Eight years ago many people were upset when Noodle’s & Company and Chipotle Mexican Grill, both chains, were granted approval to move into a building that long-housed a record store — the lease expired.
Late last month the University City Council granted conditional-use permits to the eateries, a decision that fomented a swiftly organized revolt to place a cap on the number of formula restaurants and retail chains that can be allowed to do business in the Loop.
Such rebellions are nothing new among the Loop’s specialty set. When Qdoba Mexican Grill moved to Delmar a couple of years ago, sound and fury ensued. But this time, some merchants insist, the stakes are higher. (RFT)
I don’t recall if a cap was put into place or not.
Locally-owned Racanelli’s Pizza is banjo on the Delmar Loop — now located between two national chains.
I was very glad to see Racanelli’s return to the Delmar Loop — it began just down the street in 1994. Since first opening, this has been among my favorite local pizza places. Hopefully the Loop has achieved a local/chain balance.
Please vote in the poll, located in the right sidebar
Yesterday in the Post-Dispatch came word a huge music event planned for Memorial Day weekend will not take place this year:
City officials confirmed on Friday that Summer Rocks, billed as an annual country music concert series on the scale of Lollapalooza in Chicago, will not take place over Memorial Day weekend as planned. And another rock-related event planned for Labor Day weekend is not a certainty. (Post-Dispatch: Summer Rocks concert series in St. Louis stalls; won’t begin in May)
For the poll today I’m interested in your thoughts on this new development, the exact question is: ICM/Summer Rocks has notified St. Louis they won’t hold a concern Memorial Day weekend, Labor Day weekend is uncertain. Thoughts?
I’ve provided a variety of answers but you’re able to add your own at the bottom of the poll, see the right sidebar to vote.
St. Louis has had very little success with transit-oriented development since our original light rail line, MetroLink, opened in 1993. From the start the Emerson Park station in East St. Louis, which opened in May 2001, was different. The station includes some storefront space and around the station homes & apartments have been added over the years, a recent addition is Eco Jazz, see New Senior Housing A Bright Spot In East Saint Louis.
Jazz Ensemble Market believes that food is the connection that brings us all together. When we sit at the dinner table, we share our moments with family, friends and food gives us opportunities to connect.
Serving the East St. Louis Community is our core business philosophy. We are locally owned. Any purchase that is made in the store, stays in East St Louis. We are locally operated. All employees come from within East St. Louis. We are neighbors serving neighbors, the way it should be.
Our community involvement is vast. We are partnering with local vendors, local producers, local outreach groups to give each other a helping hand up. We are working with other local organizations to develop and implement solutions to their challenging problems.
Jazz Ensemble Market will never be on the side lines of the community.
For far too long East St. Louis has been a food insecure area, and we are the foundation to turn that around.
Let’s take a look…
The Jazz Ensemble Market as seen from the MetroLink platform, it opened last Fall in the ground floor of the new Eco Jazz./Jazz at Walter Circle senior housing buildingLooking toward the transit station from the market’s door we see a WB trainInside the market has a small deliSome produce near frozen foodsMore produce next to dairyRoom for more produce!
The nearest larger grocery store is a Schnuck’s at 25th & State — a 1.5 mile/30 minute walk from the station. The number of people walking to/from the market and station was encouraging. A seating area up front lets you enjoy your deli purchase while looking at the station, the free wi-fi let’s you stay connected.
This adds up to be a great subject for Good News Friday (#gnf)!
January 22, 2015Events/Meetings, FeaturedComments Off on The St. Louis Auto Show Starts Today
Last year two stars of the St. Louis Auto Show were the then-upcoming Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon midsize pickups. Both were at the show but on pedestals. This year, now that sales have begun, the trucks should be available to sit in, pop the hood, etc.
The new GMC Canyon pickup is made at GM’s plant in the St. Louis suburb of Wentzville, MO
It was recently suggested by former St. Louis Mayor Vince Schoemehl that a new NFL/MLS stadium be built across the river in Illinois. Over the last few years I’ve thought this as well, regular reader & prolific commenter “JZ71” has mentioned several times building a stadium specifically between the approaches to the MLK & Eads bridges. It would be visible from downtown St. Louis and be located adjacent to an existing MetroLink light rail station. I’ve thought that was too tight but knew there’s lots of vacant land there awaiting new use.
In June I got married at the beautiful Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park — directly across from the Arch — maybe South of there? Or to the North of the MLK bridge approach? Looking at maps and serial images only gets you so far, so Saturday afternoon I drove around checking out the Metro East riverfront/bottoms.
I crossed the river on the Eads Bridge since it was direct, I quickly ruled out the land to the South of the Martin Memorial/geyser because of access issues and future CityArchRiver plans, wildlife, etc. So then I looked at the space between the Eads & MLK approaches — as I suspected it appears way too tight for a stadium with enough buffer to keep the bridges open game days.
Looking South on Front St with the MLK in the foreground, the Eads in the background, and the Arch to the rightLooking East from Front St, the MLK approach is to the left just out of view, the Eads approach on the right. Great location for a hotel(s) if a stadium were built to the North of the MLKJust North of the MLK bridge approach, the land on the right is mostly vacant of structuresLooking East at a gravel road. More on this later in this post.East St. Louis Police shooting range headPresumably this 80 year old pumping station is still operationalVery quickly the new SMVMB is in view past the leveeIndustry at the end of the road, no access to I-70 or the new bridge — yet.Looking back at St. Louis across the Mississippi River
So access here kinda sucks too — but not for long. Since it opened in February 2014 I’ve driven across the new Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge (I-70) many times, but this weekend was my first seeing how it connected to IL Route 3. Later this year will mark 25 years I’ve lived in St. Louis, I know the region pretty well, including the Metro East — but the new I-70 approach to the new bridge is very different than it has been. Connectivity is greatly improved and will get better.
The new I-70/Route 3 interchange has the start of a road heading toward the East St. Louis riverfrontIt’s unfinished but will soon provide easy access to the Casino Queen, Malcolm Martin Memorial, and anything else built here.The blue line marks where the road will continue. Image from the New Bridge gallery, click to view.Aerial shows how the new I-70/iL Route 3 interchange will connect to Riverpark Dr leading Front St. Three potential sites here, the bottom left has good visibility from downtown St. Louis and the other two from the new I-70.
This is within St. Clair County, an analysis of future MetroLink light rail expansion into neighboring Madison County four of seven possible alignments would pass by to the East along the Route 3 corridor. Additionally transportation officials are working to improve Amtrak speeds between Alton & St. Louis while also considering a new stop in St. Clair County. No historic buildings/districts razed, fewer/no businesses/residents displaced.
A new NFL/MLS stadium, light rail expansion into Madison County, and an Amtrak stop could transform this area and further connect the St. Louis region. Sorry Gov Nixon, Illinois make much more sense!
AARP Livibility Index
The Livability Index scores neighborhoods and communities across the U.S. for the services and amenities that impact your life the most
Built St. Louis
historic architecture of St. Louis, Missouri – mourning the losses, celebrating the survivors.
Geo St. Louis
a guide to geospatial data about the City of St. Louis
