Board Bills Related to BJC Deal Posted, Then Pulled

Today Three Board Bills relating to the controversial proposal to grant a long-term lease to BJC Healthcare for a section of Forest Park were posted on the Board of Aldermen’s site. However, seven hours later these three were replaced with three non-related bills.

The above image is from my RSS reader, showing three bills posted between 10:24am and 10:32am this morning (the lower three). The numbers in question are 371, 372 and 373. Later in the day the same numbers were used again. Clicking on the links for the three earlier bills takes you to a blank board bill page — the three bills had been pulled.

At first glance you might not think the lower one, BB371, is related to Forest Park as it has to do with rezoning. But, if you look up city block 2022 it is the parcel in question. Was the decision made by Ald. Roddy to pull the bills from consideration this week?
Opponents of the plan have gathered the required signatures to require a city-wide vote in order to lease or sell park land. It is possible we may see some not-so-good old fashioned machine politics at work this week to shove this through the pipeline before we as citizens get a chance to vote on the ballot measure.

Based on my understanding of the rules, the board cannot introduce and pass the measure all in the same day. However, it could be introduced Friday for its “first reading” and then come out of committee in a coming week and get its second and third readings all at once (requires suspending the rules which is done although usually not for something so contentious.

Jake Wagman of the Post-Dispatch had more to say on this subject today on Political Fix. For more information on the grassroots citizens group fighting the proposal visit ProtectForestPark.org.

UPDATE 1/18/07 – 7am

I received an early morning return phone from President Shrewsbury with answers to questions I had reqarding this situation. Here is the story. The bills were submitted to the clerk yesterday but apparently someone wanted to make some changes so they were pulled from the agenda. Mr. Shrewsbury indicated the deadline for the printed agenda is 10am today so we will see in the next few hours if they are resubmitted.

Mr. Shrewsbury indicated two will be sent to the Parks committee, chaired by the bills’ sponsor Ald. Roddy. The third bill, relating to zoning, will be sent to the HUDZ (Housing, Urban Development & Zoning) committee chaired by Ald. Wessels. Apparently the two bills going to Parks do not require a public hearing, but the zoning bill will.

So despite a successful cititzen group getting the question of the sale or lease of parks on the ballot for all of us to vote on, Ald. Roddy is going to attempt to shove this through prior to that vote. While the zoning change may come in the next session they are trying to get the two bills related to the lease structure approved ahead of a citizen vote on the issue. As has been the case all along with the BJC deal, the process stinks. Something is wrong in the way the entire issue has been handled from day one. It is not getting any better.

I’ve not seen a report from the aldermen the mayor selected to be on a committee reviewing the lease terms. I’ve not been invited to a public forum to talk through and educate the public on the exact terms of the deal.

Please contact your alderman immediately! I would also ask that you contact President Shrewsbury as well as 6th Ward Alderman and candidate for the President’s seat, Lewis Reed. Let both of them know how you feel about them voting on this issue prior to a citizen driven ballot initiative. Time is of the essence folks, if you are concerned as I am about how deals get done in this city you will speak up now.

8am — let BJC know what you think too (contact form);

Urban Street Trees Help Protect Pedestrians

Urban street trees, those planted between the curb and sidewalk in the public right of way, serve a number of purposes. These tend to help give the street a visually narrower feeling, a form of traffic calming. The help separate the pedestrian from passing traffic which makes the sidewalk more pleasant. And, as you shall see, the row of street trees can help keep a pedestrian from getting hit by a car.

Some, such as MoDot (Missouri Department of Transportation) and entities such as QuikTrip will argue that street trees endanger motorists — if they drive off the road they might get killed by hitting a tree. They don’t want that kind of liability. Little concern is paid to the liability of hitting a pedestrian.

Today this truck, most likely speeding, slammed directly into a street tree on 18th street across from Union Station and a very short distance from the MetroLink station. I almost always see pedestrians on this sidewalk, as I did later in the day.

Look at how the front of this massive truck wrapped around the tree, what if had been a person(s) instead? Of course street trees do not form a solid barrier of protection, but they do help. Parked cars along a street help provide another barrier from cars hitting pedestrians on the sidewalk. Plus, parked cars are more forgiving than this tree.

Back in August I got picture of this car shortly after it hit a tree in front of Ted Drewes on Grand. Here the car did made it onto the sidewalk but luckly it did not hit the many people who were hanging out enjoying frozen custard.

About 8 years ago I witnessed a guy, showing off his new 5.0 (aka Mustang) to his girl, completely lose control from the same spot as this car — barely missing the tree and ending up in the middle of Ted Drewes’ parking lot. Luckily, that time of the year the business was closed and the place was empty.

Earlier this month this van hit the corner of a building I have listed for sale at 5411 Virginia (shameless plug, see listing). In this case the street has both street trees and on-street parking but they managed to miss those than hit the corner of the structure. This section of Virginia is heavily traveled by pedestrians, a bus stop is located in front of this property. The building only suffered superficial damage.

On-street parking and street trees have a very important role in the city where we do have pedestrians at risk from getting hit by out of control cars. Next time someone argues against allowing onstreet parking or street trees in the interest of safety just picture the above cases.

Valet Parking Makes the Post-Dispatch

Downtown resident and Post-Dispatch reporter Doug Moore had a nice piece in yesterday’s paper about valet parking in his everyday column called “Downtown Diary.” I’d link to it but the P-D still has this nasty habit of pulling their stories after a couple weeks, not good for a long-term post such as this. From the story:

…there are no hard and fast rules about how much area can be set aside for valet service — and that’s a bad thing. The cones block lanes of traffic and sometimes stretch an entire block. As more meters are blocked, those who seek free, on-street parking over valet get steamed. There’s been shouting. Cones have been moved or run over. Police have been called.

It’s an issue that caught city leaders off guard.

“Clearly, we need some rules,” said Alderwoman Lyda Krewson, who represents the Central West End, where valet parking also is common. “The self-policing thing hasn’t worked.”

For the record I have never run over a cone, although I know someone who has. Moore continues;

Restaurant managers say they want to be good sports and work with the city.

“I have no problem with the city chiming in,” said Copia owner Eyad Tammas.

Lucas Park Grille manager Katie Herald said the restricted space could present a problem on busy weekends with cars blocking traffic as they wait for valet service.

Eyad Tammas sounds so willing to work with others doesn’t he? Back in October he wasn’t so cooperative, see video of owner (see full post). And for those of you that preferred Antonio French’s edited version of the video, click here.

Last Thursday when the new valet signs went up at Copia & Lucas Park Grille I wanted to get a few quick pictures. Turns out I arrived at Copia while a P-D photographer was there.

This caption is a bit misleading. I parked in a space to the right of the valet zone sign which was pointing left. The valet himself is pointing the opposite direction of where I parked.

Above is the sign in question the following morning. As you can see the arrow points left toward Copia (in background). The space to the right of the sign is not part of the valet zone, which is where I parked the night before when the picture was taken. This confusion on the part of the valets seems to have been cleared up as they were not trying to take this space over the weekend.

I still believe them having the space to the left of the sign is too much space. That gives them a total of 129 feet! The zone, in my view, needs to be moved one space to the left for a total of 106 feet — still a good amount of space (equal to roughly five parking spaces). As the above storefront is vacant and therefore not part of Copia it will be good to keep that space public to help encourage a new tenant as well as serve potential tenants in the adjacent Meridian Loft building (formerly the AD Brown building).

Overall I am pleased with the progress recently being made on this issue. We still have numerous other valet areas which have yet to be tamed by the zone signage but I believe the Streets Department is finally on top of the issue. Once they have created the necessary valet zones throughout the city it will be clear to everyone which businesses are operating without proper permits as well as which companies are trying to reserve an excessive amount of the public street for their private business.

A Look at St. Louis’ MLK Drive, Part 5 of 5

This post is part five of a five part series. Part five looks at MLK Drive from Kingshighway to just past the city limits.

• Part One — Introduction.
• Part Two — MLK from Tucker to Jefferson Ave.
• Part Three — MLK from Jefferson Ave. to Grand Ave.
• Part Four — MLK from Grand Ave to Kingshighway.

This section of MLK Drive takes on a different flavor from what we’ve seen to the east. Although partially lined with commercial most is smaller and slightly newer than what we saw before. Many churches are concentrated in this section. As we approach the city limits, just past Goodfellow, we see the remains of a once very happening commercial district at the end of the old streetcar line. I will continue out past the city limits to the current MetroLink light rail stop where I’d like to see a new MLK streetcar line terminate.

Finally, a park along MLK. This is Sherman park which is located at the NW corner of Kingshighway and MLK, diagonally across from the Roberts’ suburban complex which contains the formerly urban Sears store.

These buildings are representative of this section of MLK. Gaps now exist where buildings have been razed, we are after all still in Terry Kennedy’s 18th Ward where most areas are not protected by Preservation Review. Demolition permits can be handed out as routinely as valet permits downtown.

Here we see where a building had recently been razed.

On a positive note we can see here where a new foundation was recently placed for some new construction. And thankfully it is not behind parking as we are seeing all too often. I’ve seen anything as to what the new building will look like but I’m not holding out any hopes of something really good.

Former gas stations like this one on the SE corner of MLK and Union litter our city. Some are vacant while others, like this one, hosts a variety of businesses.

Looks like someone started to do something a number of years back, creating a gated parking lot. Today the fencing has fallen down and this block is pretty much abandoned. This section and west is all in the 22nd Ward of Jeffrey Boyd.

On Sundays the area has plenty of vistors if all the cars are any indication. A number of churches in this stretch help fill numerous parking lots with cars. From the looks of the cars, I’d say most of these people don’t live in the immediate area. I’m not convinced the area is better off with these churches as their buildings and parking lots are pretty dead 6 days a week.

Another of my favorite buildings along MLK, this one just east of Goodfellow. I want the upstairs apartment on the far corner as soon as a streetcar line is build. Once renovated this could be a wonderful asset to the area. This building is very similar to one located on Delmar near Hamilton.

Here at the SW corner of MLK and Goodfellow we begin to return to greater density as we approach the end of the old #32 Wellston streetcar line.

This fine specimen is a former JC Penny department store. It has been acquired by an individual working with a local CDC (Community Developement Corporation) although I am not sure of their intentions. Once renovated and with a streetcar line installed I want to live upstairs in a building across the street — I would love to have this building as my view! [Updated 1/15/07 – 8:45am –added that JC Pennty building is owned by an indiviual associated with the CDC, not the CDC itself.]

The gray granite marker shows the exact point of the city limits, as does the old cafe in adjacent Wellston.

Across the street is the old Wellston Loop buildings where a couple of streetcar lines met up and passengers could connect up with bus service out to the county. This fine structure is owned by the City of St. Louis.   same CDC that owns the JC Penny building. The lot visible to the right of this structure had a really nice 6-story or so building until a few years ago when it was razed. This was a very dense and active area at one time.

In better times the shopping district simply crossed the city limits without a care. This gem is located in the neighboring municipality of Wellston.

A mile west of the city limits on St. Charles Rock Road (MLK changes to St. Charles once past Lucas-Hunt) is a station for our light rail system, MetroLink. The vast parking lot is ideal for a transit oriented development as well as a new loop for a modern streetcar.

One of my concerns for MLK Drive is that federal funds have been set aside for new sidewalks and streetlights from Grand out to the city limits. We saw how well our money was spent between Jefferson & Grand, will we simply get more of the same bad planning? Either our Planning & Urban Design Agency headed by Rollin Stanley is completely incompetent or not included in the decision making process.

Click here to see all 97 images from this section of MLK Drive.

Dr. Martin Luther King, one of the great leaders of the 20th Century, deserves so much more from a street named in his honor. Peace.

A Look at St. Louis’ MLK Drive, Part 4 of 5

This post is part four of a five part series. Part four looks at MLK Drive from Grand Ave. to Kingshighway.

• Part One — Introduction.
• Part Two — MLK from Tucker to Jefferson Ave.
• Part Three — MLK from Jefferson Ave. to Grand Ave.

Continuing on our journey west along MLK we resume from Grand Ave. You’ll recall in the prior post we saw the site of the new suburban Walgreen’s. Well, that is only the most recent sprawl-based development in this area.

A new suburban strip center is just completed on the NW corner of MLK (left) and Grand (right). The suburban features are numerous. First we have a single story building, second it is set back as far as possible from the street making it more of a challenge for pedestrians, it lacks a proper ADA required accessible route from the public sidewalk to the building entrances (tisk tisk) and finally it has plenty-o-parking right out front so that everyone can completely ignore the ample on-street parking.

Seen here from the west, the building is completely uninspired and does not relate at all to the sidewalk. I was happy to see the line of street trees along MLK. That is my car parked on MLK, four traffic lanes plus two parking lanes with parking lot focused development is about as suburban as you can get. If I were to crop out the old building in the background you might think we were out in a new suburb. Once the Walgreen’s goes up across Grand, the theme will continue. The above project is located in the 5th Ward of April Ford-Griffin.

Across MLK to the south we see the back of a building at the 5+ year old MLK Plaza. Once again, the entire intersection that was once quite urban has become this low-rise low density sprawl centric area. This is contrasted with the excellent pedestrian-oriented Hope VI housing being built just across Grand. Those residents will find their walk to the store unfulfilling at best and dangerous due to traffic at worst. This project, like those east of Grand, are in the 19th Ward formerlly represented by Mike McMillan.
All this and we are still at our starting point along Grand!

Just a block to the west another triangular shaped lot is being cleared. As I recall it was a mess before with perhaps a junk lot so I welcome the clean up. Survey crews were out working on a Sunday. I’m not sure what is planned for the site but I’m guessing more surburban-style development. You’d think when starting from scratch we’d get better development but then again that would require some true leadership at city hall. This is back in the 5th Ward.

The large lot above is on the SE corner of MLK and Sarah. Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business is working [assisting the non-profit  Habitat for Neighborhoood Business] on the construction of a new building at this site for the purposes of creating incubation space for startup businesses, a worthy goal no doubt. Unfortunately, I’m hearing the building may be suburban in form with parking in front. The architecture firm is said to be that of Glantz & Associates which primarily seems to do very surburban residential work. I may well be trying to put a kabash on this one until it can be redesigned, especially given the urban forms on the same block shown below.  [UPDATE 1/28/07 – I’ve met with a couple of board members of Habitat for Neighborhood Business to discuss the project, both indicate they are seeking an urban prototype with parking at the side or rear.]

These buildings (mostly the ones on the right), along the south side of MLK just west of Whittier are among the most interesting we have left in the city. The massing, varied hights and detailing are spectacular. The old cast iron storefronts are still in tact. The neon sign for the cleaners is a reminder of the many such signs that lined this street. Get me a streetcar running down this street and I will gladly live in a condo above one of these storefronts!

The above buildings are located in the 4th Ward (Ald. O.L. Shelton) in the Vandeventer Neighborhood. At one time, MLK (then Easton Ave) was the focal point of the neighborhood. Today is serves not as a uniter but as a dividing line between many neighborhoods. The north side of the street is The Ville.

A once beautiful home sits in ruins after years of decay and a recent fire. The vacant lot to the right is the site of a planned farmer’s market for the area. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) are nationally celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. Chapters all over the country are doing projects to give back to their respective communities. The St. Louis chapter of the AIA have, after working with residents in the Ville last year, decided to help them get the farmer’s market they seek.

The project is being designed this semester through a studio at Washington University. African-American architect Karl Grice will be the architect of record on the project which is expected to cost nearly $500K. I have some reservations about the site that was selected — namely if that is the best location — and if such a costly structure should be built before giving the market a trial run for a season at a nearby school, park or church. But, that will be something I can debate in a separate post.

Another recent tragedy along MLK is this newly opened Family Dollar store. The low end building is pushed back from the street behind lots of parking. As we saw with the strip center at MLK & Grand, no pedestrian access is provided — those walking must cut through the landscaping or walk in via the automobile drive. Later in this post I’ll show you an older Family Dollar store just down the street that is built up to the street with its parking on the side of the building rather than the front. This lovely “investment” was made possible by Ald. O.L.
Shelton.

Another view of the Family Dollar store. Would a break in the shrubs and striping through the parking lot to the front door have been too much to ask?

At this corner stood a wonderful looking building that during the AIA’s charrette last April was considered to be a fine model for new construction by combining a corner storefront with attached townhouses. Below is what the buildings looked like in April 2006.

See my prior post for more on the demolition of this once fine structure. We have 18th Ward Ald. Kennedy to thank for not including this or much of his ward in a Preservation Review District so that the city’s Preservation Board does not have the right to review demolition permits. This was an unnecessary loss.

I promised you a more urban form Family Dollar, this is located a block east of Kingshighway on the north side of MLK. It is an older structure that has been remodeled a number of times. It is not much to look at but at least it is an urban form and pedestrians can easily enter from the sidewalk.

Above is a new retail building at the corner of Kingshighway & MLK, built within the last 10 years or so by the Roberts Brothers. I was working on Union just north of Natural Bridge at the time so I passed by here daily either in my car or on my bike (yes, I was really good about bike commuting for a couple of years). The Blockbuster video that opened in the building has since closed.

The former Sears store which serves as the headquarters for the Roberts’ empire is visible in the far right of the above image (see below). The Sears provided a good model being built up to the street with on-street parking. Had they continued this pattern for this building they might have had something more sustainable.

The former Sears is now named the Victor Roberts Building.

An excessively wide driveway off Kingshighway leads to the parking for the former Sears building as well as the Roberts’ suburban strip center building located to the east. As you might expect, no pedestrian sidewalks are provided — you are expected to be in a car.

The Roberts’ suburban strip center is seen on our left behind a massive amount of parking. The street, Aubert Ave, is devoid of street trees and is excessively wide. To the right is the back side of the former Sears. Down the street and to the right is an Aldi store. At the end of the block is Page, behind us is MLK. And though you might be walking along Aubert to get to one of the few remaining stores in this strip center, you’ll have to cross the bright red mulch planting area or walk in via the auto driveway, pedestrian sidewalks are not provided.

Here, at the corner of Page & Euclid, we get treated to the backside of the Roberts’ suburban strip center. Lovely huh? Page & Euclid was once a prominent corner but no more. Beautifully detailed homes still line the eastern side of Euclid. This whole Roberts mess is located in Terry Kennedy’s 18th Ward (I’m not sure of whose ward it was when the newer suburban stuff was constructed).

I took a total of 111 pictures in this section of MLK, they can all be viewed on Flickr. Click here for part five of this series.