New Urban Review STL Podcast Available
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It has taken me a while to get around to it but I’ve put together another podcast. This one runs just slightly over 7 minutes.
Click here to stream the podcast.
– Steve
Recent Articles:
St. Louis Citizens Form the ‘Downtown Defense Fund’ to Fend Off Slap Suit
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Dear Fellow Citizens:
As you know, the National Register-listed Century Building in downtown St. Louis was recently demolished to make way for a parking garage. We thought this tragic demolition was the end of an ugly chapter in St. Louis’ history. Now, it’s gotten uglier.
Before the demolition, two Downtown residents, Marcia Behrendt and Roger Plackemeier, took principled action to try to save the Century Building. They were plaintiffs in two legal cases that sought to keep this historic building as part of our architectural heritage. But the buildings came down anyway.
Now, the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri and the project developers have filed a lawsuit against them, alleging malicious prosecution — and seeking actual damages exceeding $1.5 million, plus punitive damages “in an amount sufficient to deter said defendants and others from like conduct.”
Should the City, State and developers prevail, Marcia and Roger could lose all of their assets. Just to defend themselves will cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs, even if lawyers donate some services.
Marcia and Roger stood up for us and for our community. Now, it’s up to us to stand with them.
You can help in one of three ways:
Write a check for any amount to help with legal costs. Make it payable to Downtown Defense Fund, and mail it to:
Downtown Defense Fund
c/o Scott Kluesner, Treasurer
7480 Cornell Avenue
St. Louis MO 63130
Funds received by the end of June are most important.
Attend a free fundraiser on Saturday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. at Gallery Urbis Orbis, 419 N. Tenth Street.
Bring cash or check in any amount to add to the pot, and enjoy music and good food and the company of people who care about our architectural heritage. No need to purchase tickets — but please do RSVP to mmnewman@earthlink.net so we can plan refreshments.
[UPDATE 6/8/05 – 2:45PM – You can also donate via PayPal at downtowndefensefund.com.]
Let’s show our support for preservation and for citizen action. Let’s show it big.
Best regards,
Margie Newman
Amanda Doyle
Fundraising Co-Chairs, Downtown Defense Fund
PS Note that donations are NOT tax-deductible. Should the lawsuit be resolved before the money raised is spent, remaining funds will be donated to a group or groups dedicated to architectural preservation.
From Steve @ Urban Review – St. Louis:
On a personal note I know both Roger and Marcia. They are very good people that I consider to be trusted friends. They did a good thing in trying to stop the razing of this great building for an unnecessary parking garage. The developers prevailed and the current and future citizens of St. Louis lost that battle. We are getting yet another parking garage. But the powers that be are trying to make an example out of Roger and Marcia by filing slap suits against them. This is supposed to send a message to all the rest of us not to get involved.
To everyone behind these suits – FU!!!!!!
This whole thing just pisses me off big time. I’ve got a long list of people and explicatives to describe them but I fear if I did I’d get sued as well. You all know who you are and you know what you are. You also know where you can go!
For everyone else when you stop into the “friendliest” grocery stores in town just remember that you are helping to fund the destruction of downtown St. Louis as well as suing two good people trying to protect the city and their personal investments. This is a black and white issue. You either stand for saving downtown, our urbanity and helping people like Roger and Marcia. Those doing these evil deeds are at the very least making their views known.
All of you, elected or in a position to help, that remain silent are wimps. Grow a spine and take a position. I cannot respect someone that refuses to take on important issues such as this. For once think of the city over yourself. The old idea that you keep quite now so you can get more power so you can do things later doesn’t fly with me — the later never comes because you are always worried about the next thing. This city needs people willing to stand up and be counted. The Downtown Defense Fund is a good start. Many of us are about to stand up and be counted and all of you back room people had better keep a look out because we are going to out number you. Your days of keeping quiet are over!
F@ck this makes me so angry!!!! Taking blood pressure pills now…
– Steve
AIA St. Louis Sets Dates For Upcoming Charrette
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AIA St. Louis members have been working for the last couple of months on planning a design charrette (good definition) to exam the area along Market Street from the Arch to 20th — aka “the Gateway Mall.”
Monday night the planning group tentatively set the weekend of Friday, September 16th through Sunday September 18th as the charrette weekend. The registration deadline will be Friday August 19th. Invitations to participate will be mailed and posted online sometime next month. Community participation in the process will be encouraged.
Most of the remaining details are still in the draft stage and are not yet ready to be announced. I’m excited about the possibilities for examining these public green spaces and their environs. It has been a pleasure sitting in with the AIA members on the planning meetings for this charrette.
I’ve got my own views on these many blocks and I’ve shared a few on some previous posts. I’m going to hold my recommendations until the actual charrette (well, maybe…)
– Steve
Carondelet Hillside With River Views Being Excaved
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Many parts of Carondelet offer spectacular views of rooftops and of the Mississippi river. Unfortunately, we will soon have one less place with views. An entire hillside, nearly virgin land, is being hauled away.
The photo at right is from Minnesota Avenue looking toward the river down Mott Street (map). At left in the picture is the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet – a beautiful hillside collection of buildings. At right in the picture is the site being irrevocably altered.
Since Mott Street has been cut through the hillside both sides have had great views of the river and have towered over Pennsylvania Avenue below. For decades old stone walls have graced the hillsides in this area.
Mokwa and Joyce to Converse with the Community on June 15th
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St. Louis Police Chief Joseph Mokwa and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce will be at an event billed as a “conversation with the community” on June 15th, 2005 at 7pm. From the meeeting notice:
“Learn more about our changing neighborhood. Ask questions. Be informed. An opportunity to hear and be heard by your community officials.”
Wow, that is a lot for one meeting. I hope it is not like most where someone in the audience makes a series of incoherent statements during the question period rather than ask a question. I also hope that Mokwa and Joyce can get beyond political sound bite answers.
The event is sponsored by and located at the Saint Louis Altenheim assisted and long term care living facility on the Missouri river bluffs. Their address is 5408 South Broadway, 63111 (map). They are easily accessible by bike although I don’t know about bike parking. The #40 Broadway bus would drop you off right in front of the building (PDF schedule & route map).
– Steve