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Video: 2013 CityArchRiver Report to the Community

Published on Friday, 26 April 2013 07:44

Written by Alex Ihnen

Whatever your take on the CityArchRiver process, plan and politics, it's important to keep up with the project. Watching the presentation highlights well the complexity and overlapping jurisdictions involved with the project, as well as its shear magnitude. In fact, the juggling of this myriad of interests is likely the most powerful CAR accomplishment. It's not over, everyone's weighing in on the height of the berm where the new museum entrance is planned, for just one example. Earlier this month the project's Design Review Team and representatives from the National Trust went another round in examining every aspect of the berm in exceptional detail. That scrutiny is befitting a national memorial, but has served to thwart proposals that possessed less momentum in the past. So grab a beer (maybe two or three - it's a long video) and some popcorn and get up to date on the project that will shape our city's image for decades to come.

One Image to Help Explain the Boulevard v. I-70 Issue in St. Louis

Published on Sunday, 21 April 2013 10:59

Written by Alex Ihnen

It may not be immediately clear to everyone how significant the difference is between the image on the right and that on the left, but it should be. The image to the left as taken well after the Arch grounds were cleared. A widened Third Street serves as a downtown boulevard. One can see human-scaled commercial buildings on its west side. One sees the Old Cathedral as connected to downtown. The image to the right shows a completed Interstate 70. The difference in appearance, the new disconnectedness is stunning. No longer does it seem that any human-scaled activity belongs here, and in fact, it no longer exists here. To some, the difference above may seem less than definitive, but it's made all the difference on the eastern edge of downtown St. Louis.

Drury, Lawrence Group Eye Residential Development, Parking Garages for Laclede's Landing

Published on Thursday, 18 April 2013 07:50

Written by Alex Ihnen

{conceptual rendering of Drury proposal for Laclede's Landing infill - image by geoffksu}

The Drury Development Corporation in partnership with the Lawrence Group are in the preliminary design stages of transforming the two block surface parking lot in the southwest corner of Laclede's Landing adjacent to Eads Bridge and Third Street. The site has been discussed as the location of a parking garage if it is determined one is needed to replace the North Arch Garage. CityArchRiver plans to demolish the Arch garage as part of the revamp of the grounds.

The Drury proposal is considering a residential tower in the southwest corner bordered by Eads Bridge, Second Street, Lucas Avenue and Third Street, with an attached two-level parking structure and a separate parking structure at the block just north bordered by Morgan Street Brewery, Second Street, Lucas Avenue and Third Street. The new parking structure could consolidate parking for Bi-State (Metro), Abstrakt Marketing Group and Landshire employees, who currently use the Arch garage and scattered surface lots. Metro is currently considering moving out of Laclede's Landing.

A Plan for the Gateway Arch Leaves a St. Louis Highway in Place. But for How Long?

Published on Saturday, 13 April 2013 18:16

Written by Scott Ogilvie

{I-70 and the Gateway Arch, downtown St. Louis - credit: MoDOT}

St. Louis’ downtown riverfront is on the verge of a transformation. A major new bridge span over the Mississippi River is nearing completion, while on April 2, in separate but simultaneous votes, residents of St. Louis City and St. Louis County approved Proposition P, a 0.1875 percent (3/16th) sales tax increase that will fund a diverse range of regional parks and trails initiatives.

The complicated arrangement is expected to raise between $700 million and $1 billion in new revenue over 20 years, shoring up funding for existing parks and expanding available money for the regional trail building district known as Great Rivers Greenway. Most controversially, it dedicates an unprecedented stream of local revenue to a national park, the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, home of the Gateway Arch.

Arch/Parks Tax Victory, St. Louis Regionalism and What's Next

Published on Wednesday, 03 April 2013 12:34

Written by Alex Ihnen

{the Old Courthouse renovation will be one of the big beneficiaries of the Prop P victory}

Proposition P was approved by voters in the City of St. Louis by a wide margin yesterday. County voters passed the measure as well, meaning the 3/16% sales tax increase to fund local parks, recreation trails and the Arch grounds will be in effect for a period of 20 years, at which point votes will be required to reauthorize the tax. The final tally in the city saw the measure pass 67.2% to 32.8. The county final margin was 5.8% (6,234 votes), passing 52.9% to 47.1%. Turnout in the city was 12.5% and for the county 15.3%.

That's reality, but perhaps an outmoded lens through which to view the vote. Many, likely most, visitors to this site would like to see more regional cooperation, including St. Louis City rejoining St. Louis County, or even a full municipal merger. Shouldn't votes such as this been seen through this hopeful lens? If so, the Prop P vote wasn't close. A combined city/county would have passed the measure with very little drama, providing an 11% margin (14,545 votes). This shows that there was broad support among votes in the core of our region.