Sticking Up For My City 9.04.2007 | 4 Comment(s)

Let me begin by saying, argh, I freaking HATE Channel 2's website. Everything is fucking video and I can't find a transcript of the "What's On My Mind" segment that JC Corcoran does...which is what's got me writing tonight.

Anyway, the segment was all about the Danforth/Slay plan for the Arch grounds and he basically brought up a few points I already have, but then he goes into this spiel about "failed" developments (Bottle District, Ballpark Village). OK, whatever. Yes I think the Bottle District is pretty much dead, Ballpark Village, well, the jury is out on that one, but it's going to get done. However, the most ridiculous line he spouted out was something about that the Arch is safe to visit during the day but has the perception of being a placed where you'll get knocked over the head and carjacked at night...his words, not mine.

Huh, what the fuck did you just say? I may be living under a rock, but I've never met someone who has called the Arch grounds unsafe at any time of the day, and I know some pretty stupid people. I've been there at night, a non-event night, and the grounds are absolutely tranquil and gorgeous. Was Corcoran saying, in a round about way, that downtown is dangerous?

He brings up the point that it's the little guy that makes developments successful, not the big wigs, which I agree with, and goes on to list 2 or 3 large failed developments, all within the City and lists only one successful redevelopment project...that he places outside the city limits...go figure. It's the Loop, which he calls the "U-City Loop"...which now extends into the City...been there lately, JC? Doesn't sound like it. There are numerous examples of successful redevelopment all around the city...downtown, south city, etc, etc. but none of those areas were mentioned...just the "U-City Loop".

I mean if you're going to dog the city via Danforth, at least give the success stories some equal play.

OK, so I don't know why I got so steamed about this segment. I guess it was because a talking head actually had a chance to spotlight success in the City as well as failure, but in the end all we got was a pretty uneducated & unbalanced primer in City (and U-City) redevelopment. People listen to this stuff and take it as fact, another reason I got mad I suppose. Whether it's city issues, or something else, these kinds of non-researched opinion pieces just irritate me (sound like a blog you know?).

Corcoran ended his segment asking if Danforth has ever been to the Arch grounds, I found myself asking Corcoran if he'd been to the City outside his television studio recently. It's not perfect, but it's a bit better than he made it out to be.

By  UrbanReviewSTL, at 10:22 AM

I didn't see the segment but here are my thoughts. Yes, we have had a lot of failed developments. Big expensive ones. That is fair game when shining light on a new proposal.

And he is correct, the arch grounds, downtown and all of the city has an unsafe perception to many. Sure, his comment doesn't help. I can't say that I'd feel safe walking through a dark and lonely arch grounds at night. I believe in safety in numbers.

To many the Loop is still the U-City Loop as that has been its name for decades now. The Delmar Loop is better given the history of the streetcar that mades it loop there, or simply The Loop. I still think about my old apartment next to Boatman's Bank on Lindell.

Names take time. When I moved to Old North St. Louis in 1991 it was still officially known as Murphy-Blair. We are seeing a change now with Forest Park Southeast becoming The Grove.

But I agree with you that he is fair game for calling him on these issues. At least with a blog we've got the chance to link to other viewpoints, allow comments and have an exchange of ideas --- not something permitted in a 30 second piece on TV.

By  Brick City, at 11:33 AM

"And he is correct, the arch grounds, downtown and all of the city has an unsafe perception to many. Sure, his comment doesn't help. I can't say that I'd feel safe walking through a dark and lonely arch grounds at night. I believe in safety in numbers."

The downtown/city thing I figured, we've been dealing with that forever, but I didn't realize there was this perception the Arch was dangerous after dark. To be fair though, I don't want to walk many places alone at night either, downtown, in my neighborhood, or out in the burbs.

The loop, I recognize it's the U-City Loop and will be for a long time, but it just made it sound like there was no progress east of skinker and that the loop stopped at Blueberry Hill.

It's not so much that I disagreed with what he said, but more how it was presented & the lack of research done...not sure if that came across in my orignal post.

By  Matthew, at 2:47 PM

no i got that through your essay as well. that segment is the subject of my eternal fury. this pundit has no intelectual curiosity, no interest in difference of opinion, and a merciless assertion that his opinion is the truth. I can't stand Channel 2 news

By  Dragon Lady, at 10:40 PM

I CANNOT stand that man. I didn't see his report, but he had a prime opportunity to voice an equal opinion about the city's good and bad points. And what did he do? Voiced the suburban point of view. What a freaking shock. Maybe he should actually try visiting areas within the city instead of talking about "perception". Perception is what kills this city and all this jackass does is reinforce the same old perceptions.

FYI, Forest Park Southeast is still Forest Park Southeast. I live in that neighborhood. "The Grove" is just some term that the businesses are using to separate themselves from the minority neighborhood surrounding it so that stupid white people won't be afraid to eat and drink there.