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"They all look nice," Rotary president Bob Kocher said Monday.
That quote was taken from today's Post Dispatch article about the plans for the failed Gateway Mall. The quote also sums up exactly what's wrong with the plans. To view photos of the proposed plans for the Gateway mall click here.
Will keeping over a mile of prime downtown real estate passive green space really add much needed life to an already boring and dead section of downtown? It didn't work the first time, so I'm not very hopeful about the current plans being thrown around. It seems like the concepts are just an attempt to pretty up what's there, not really do anything creative, innovative or beneficial for downtown. You can't just paint a building whose bones are in complete disrepair and call it a successful rehab.
It's no secret to regular readers of this blog that I feel the Gateway Mall should be plowed under and developed. I'd love to see the mall transformed into a row of mid-rise buildings with street vendors and people lining the sidewalks. I think street trees and beautiful planters could make a better urban garden than any large plot of land in the middle of our CBD could.
The last thing our sleepy downtown needs is green space and sculpture gardens, but I'm sure it will all look nice.
...because ever time I visit, I'm reminded how much I freaking love the place. How could you live there and every time you walk out your front door not be inspired by the built environment around you? I visited Soulard for the dog parade this past weekend and fell in love with the neighborhood, again...and wished I was able to afford on of the fantastic houses with their front door right on the sidewalk. There's a little white house on a street I can't remember that has so much charm it makes me want to explode...it's the cutest.
It's a shame some visitors (mostly non-city residents) that attend the Mardi Gras celebration disrespect the homeowners and businesses that make Soulard a great city neighborhood. I, for one, couldn't pee on any of the gorgeous structures up there, my pee just isn't good enough.
It's a shame some visitors (mostly non-city residents) that attend the Mardi Gras celebration disrespect the homeowners and businesses that make Soulard a great city neighborhood. I, for one, couldn't pee on any of the gorgeous structures up there, my pee just isn't good enough.
Have you ever driven by something everyday and yet never noticed the obvious? This morning I was driving into work, looked over at the Old Courthouse and realized for the first time that if you are a bit southeast of the fantastic old building the backdrop for the building are hideous parking garages! What a slap in the face to our green domed icon!
How did I never see this before? I don't even want to think about what was torn down so that the Kiener parking garages could rise. I'm sure whatever was there was a better frame, and gave better context to, the Old Courthouse.
How did I never see this before? I don't even want to think about what was torn down so that the Kiener parking garages could rise. I'm sure whatever was there was a better frame, and gave better context to, the Old Courthouse.
I miss taking photos. I'm not sure if it's the time of year, life circumstances or what, but I'm not as photographically prolific as I used to be. I guess sometimes new things come into your life and old friends take a back seat. The last photos of any substance that have been added to my Flickr account are from September...very bad of me.
I definitely need to get back into the groove, there's so much of the City left to photograph, so many interesting details left to be discovered.
I definitely need to get back into the groove, there's so much of the City left to photograph, so many interesting details left to be discovered.
Mayor Slay writes that a Cracker Barrel restaurant may soon open in the [sarcasm] wonderfully planned and easy to navigate [end sarcasm] Loughborough Commons development.
I guess the first thing that crossed my mind when I read this tidbit was "So what."
The mayor writes:
Thanks in part to the Mayor & city officials, 55 & Loughborough has been developed into one of the least urban parts of the City. Maybe we shouldn't be so surprised, or crowing about, Cracker Barrel's decision to locate in a suburban restaurant into a subrban style strip mall located in the City.
I guess the first thing that crossed my mind when I read this tidbit was "So what."
The mayor writes:
Cracker Barrel seldom locates stores in the hearts of urban areas.
Thanks in part to the Mayor & city officials, 55 & Loughborough has been developed into one of the least urban parts of the City. Maybe we shouldn't be so surprised, or crowing about, Cracker Barrel's decision to locate in a suburban restaurant into a subrban style strip mall located in the City.
While sitting at a stop light along Memorial Drive this morning, I looked to my left and my eyes settled on the St. Louis skyline. As I looked at the tall buildings, the courthouse and the rest I thought, "What would it look like down here if St. Louis was a "newish" city...like a Phoenix? What would it look like if the current governmental thinking was in place when St. Louis was founded?"
I thought about it for just a second, but 2 words came to mind, "flat" & "boring".
What do you think?
I thought about it for just a second, but 2 words came to mind, "flat" & "boring".
What do you think?
What do we do with areas like this?
"
Do we let a developer come in and create a New Town St. Charles or Winghaven? Do we build suburban style housing on the existing street grid? Do we restore the homes that are currently here and build historic replicas around them?
What should we do?
"Do we let a developer come in and create a New Town St. Charles or Winghaven? Do we build suburban style housing on the existing street grid? Do we restore the homes that are currently here and build historic replicas around them?
What should we do?
I have to admit, the only thing remotely interesting to me about the design of Lumière Place is its lighting. I was kind of excited to see the splashes of color, the oozing of reds and greens and blues, before the casino opened and they were testing the "glohawk". The walk to the Arch parking garage was going to be so much more interesting during these winter nights when the sun sets at 2 p.m.!
Unfortunately, instead of being treated to a fantastic light show each night after work, the fancy lighting display, which must have cost a fortune, only glows a pale baby blue color. No movement, no changing of colors, just...baby blue.
What's the deal guys? I hate casinos, but Lumière Place is supposed to be the cream of the crop, why the boring lighting? Light up St. Louis like the banner on the side of your building says you will, Mr. Place, I'm ready for it.
Unfortunately, instead of being treated to a fantastic light show each night after work, the fancy lighting display, which must have cost a fortune, only glows a pale baby blue color. No movement, no changing of colors, just...baby blue.
What's the deal guys? I hate casinos, but Lumière Place is supposed to be the cream of the crop, why the boring lighting? Light up St. Louis like the banner on the side of your building says you will, Mr. Place, I'm ready for it.
Aside from the fact they have a venue called "The Family Arena", today's paper gives all us heathens another reason not to live in St. Charles.
A local government attempts to regulate simple human behavior through legislation, that's fucking surprising!
A local government attempts to regulate simple human behavior through legislation, that's fucking surprising!
The main story on STLtoday this morning is about the "True Test" for highway 40 arriving today. In it's opening paragraph, the post said the closing of the highway was "providing to be the Armageddon that some had feared"...uh, you mean like the local paper and television stations?
Not that everything is smooth sailing, but the reality of Highway 40's closure has yet to live up to the endless hype the local media has been forcing us to endure for months now. I could not stop laughing (or pulling out my hair) when all the local television stations went on the air at like 4:30 last Monday...to watch the traffic???
"Congestion is heavy, Bob, so we're going to send all our crews out on the roads to get the full, live story."
Maybe I'm apathetic because 40 closing doesn't really affect me...but I was told that the highway's closing would affect everybody...so while I'm going 75 down 44 at 8 a.m., I can't help but wonder, when does Armageddon get here?
Not that everything is smooth sailing, but the reality of Highway 40's closure has yet to live up to the endless hype the local media has been forcing us to endure for months now. I could not stop laughing (or pulling out my hair) when all the local television stations went on the air at like 4:30 last Monday...to watch the traffic???
"Congestion is heavy, Bob, so we're going to send all our crews out on the roads to get the full, live story."
Maybe I'm apathetic because 40 closing doesn't really affect me...but I was told that the highway's closing would affect everybody...so while I'm going 75 down 44 at 8 a.m., I can't help but wonder, when does Armageddon get here?