Developer paves front yard for condo parking, hearing on the 6th

For years the large building at the corner of Halliday & Grand (map) was a trouble spot in the Tower Grove East neighborhood, the usual drug dealing and such. So it is no surprise that area residents are all glad a developer has converted the building into condos, but not all agree on the parking ‘solution.’ This story of parking has many issues and no obvious solution. St. Louis’ Board of Adjustment will try to make sense of it Wednesday (Meeting starts at 1:30pm, Room 208 City Hall).

The small front yard wasn’t exactly paradise but it got paved anyway. Some neighbors say the developer, on a weekend and without a proper permit, created a concrete parking lot for four cars. These neighbors want to see it removed. Other neighbors say they don’t care for the solution but they must accept it to get an entrance marker for their street, Halliday. More on the entry marker later.

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St. Louis Just Lost A Great Advocate, Marti Frumhoff (Updated x4)

One of my closest friends, someone many of you know, has passed away. Rehabber’s Club founder & fellow REALTOR® Marti Frumhoff died earlier today at her home in Tower Grove South. I don’t know the details, please don’t ask (update: it was natural causes, most likely a heart attack)
Marti and I both celebrated birthdays in February, my 40th and her 50th. We just had brunch a week ago.

Marti was one of St. Louis’ greatest champions, working tirelessly to see that building after building was renovated. Marti founded the Rehabber’s Club many years ago as a project within the group Metropolis and eventually spinning it off on its own. Recently Marti was working on a new project to be known as Main Street St. Louis — an online means of promoting St. Louis’ many commercial districts and storefront real estate.

I will personally miss Marti’s optimistic outlook on the future of St. Louis. Marti never lost sight of the potential that could be realized in the city of St. Louis. Marti always saw the good in people. Although we were technically competitors she was always willing to share her knowledge and experience in real estate.

When I’d get too down on St. Louis she’d be one of the people to lift me up. In fact, Marti was one of the individuals that convinced me to work on getting a masters degree in Urban Planning. Marti took a course with me last Fall at SLU and she planned to begin working on her masters degree full time next year (also in Urban Planning). Marti had aspirations of pursuing a Ph.D. as well.

Few people have had such a positive impact on the City of St. Louis as my friend Marti Frumhoff, she will be missed greatly. My condolences to her family. If you have some fond memories of Marti please feel free to share with us in the comments section below.

UPDATE 5/17/07 @ 11:32am (second updated to correct first) – The services will be Friday May 18, 2007 at the Central Reform Congregation located at Waterman and Kingshighway (map), 1pm.

Condolences to CRC members Carol and Marvin Frumhoff on the sudden death yesterday of their daughter, and our member, Marti Frumhoff. Services will be held at CRC tomorrow, Friday, May 18 at 1:00 pm. Shiva information will be available at the funeral.

UPDATE 5/17/07 @ 1pm – Special Rehabber’s Club this Saturday morning:

This Saturday is the third Saturday of the month. ReVitalize St. Louis will be holding a special Rehabbers Club meeting this Saturday in honor of Marti.

When: Saturday, May 19, 2007
Time: 9:30 to 11:00
Where: MoKaBe’s (at the corner of Grand and Arsenal)

MoKaBe’s is the birthplace of the Rehabbers Club, the site Marti organized the very first meeting many years ago. Perhaps she knew at the time the group would grow into such a positive force, but it is perhaps just as likely she simply enjoyed helping individuals recognize the treasure we have in St. Louis’ built environment.

Please come to this special informal Rehabbers Club meeting and share stories and memories of Marti – she touched so many lives both personally and professionally.

UPDATE 5/18/07 @ 6:45pm – The services this afternoon were wonderful. Rabbi Randy Fleisher did a great job making the huge crowd of people feel welcomed into the synogogue. Although the various yiddish words escape me the message was clear, although we may have buried Marti’s vessel (body) her spirit will live on in us as we celebrate her life. At the cemetary we all took our turn lovingly covering her casket with the earth.

Marti had a long interest in saving animals and the family asked that any memorial contributions to go Diana’s Grove Dog Rescue at www.takeafriendhome.org Remember, Saturday morning (5/19/07) is a very special Rehabber’s Club at the place where Marti started the group – MoKaBe’s Coffeehouse at Arsenal & Grand, 9:30am-11:00am.

Shalom.

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market Kickoff Celebration, May 12th

From my friend Jenny Ryan….

FARM FRESH PRODUCE AND MEATS, LOCALLY BAKED GOODS, HANDMADE WARES, ART ACTIVITIES AND LIVE LOCAL MUSIC AT TOWER GROVE PARK

On Saturday, May 12, one of St. Louis’ newest and most successful farmers’ markets will celebrate the start of its second season by hosting its Kickoff Festival. The Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, together with community partners, The Southside YMCA and KDHX will host an event filled with great food, music and family fun.

Joining the Market’s regular cast of farmers, bakers, ranchers and artisans, the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market Kickoff Festival, scheduled for Saturday, May 12 from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm, will feature the following activities:

• Various arts and crafts
• Face painting
• T-Shirt art
• Sack racing
• Food concessions by Missouri and Illinois small farmers and restaurants
• Free Yoga
• Music by Noah Earle, Swing De Ville and Grass Pack
• Outdoor fitness activities with the South City YMCA

For additional information on the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market Kickoff Celebration visit http://www.tgmarket.org or email the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market at Contact@tgmarket.org.

Tower Grove Farmers’ Market’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the St. Louis area by providing a community activity that fosters social gathering and interaction while promoting sustainable agriculture and urban education.

Students, Journalists and Public To Protest for Free Speech at Saint Louis University

Since 1921 the University News has been the student run newspaper at Saint Louis University.  However, trustees may vote to change the charter to take editorial control away from the students.  Students, professional journalists and the public will be exercising their right to protest on Saturday morning (May 5th) at 8:30 a.m.  The protest will take place outside the SLU administration building (DuBourg Hall) at 221 North Grand Ave (Grand & Lindell).

“Small Architectural Interventions in Troubled Neighborhoods”

I got word of a potentially interesting presentation this evening at Wash U:

On Monday, April 30, at 7 p.m., John Kleinschmidt will present a talk on small architectural interventions in troubled neighborhoods in Kemp Auditorium (Room 116) in Givens Hall at Washington U.

John is a third year student in the College of Architecture and worked on this study as an independent project. He concentrated on Old North St. Louis’s 14th Street Mall, on a proposed infill project on North Union and on a WU/AIA proposal for a farmer’s market in the Ville neighborhood.

Givens Hall is the main architecture school building at Wash U. I don’t know the visitor parking situation but they do have some usually full bike racks near the building entrance. The new Skinker MetroLink stop is a short distance away if you wish to take light rail. Bus is also an option but I don’t know the route numbers.

At one time in architecture, engineering, and planning schools the thought was you needed major projects to completely remake “troubled neighborhoods.” I think this mindset is still rattling around at city hall. Many, these days, are focusing on smaller solutions. Can we come in and seek out problems and come up with a series of smaller, easier to implement solutions, that can help communities without disrupting what works? I think if we are going to succeed in helping some areas the answer needs to be “yes.” The one size fits all new subdivision or strip center solutions are simply not realistic or even necessary everywhere.

UPDATE 5/1/07 @ 9:45am:

I attended the interesting event last night.  It was not exactly as I had expected.  The speaker did not offer any new ideas but was sharing thoughts from an architectural writing class about efforts in three areas, Union @ Labadie, The Ville and 14th street. The course is being taught by former Post-Dispatch critic Bob Duffy.