” said Sarah Coffin, RBCLT board president and assistant professor in the Department of Public Policy Studies at Saint Louis University. “The benefits of the subsidy to the wider community include connecting previously fragmented segments of neighborhoods into cohesive units. One more brownfield will be removed from the urban landscape and the cleaned up site will be maintained as a public good in perpetuity. But more importantly, Red Brick CLT will be able to create homes that low-income people can afford from generation to generation, improving the quality of life for the children and the families who buy these homes, further increasing neighborhood stability and securing economic and cultural diversity in the community.”

So basically a home owner buys just the home, not the land. With the trust retaining ownership of the land the property can stay more affordable for the next buyer. This is a big contrast to how we’ve been doing affordable housing in St. Louis in the past where the original owner gets a grant or other incentives to help them get a home but once they sell the place basically becomes market rate.

The affordable housing “will be built through a partnership with Youth Education and Health in Soulard (YEHS) and YouthBuild St. Louis Americorps.” Here is more info on YouthBuild:

YouthBuild St. Louis AmeriCorps (Youthbuild St. Louis) is an alternative education, construction training, employment, and leadership development program serving low-income St. Louis youths, ages 18-24, who have not completed high school. Youthbuild St. Louis, which began in 1992, is sponsored by Youth Education and Health in Soulard (YEHS), a community-based organization founded in 1972.

What is uniquely exciting about YouthBuild is that it is combating the St. Louis public schools’ high school drop-out crisis, while helping to replenish St. Louis’s critical shortage of affordable housing.

Although a site plan was distributed the architecture for the new construction has not yet been finalized. Representatives indicated existing buildings adjacent to the site will also be renovated by YouthBuild. As you may recall, this area was threatened with complete demolition earlier this year (see post) but in May the city rescinded their offer of purchase (translation: we no longer seek to take your property away from you).

Above: members of YouthBuild join Mark Bohnert, executive director of Red Brick Community Land Trust; Sarah Coffin, president of RBCLT; and Robert Kramer, EIERA board member.

Above from left, Kristin Allen, development director with EIERA; Karen Massey, deputy director of EIERA, Bob Brandhorst, executive director of YEHS; Mark Bohnert, executive director of Red Brick Community Land Trust; Sarah Coffin, president of RBCLT; Solana Rice, vice president of RCBLT.

Above from left; Sarah Coffin, president of RBCLT; State Senator Maida Coleman (D-5th District); Robert Kramer, EIERA board member; Kristin Allen, development director with EIERA

Above, Sen. Coleman discusses project with RBCLT Board VP Solana Rice and ED Mark Bohnert.

I talked with Exec. Director Mark Bohnert after the presentation was over, here is a short clip:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok8DYP2CVxE[/youtube]

Ald. Phyllis Young was invited to the event but she sent her regrets in advance.

I personally look forward to seeing the progress on the project.

Artist’s Studios Open This Weekend!

This weekend take a tour of studios of local artists:

The Contemporary is thrilled to present the Second Annual City-Wide Open Studios Weekend on July 21 and 22, 2007. This event is FREE and open to the public, offering the St. Louis community the unique opportunity to experience art being created in many of St. Louis’ most diverse and energetic neighborhoods.

This can be a great way to meet local artists, see interesting spaces and explore parts of the city and region that you’ve not seen yet. For more information, including the official tour map, see the event website at openstudiosonline.com.

Friends of mine, each with corner storefronts, will be on the tour Saturday at the intersection of Idaho & Eiler (see map). A few blocks away I will have my listings at 3459 & 3463 Itaska open for viewing from 11am-1pm on Saturday (and 1-3pm on Sunday, see 3459Itaska.com and 3463Itaska.com for more detail).

Today; Protest & March Over Midtown Demolitions

You are invited to participate in a protest and march today, July 17th. The press release says it best:

Contact: Anthony Coffin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: 314-498-0483

Email: cowpuppyproductions@hotmail.com

Date: July 17th

A RALLY IN RESPONSE TO THE DEMOLITION OF THE LOCUST STREET LIVERY STABLE The Disconnection of the Locust Business District from Grand Center

On Thursday July 19th at 5:30pm there will be a rally protesting St Louis University’s continuing demolition of historic structures. The rally will take place at the intersection of Locust St and Josephine Baker Blvd. [map]. At approximately 6:00pm we will march from the remains of the livery stable to the soon to be demolished mansion at 3740 Lindell. Specifically, we are opposing the current demolition and any future demolitions that will further disconnect the Locust business district from Grand Center. At the same time we would like to promote the adaptive reuse of all historic structures in Midtown.

To the east of Josephine Baker, Locust has undergone an amazing transformation in the last several years with almost every building undergoing renovation with beautiful facade restorations, and they are being filled with creative firms, offices, restaurants, etc. The block between Josephine Baker and Theresa however is quite desolate. The Drake Plaza while beautiful has no storefronts or offices facing Locust. Around the corner on Theresa however, is the new Moto Museum and west of that on Olive, the recently completed Centene Center for the Arts and the Metropolitan is undergoing renovation into a hotel and retail. The livery stable, along with other surrounding buildings, held a key ingredient to tying the Locust Street corridor with Grand Center to the west.

Directly across Josephine Baker from the livery stable, SLU owns two more buildings that may be threatened with demolition. 3331, and 3327 Locust are buildings that if rehabbed could lessen the negative impact of a parking lot on the site of the livery stable. If these buildings are razed the result will be even greater disconnectedness in midtown and a slap in the face to the pioneers of Locust street.

As buildings such as the former Woolworth (see post) get new investment other buildings get taken out for increasingly large parking areas. While areas do evolve and change over time I believe it is important for us to voice exactly how it is these areas change. I share the concern about how the emerging Locust Business District is being separated from the activity on Grand, a disservice to both areas.

Above, Saint Louis University owns all but two buildings in the above picture (beige and 2-story to the right). If SLU razes their buildings for additional parking it will destroy the wonderful character of this block.

The old livery building just prior to demolition. It once concealed surface parking behind, now fully exposed to the area. For my earlier take on the livery and the buildings along Locust click here.

Above, next on the chopping block at St. Louis University. The march will end at this building.