SLU Profs To Give Presentation on the “Crisis of Modern Public Housing.”

Two Professors from Saint Louis University, Joseph Heathcott and Todd Swanstrom, will be presenting what promises to be a very interesting topic:

The Crisis of Modernist Public Housing: Pruitt-Igoe in St. Louis and Bijlmermeer in Amsterdam

Pruitt-Igoe, of course, is the failed housing project on the near north side that was imploded in 1972, less than 20 years after completion. The architect, Minoru Yamasaki, also designed the World Trade Center destroyed on September 11, 2001. The Pruitt-Igoe site has been vacant for nearly 35 years.

This will be contrasted with Amsterdam’s Bijilmermeer project which Heathcott and Swanstrom visited this summer while researching abroad. Both projects had seemingly similar origins yet vastly different outcomes. Heathcott and Swanstrom should be able to shed some light as to the reasons why.

This presentation will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2006 at 4:30pm at the SLU Cook School of Business in Room 236 (Building #7 on campus map, caddy corner from The Coronado) and is sponsored by the St. Louis Metropolitan Research Exchange (STLMRE) and the SLU Department of Public Policy Studies. The event is free and open to the public with a reception to follow!

Meet Pat Herod, Candidate for License Collector, Today

Patrick Herod, a candidate for the office of License Collector, is hosting at an open house meet & greet in the backyard of his home in the lovely Holly Hills neighborhood this evening from 5:30pm to 7:30pm tonight, Friday September 29, 2006. More information, including address, can be found on the official flyer.

Although they will accept financial contributions, this even is not billed as a fundraiser. This is simply a chance for you to meet the candidate and find out what he is all about. I’ve met with him in person twice now and I can tell you the man is fascinating. This is a no-risk, no-obligation event.

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In the interest of full disclosure, I will be serving as a very minor consultant on the campaign and have helped set up a campaign site which will soon become more active as Pat and his volunteers begin posting information (yes, he has volunteers in the plural). In case you are wondering, this post is not a paid message from the campaign (none of my posts are paid messages from anyone).

The Preservation Board a Public Hearing or Not?

The new Chair of the St. Louis Preservation Board, Richard Callow, insists the meetings of the Preservation Board are not public hearings — that public input is taken but not required by ordinance. Callow has previously suggested I look at the enabling code, Chapter 24.08. In reading through that section I found this:

D. Subject to the written approval of the Planning Commission, the Preservation Board shall make and adopt, and may from time to time amend, rules and bylaws governing the conduct of its business and providing for the administration of this title.

This begs the question, what are the rules and bylaws that have been approved by the Planning Commission for the conduct of the Preservation Board? The city’s Cultural Resources office website certainly doesn’t list any rules, bylaws or anything else to help the public understand the process of going before the Preservation Board.

In another section of the city code, under demolition review, the law does make reference to a hearing:

The Cultural Resources Office shall immediately refer any application which is the subject of such an appeal, and the Cultural Resources Office’s entire file thereon, to the Preservation Board for hearing and resolution, based on the criteria set out in Sections 24.40.010 to 24.40.050.

Why is this important? Decisions of the Preservation Board impact the entire city but they don’t seem to have any public notice requirements — today’s meeting agenda was just posted today. Furthermore, anyone from the public wishing to speak on an item must arrive prior to 4pm and sign the sheet for that item. This, I believe, places an undue burden on the public and discourages them from becoming more involved in their community.

With the Preservation Board weighing decisions on demolitions, new construction and other concerns in Historic Districts and Preservation Review Districts you’d think there would be some form of advance notice — at least 10 calendar days prior to the hearing. The Cultural Resources Office does produce highly detailed PDF reports on each topic but at the very least they could list the property address in question, what is being decided (demo, new windows, etc…) and what neighborhood it falls under. Having at least this would alert the public in those neighborhoods that something is coming up they may wish to speak on.

Often during the Preservation Board you’ll hear one of the members ask the staff if they’ve heard from the neighborhood group. The answer is almost always no (Lafayette Square excepted). I wonder why? Perhaps because neighbors don’t have a clue a decision is being made about properties near them!

Michael Allen over at Ecology of Absence wrote about this subject last Friday.

Today’s meeting starts at 4pm. The agenda includes 7 items and encompassing hundreds of pages. Better start reading….

Enjoy “Grovefest” in Forest Park Southeast on Saturday

This coming Saturday, the 23rd of September 2006, is a chance to party in the emerging area increasingly known as The Grove. From the Grovefest press release:

Forest Park Southeast is one of the most exciting areas of rejuvenation in St. Louis. The neighborhood enjoys many of the best proximities in the metropolitan area. Conveniently located between both major highways, 40 and 44, Forest Park Southeast is also adjacent to the finest cultural institutions the city offers; the Saint Louis Science Center, The Missouri Botanical Gardens, Forest Park, and all of the Grand Center attractions. The Washington University Medical complex is within walking distance and the Saint Louis University is just around the corner. An envisioned bio-tech corridor is progressing just across highway 40 under the Cortex initiative. And established neighborhoods nearby such as the Central West End, Tower Grove, and Lafayette Square serve as excellent role models for this neighborhoods revitalization.

Manchester Avenue as the central corridor to Forest Park Southeast offers similar building character and streetscape potential to another popular local urban and culturally diverse destination “The Loop”. A retail, dining, and entertainment district is indeed emerging along Manchester in Forest Park Southeast and is on track to become an important asset for St. Louis in much the same way The Loop has. The Forest Park Southeast Business Association has begun the grassroots work of positioning this stretch of Manchester Avenue as “The Grove” derived from adjacent Adams Grove and Tower Grove.

With this progression in mind it seemed an opportune time to hold an annual festival that celebrates the city and the uniqueness of “The Grove”. Known as the Grove Fest, the annual neighborhood showcase invites the St. Louis metropolitan area to enjoy a day of food, music, art and activities with a spot light on what’s new and what’s coming to Forest Park Southeast.

Proceeds will support the effort to continue the revitalization of Manchester Avenue by funding sidewalk and curb repair/replacement, sidewalk enlargement for outdoor seating, improved signage, streetscape trees and lighting, street furniture, parking lot improvements, and traffic light enhancements.
On behalf of the Grove Fest Committee (dedicated business owners and stakeholders in Forest Park Southeast) we whole heartedly invite you to explore this exciting neighborhoods possibility and support the 1st annual Grove Fest. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, September 23rd on Manchester between Sarah and Boyle noon to midnight.

www.grovefest.org

Manchester Road. Noon to midnight. Have fun!

Gateway Cup Day 4: The Delmar Loop

Another great day for bicycling in the St. Louis area. Today’s race in University City with a loop that included part of Delmar was exciting. In the pro men’s category a few riders broke away from the peleton and led to an exciting finish.

This video is from the final mens race of the event as well as the recognizing the top 3 riders for the Gateway Cup (all four days of racing):

So another year’s racing is done. But, come next Spring look for more racing in the St. Louis region. For information on the local bicycle racing scene go to stlbiking.com.

– Steve