TOD Needed at Civic Center Transit Center

Transit-oriented development is a great concept:

A transit-oriented development (TOD) is a mixed-use residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership. (Wikipedia)

In St. Louis, TOD is just a dream.

We have a great need for retail around transit hubs but the design of these spaces doesn’t provide space for small businesses serving the public using transit. The number of people that pass through the Civic Center MetroBus Transit Center and MetroLink Station each day is a large number. This is the ideal space for commerce to take place. As I noticed one day, it does.

The number of riders won’t support a Walmart but a small snack shop makes sense. Even just a kiosk or two would work — the rent has to be low. Something that would allow a person to get a quick bite and water between buses/trains. Put the existing space to use.

In addition to kiosks at 14th & Spruce we need to build over the light rail lines on both sides of the 16th Street bridge. From 16th to the curve at approximately 15th and from 16th to 18th (Union Station MetroLink).

Ground floor spaces could be small retail shops and offices while upper floors could be offices and affordable workforce housing. East of 16th you might have a restaurant or two catering to the Scottrade Center/Blues hockey & The Peabody Opera House.  Yes, this creates a long tunnel which requires expensive exhaust equipment but the value of the habitable space created would make it a worthwhile investment. Clark Ave desperately needs something to make the walk from 18th to 14th interesting.

Metro is looking to expand the MetroBus transit center because they feel the existing one isn’t big enough to handle all the buses. Now is the time to think about creating more than just a place to change transit  modes.

– Steve Patterson

Readers Don’t Think the 2011 World Series Win Will Help Get Ballpark Village Built Sooner

Before I get to the poll results from last week I want to ask local TV stations to stop saying they are broadcasting “live from Ballpark Village.” BPV doesn’t exist yet! The vacant site where BPV is proposed to be built certainly exists — but at this point no village exists. Cut it out, I got tired yelling at my television recently. Okay, not that I have that off my chest I can share the poll results from last  week.

1. No 78 [56.12%]
2. Hopefully 38 [27.34%]
3. Maybe 12 [8.63%]
4. Yes 7 [5.04%]
5. Unsure/No Opinion 2 [1.44%]
6. Other: 2 [1.44%]

The two other answers were:

1. Yes, but at a much reduced scale
2. It’s a nice spot for a park/gathering place. Do we need more buildings?

We need buildings because they define urban space in a downtown, we have an excess of open space.

– Steve Patterson

Arch 50th Just Four Years Away

Four years from today is the 50th anniversary of the topping out of the Gateway Arch.

The City+Arch+River folks have much to accomplish in such a short about of time: build over I-70, create new west-facing museum entrance, rethink parking, etc. Given the current political landscape in Washington D.C. getting funding for improvements to this National Park Service site may prove nearly impossible.

The grounds aren’t as old as the Arch itself. Here is a video of a 1982 trip to the riverfront starting at 4th & Market. As you will see the trees are very young, the garage the will be removed from the north wasn’t yet built, and Lenore K. Sullivan Blvd hadn’t received the current improvements.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTbhs2gqrko

Thanks to Merrill & Matt Bauer for the footage!

Readers Unsure About the Future of Retailing at St. Louis Union Station

Last week readers weren’t optimistic about the future of retailing at Union Station:

Q: Does retailing at Union Station have a future?

1. The surrounding blocks need infill with housing with local shoppers 37 [30.58%]
2. A few places will do well, but the rest of the retail space needs to be reallocated to other uses 26 [21.49%]
3. No! 20 [16.53%]
4. Sure, just needs better marketing 11 [9.09%]
5. Retailing under the shed needs to be opened to 18th Street 6 [4.96%]
6. unsure/no opinion 6 [4.96%]
7. Other: 15 [12.4%]

I was glad to see my favorite answer get the most votes.  The surroundings  are depressing, Union Station representatives say they aren’t a mall — they are a destination. Yes, when someone is in town that hasn’t seen the Grand Hall I take them to see it. That happens once every five years. In between I might go to an event or meet someone but otherwise I have no reason to visit.

The numerous dead spaces around Union Station must be filled in with offices and residential. Eliminate the on/off ramps at 22nd Street (add WB exits at Jefferson) and build a new neighborhood.

For a number of years now mall owners have been opening up walls and starting to face some retail spaces outward. Union Station must reevaluate the lack of connectedness to both 18th & 20th streets.

The other answers provided by readers were numerous:

1. It is isolated from the east, west, north and south. Wide roads are moats.
2. Tourists want a place 2 shop DT, but dont like US stores- need better retailers
3. needs free parking – then marketing
4. It could be an enclosed antique mall.
5. it would if trains stop there again!
6. Put in open market where paid parking exists!
7. reduce and concentrate retail to ground level, coordinated int. facelift & mktg
8. Reality is that if it has stores and life it will be snuffed out by thugs.
9. needs free parking and better marketing
10. Amtrack should of been positioned there, problem solved.
11. It’s isolated, needs free parking and needs specialty shopping such as outlets
12. Turn it into an IKEA.
13. Both items 1 & 2
14. Union Stations around the country have failed also – it is not just St Louis.
15. Needs something new!

Note the software presents poll answers in random order to each person so I have no idea what answers the person at #13 liked. For #12 the site is way too small for an Ikea even if you razed all the structures. Ikea stores are far from the urban core for a reason — they are auto-centric big boxes.

Hopefully buyers will come along and update the train shed and the city will work to fill in the surroundings.

– Steve Patterson

All-Star Arch Remains on Corner, Paint Chipping Off

The 2009 MLB All-Star game was a great event, generating positive reviews for St. Louis and pumping money into our local economy. But it’s been two and a half years since the game happened. We are happily in the 2011 World Series now so it’s times to move on.

At Tucker & Washington an Arch used to promote the 2009 All-Star game remains. These were supposed to be sold at auction to raise money. This arch has remained on the corner and it’s starting to show it’s age.

I think it’s time to remove this arch from the public sidewalk.

– Steve Patterson