Citizen’s Distributing Flyers On Pyramid/McDonald’s Issue in 15th Ward

St. Louis Citizens in opposition to the proposed suburban-style McDonald’s on South Grand are using today’s election as an opportunity to reach active voters in the 15th Ward. The 15th Ward is that of Alderwoman Jennifer Florida who is Volunteers concerned about the future of Grand are distributing a flyer to people at two polling places in the ward:

Mann School, 4047 Juniata (map)

Fanning School Gym, 3417 Grace (enter from Giles, map)

If you can volunteer to help pass out flyers please go to one of the above locations. Polls are open until 7pm. Please help convince our elected officials and greedy developers that we want and demand better development along South Grand.

– Steve

Removing Highways to Restructure the St. Louis Region

Rather than spend hundreds of millions on rebuilding highway 40 (I-64 to the rest of the map reading world) we should just tear it out completely. Don’t look so confused, I’m totally serious. This is not a belated April fools joke.

Our highways in the middle of urban areas are relics to the cheap gas economy that is quickly coming to an end. In addition to removing highway 40, we should remove all the highways within our I-270/I-255 Loop: I-55, I-70, I-44, and I-170

I’ve not gone crazy nor have I been smoking anything.

And before you scroll down to the comments section to explain all the conventional wisdom reasons why this won’t work I ask that you hear me out first. I know we cannot just remove the highways and leave the balance of our political entities, zoning and other systems in place and expect this to make a lick of sense. Therefore, I have some basic assumptions & qualifications that would need to accompany the removal of any or all highways in our main urbanized area of the region. The likelihood of this coming together in our lifetime is slim but as the economy changes we will need to change and adapt to remain competitive with other regions.

Keep in mind that 60 years ago men took maps and drew lines where we’d wipe out entire neighborhoods for highways and housing projects. In hindsight, huge mistakes were made that disrupted lives and cost millions. Today we are still dealing with the aftermath of these poor decisions. So I’m taking a map and looking at ways we can undo damage previously done without inflicting new damage.
… Continue Reading

Soulard Residents’ Statement on Mardi Gras

Last night some residents of the Soulard neighborhood located south of downtown made the following statement at a Mardi Gras forum:

Introduction:

A group of concerned long time Soulard residents have gotten together and formed an ad hoc committee to address the problems associated with Mardi Gras. Our general feeling is that Mardi Gras, Inc. has over promoted the event to the point that it has become dangerous and destructive to our residential neighborhood.

The following is a basic statement concerning our position and supportive points that Mardi Gras, Inc. and the people at City Hall need to address before the 2007 event takes place.

Statement:

Mardi Gras has outgrown Soulard, our residential neighborhood, and must move to another location.

1. Mardi Gras is unsafe. Mardi Gras, Inc. over promotes the event which is held in our residential neighborhood. There are too many visitors who exhibit drunken, aggressive, and dangerous behavior. The crowd is getting younger and drunker. There is unsafe crowding. There is excessive demand on and use of the city’s police force. There is residual broken glass and trash. There is public urination.

2. Mardi Gras causes the destruction of private property. The event is over promoted, too large, and an open invitation far and wide for attendees to come to Soulard. There is constant and extreme destruction to our homes, yards and businesses.

3. Mardi Gras does not benefit the Soulard neighborhood. It puts money into the pockets of a select few and the residents are left to deal with the repercussions of this event, leading up to it, on the day of the event and throughout the year.

4. Mardi Gras is branding Soulard as a “year-round party place.” It is detracting from the interests of Soulard as a residential neighborhood noted for its historic architecture and charm. It threatens Soulard’s viability and the continued ability to attract and keep families and other potential residents and businesses to the area to ensure the legacy of a stable and diverse urban neighborhood.

Not much to disagree with here. The Soulard residents have done an excellent job of summarizing their views. Let’s look at each point.

Safety:

Yes, each year it appears the group is younger and drunker. I don’t have a problem with younger but the drunker part is an issue. A good beer buzz is one thing but falling down drunk is quite another. Squeezing many people into a small area and then an increasing number drunk it a bad overall formula. The potential of a small scale riot is quite feasible.

Destruction of Property:

With drunks comes property destruction. The neighborhood is fragile with many windows at the street. Old fences and other property is in close proximity to being damaged.

Benefit:

This is a tough one. I think, to a degree, the residents have benefited from Mardi Gras in that it has helped increase property values from the area being considered a hot spot. But, otherwise I see no direct benefit to local residents. The bars & restaurants do a good business but do other local businesses benefit?

The Big Picture:

Gaslight Square went downhill partly due to be overdone. The focus became too much on entertainment and partying. Few want to live in the middle of an entertainment district. I think it is a fair concern for the residents to raise that Soulard may be branded as a party place. If so, it could potentially lose its appeal as a nice neighborhood with local restaurants and bars. Crossing the line from neighborhood to entertainment district is not something we want to cross.

I’m happy to see such a rational discussion of the points and hopefully something can be determined so that we have a Mardi Gras in some form for years to come. However, I just can’t imagine it feeling right on Market in front of the post office.

– Steve

CNU’s Norquist uses St. Aloysius in Presentation on Urbanism

This evening, at the APA Workshop in Kirkwood, CNU President and CEO John Norquist used a picture of St. Aloysius as a good example of how a building can terminate a vista. He had pulled the image from my site resulting from a Google search.

By a stroke of luck Norquist sat next to me on the bus trip from Kirkwood to New Town at St. Charles. On the bus ride out and back we had a chance to talk about New Urbanism, St. Louis, Milwaukee (where he served as Mayor), parking, highway construction and, one of my favorite topics, the Apple Macintosh.

Speaking with Norquist on the bus and as we walked around New Town I found him to be someone private and reserved. As we hit it off he would make observations to me about things he saw. For example, across from the sales center was a building along an alley that lacked windows on the alley side, a no-no in New Urban terms. He seemed pleased to find something to tease planner Andres Duany about. New Town’s Tim Busse acknowledged they have made a few mistakes but have quickly learned from. Norquist was clearly impressed by what he saw. I will have a full review of New Town in April.

Norquist’s opening presentation to the workshop was very inspiring, funny and spot-on. He changed from a tall but quiet man to a very outspoken speaker. He took shots at our current foreign policy as well as clearly showing the distinctions between the old sprawl patterns of old vs. the new patterns of urbanism.

Norquist related a story of a street in Milwaukee where a developer built a horrible little strip center set back from the street just after he was elected Mayor. He knew the developer and asked him why he built the building so far back from the street. The developers answer? It was what his city’s code required. From that moment he set out to change his city’s zoning to allow for urbanism.

I was so impressed by his presentation that I bought his book, The Wealth of Cities: Revitalizing the Centers of American Life. After his presentation I informed Norquist that St. Aloysius will be razed, he was shocked and miffed. “Tell them I used it in my presentation.”

– Steve

Some Soulard Residents Want to Cancel Mardi Gras 2007

Today I got an email about a meeting to be held tomorrow in Soulard concerning next years’ Mardi Gras. Some want it canceled!

Soulard Residents Form Ad Hoc Committee
Will Present Statement at Upcoming Mardi Gras Forum

A group of long-time Soulard residents have formed an ad hoc committee to address neighborhood concerns about Mardi Gras with the hope of cancelling the 2007 event.

The group will read a statement at Mardi Gras Inc.’s annual Mardi Gras Forum to be held on Thursday, March 30th, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. The forum will be held in the Boilermaker’s Union Hall at 1547 South Broadway. [Enter through the back door, behind the hall, off the alley/parking lot area next to Quizno’s.

The group came together and formed the committee when several residents, fearful for their safety and that of their neighbors, outraged at the destruction of their private property, and discouraged by the general disrespect of the neighborhood by Mardi Gras planners and attendees, decided it was time to join together and speak out against the event. They believe that Mardi Gras has increasingly become an overly promoted, dangerous and out-of-hand event that the current event promoter, Mardi Gras, Inc., cannot or is unwilling to adequately oversee and one in which the police force unwittingly, is hard-pressed to manage and contain.

Over the past weeks, the committee has contacted a larger group of concerned neighborhood citizens who will be present at the Forum and will stand together with committee members, united in their position to permanently remove Mardi Gras from the historic Soulard neighborhood.

WHAT: Mardi Gras Inc.’s Mardi Gras Forum
WHEN: Thursday, March 30, 2006; 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Boilermaker’s Union Hall at 1547 South Broadway in Soulard
Entrance from the alley/parking lot at the rear of the building, [next to Quizno’s]

I enjoy Mardi Gras but will be the first to admit that it is something I go to, it doesn’t come to me and my home. I cannot attend the meeting but I expect to get a copy of the statement to publish here.

– Steve