NoDrive-Thru.com Launched Over McDonald’s On Grand

I’ve written so much about the poorly designed anti-urban McDonald’s proposed for South Grand that it is all running together. If you are just finding this information it may be a bit overwhelming. To help facilitate finding the articles I created a “McDonald’s on Grand” category some time ago. Articles are posted with the latest at the top so if you need to catch up start at the bottom.

To make it even easier to communicate the message I’ve registered NoDrive-Thru.com (as well as without the hyphen, nodrivethru.com). Both domains will lead people to this site and my category on McDonald’s.

As this controversy continues NoDrive-Thru.com will branch out from here and become a full-fledged website as we continue to spread the message of aldermanic abuse, anti-urban planning, deep pocketed developers, and a questionable fast food establishment. In the meantime be sure to tell people to visit nodrive-thru.com for all the latest.

– Steve

Selling Shirts to Pay Legal Fund?

Ideas are pouring in to Urban Review from citizens upset about Ald. Florida’s tactics to please her campaign contributors over the wishes of constituents. If only I was talented in Illustrator & Photoshop.

This one came in tonight in response to my last post on McDonald’s.

I was thinking we get these printed up and sell them to raise money to pay an attorney to challenge the city’s drive-thru variance and spot zoning attempt.

– Steve

Rumor: Mississippi Bluffs Project Facing Challenges

Mississippi Bluffs, the high-end condo project planned for the former site of the Doering Mansion & Good Samaritan Home, has hit a snag according to several sources. I’ve heard from numerous people that the planned two levels won’t work out as originally envisioned.

I know nothing specific other than the number of units for the site will be reduced, maybe as much as half. The sad part is the developer said the lovely Doering Mansion couldn’t be saved because that would have reduced the number of units for the project. Well, the fabulous mansion is gone and so is the density that made the project moderately acceptable.

Once I know more I’ll evaluate a revised site plan.

– Steve

Florida Changing The Redevelopment Plan To Allow Drive-Thrus

This post was going to be about the city’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (aka LCRA) amending the Gravois/South Grand/Meramec redevelopment area at their meeting next week on the 25th. But, guess what, the LCRA amended the redevelopment plan at their April 4th meeting. The next step is the Board of Aldermen. The public notice given: an agenda posted of the lobby at 1015 Locust. No notice to property owners within the blighted area or even a posting in the City Journal (whose sole purpose is to provide public notice).

The LCRA Board consists of the following:

Judith Doss (Chair) of St. Louis Hills
Artie Whitmore of the Central West End
Chris Goodson of Lafayette Square (major developer doing projects such as the City Hospital & Eden Lofts)
Larry Williams, Treasurer for the City of St. Louis.

Today I spoke with Chairwoman Judith Doss. I asked her if she was aware of the opposition to the McDonald’s. She was not. Doss indicated they had a letter of support from the Alderwoman and therefore assumed the residents of the area were OK with the change since they did not have a letter of opposition from anyone. When I mentioned that none of us were aware of the April 4th meeting she said our Alderman should have told us. Well, Ald. Craig Schmid who represents the bulk of the Gravois Park neighborhood where the McDonald’s is proposed was unaware the LCRA had amended the redevelopment plan — I gave him a copy of the paperwork! Back to Doss. When I said the Alderwoman intentionally wouldn’t tell anyone about the change and that we don’t frequent the lobby of 1015 Locust (where the LCRA agenda is posted) she said they can’t do anything about that. How convenient.

I’m sure Doss wouldn’t want this kind of development along Hampton near her St. Louis Hills home. Nor would Mr. Whitmore want this in the CWE or heaven forbid we even suggest such a thing near Goodson’s Lafayette Square. Even Florida’s own neighborhood of Tower Grove would not permit such a thing a half a mile to the North. But it seems to be OK in less affluent areas of the city.
… Continue Reading

PubDef Posts McDonald’s Protest Video

Pubdef’s Antonio French has published a short video from Saturday’s protest of a proposed relocation of a McDonald’s. In the video French interviews Rita Ford, President of the Gravois Park Neighborhood Association. Check it out here.