Pedestrian Signal 8th & Washington Incorrectly Gives a Don’t Walk

For some reason the city’s pedestrian signal gives pedestrians a don’t walk as the traffic lights change at 8th & Washington. Sounds normal right?  When you consider the intersection you will see that pedestrians always  have the right of way.

Washington Ave is a two-way street running east-west (left-right, above). 8th is a one-way street southbound, away from the intersection. Obviously when pedestrians need to cross Washington Ave they need to wait for the walk signal when auto traffic is stopped. At that time, when auto traffic on Washington Ave has a red light at 8th Street, the pedestrians seeking to cross 8th are given a don’t walk signal. Why?

Is a car going to materialize in the intersection and have the right-of-way? No. In fact, there is no point at this intersection that pedestrians crossing 8th do not have the right of way. The walk symbol should be on 24/7. Cars terming left onto 8th do not get an arrow, they must yield to pedestrians. Cars turning right onto 8th must also yield to pedestrians.

Here is a boring one minute video of the change in pedestrian signals:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KkPD3mYD5E

Hopefully the city will change this mistake so pedestrians aren’t given a don’t walk signal.

– Steve Patterson

US Bank Garage Need Not Be Razed, Just Rethought

In May 2010 I  wrote that the US. Bank parking garage at 8th & Washington Ave should be replaced with something urban, with windows and doors. Since then I’ve spent more time looking at the design of the garage and I think it can be made less hideously oppressive through some relatively simple changes.

The upper levels of the garage could be screened with metal panels or even plant material. My biggest concern is the sidewalk level.

Horrible, but this appears to be just a storage area based on what I can tell from the inside of the garage. There is a vent extending to the roof in the NW corner of the garage so some sort of equipment may be located in the space.

The material at the sidewalk facing both Washington Ave and 8th are non-structural.  My thinking is the storage space become a small storefront space with glass walls facing each sidewalk. Outside add a few cafe tables & chairs plus an umbrella or two and the corner is humanized.

– Steve Patterson

Family Walks a Block to City Museum

On July 28th I posted about traffic heading to City Museum was backing up onto Washington Ave (Traffic Backup at Noon). The next day I noticed traffic was even worse:

The original traffic jam was on Friday July 15th, the one above was Friday July 29th.  By Monday August 1st the situation was very different.

No traffic but a family of four parked in the parking lot to the east of the Ely Walker building and walked a block north to City Museum. Nice. Despite what some may think, it is safe to walk downtown without getting mugged or shot.

– Steve Patterson

The Evolution of a Downtown Property

The property currently known as the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark has gone through considerable changes in the last 45 years. After the 1964 World’s Fair in NYC  St. Louis mayor Cervantes convinced civic leaders to pay $6 million dollars to buy the Spanish Pavilion and bring it to downtown St. Louis.

No towers, just a low-rise tourist attraction that didn’t attract tourists for long. A 1989 KSDK story (w/video) fills in some of the details. Basically the first tower was added in 1976, following the bankruptcy of the pavilion.  It was known as the Breckenridge Inn. Later it became a Marriott and the second tower was built to the west.

A few years ago the Marriott became the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. An addition was built at the NE corner of the property to expand the lobby bar.

But it’s the latest addition that has many impressed, including me.  For a while now a steel & glass structure was constructed on the roof of the first tower.

The new space is occupied by Three Sixty:

Soaring nearly 400 feet above downtown St. Louis, Three Sixty is the ultimate rooftop bar. Located atop the perfectly positioned Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, Three Sixty offers sweeping views in all directions – hence the name – including a birds’ eye view right into Busch Stadium. With a cocktail in hand and a tasty bite to savor, it is the perfect perch to take in the Cardinals, the Gateway Arch, the mighty Mississippi and the sites of St. Louis near and far.

Open daily at 3 pm, Three Sixty has an extensive wine, beer and cocktail selection as well as a delicious assortment of small plate fare expertly prepared by Chef Rex Hale. Hale, whose culinary experience has taken him to kitchens around the world, has created a menu that’s globally inspired but bursting with locally sourced ingredients. Signature items include Mini New England Lobster Rolls, New York Strip Crostini and Roasted BBQ Oysters. There is also a Woodstone gas firedeck oven that reaches the ideal temperature to produce perfectly cooked pizzas.

The stunning 6,000 square-foot space features indoor and outdoor seating, accommodating guests year-round with its flexible layout. With a giant outside bar, several indoor bars, an open kitchen, a dramatic wine wall, flat-screen TVs, Zen-like fire pits and contemporary styling, its sleek, urban vibe is a perfect addition to the downtown entertainment scene. Already known for its stellar location and first-class amenities, the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark has now been crowned with a rooftop bar on par with the best in the country.

Thursday night I joined the group City Affair at Three Sixty – for three hours.

It was the first night of decent weather since they opened. There is lots of seating indoors as well as out but both were packed.  The artichoke pizza I had ($14) was excellent as was the local Urban Chestnut Winged Nut on draft ($6). The views were outstanding!

The take away is buildings are rarely static, they change slowly over time to meet our changing tastes and uses for them.

– Steve Patterson

A Freshly Painted Crosswalk

The bold & highly visible “continental” crosswalk at 17th & Olive is such a beautiful sight to my eyes.  Wish all crosswalks were marked in this way.

– Steve Patterson