Laclede Power Bldg Trailhead Center and Rootwad Park

debaliviere · Jun 27, 2005#12005-06-27T20:29+00:00

Tax credits approved to redevelop Laclede Power Building

The Missouri Department of Economic Development approved up to $182,766 in remediation tax credits to Trailnet Acquisitions LLC for redeveloping the Laclede Power Building, the department said Monday.

The project is part of the Brownfield Redevelopment program, which provides financial incentives for redeveloping publicly owned commercial and industrial sites that, due to contamination, were abandoned.

The building, located at 1246 Lewis St., served as a power plant from 1902 until the 1940s and has been vacant for the last three years.

Trailnet Acquisitions will renovate the site into a bike rental shop, a bike sales shop, restaurant, catering business and office space -- creating about 46 new job, the company estimated.

"We are pleased to be able to provide the assistance that is necessary to create some of these new jobs and play a role in the clean-up and redevelopment of this property," Gov. Matt Blunt said in a statement. "These types of projects also help improve our communities and strengthen our economy."

Expat · Jun 27, 2005#22005-06-27T21:44+00:00

Does anybody know what this building looks like? I know by the address that it is on the landing, but I can't place it.

urbanstlouis · Jun 28, 2005#32005-06-28T02:55+00:00

Expat wrote:Does anybody know what this building looks like? I know by the address that it is on the landing, but I can't place it.

debaliviere · Jun 28, 2005#42005-06-28T12:47+00:00

Rendering:

southcitygent · Jun 28, 2005#52005-06-28T15:12+00:00

I have always thought that this was an area ripe for residential. The large abandoned warehouses would make wonderful apartments and restaurants. It could be a great little neighborhood close to downtown.

urbanstlouis · Jul 26, 2005#62005-07-26T19:23+00:00

<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... 5431">Work is set to begin on riverfront trailhead</A>

Post-Dispatch

07/25/2005

Renovation work could begin as early as next week on the century-old Laclede Power Center downtown after the board of directors of Trailnet approved the first phase of the $5.2 million project.

<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... 4A00145431">>>> read more</A>

trent · Jul 26, 2005#72005-07-26T19:45+00:00

Sounds even cooler than the original article. I love the idea of Cassily getting involved. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction to getting the riverfront fixed.

urbanstlouis · Aug 10, 2005#82005-08-10T04:20+00:00

trent wrote:I love the idea of Cassily getting involved.

Here is an article from the <A HREF="http://www.westendword.com">West End Word</A> that gives a little more of a description on what Cassilly has planned. This sounds like it might be on similar scale to his "Turtle Park" sculptures, which is also a hit.

Outside, City Museum founder Bob Cassilly will create Rootwad Park, a kid-friendly outdoor area featuring a sculpture made of a rowboat and animal figures. Tucker said that the park would pay homage to the 1993 flood, with the rowboat ?floating? at the same level that the water reached that year.

--

Here is a link to the entire article:

<A HREF="http://www.westendword.com/moxie/news/a ... >Ambitious trailhead project gets boost from brownfield grant</A>

By Kara Beightel

Posted Wednesday, July 6, 2005

A state grant worth about $183,000 is helping Trailnet go forward with its work on the Laclede Power Building at 1246 Lewis St., which the organization will convert into a trailhead center for cyclists and visitors to the riverfront. The building is immediately north of Laclede?s Landing.

<A HREF="http://www.westendword.com/moxie/news/a ... roje.shtml">>>> read more</A>

jmedwick · Aug 10, 2005#92005-08-10T14:01+00:00

This sounds like a great development. That area has several very large wearhouses that would make it a great residental area. My only problem will be with the new two casinos on the landing and the hopeful eveloution of the landing into the premier bar/ club area in St. Louis, how or what will effectivly buffer this area from the landing? I don't know about everyone else, but i don't think i would want to be living in the midst of tons of bars, casinos, and clubs.

suburban lou · Jan 23, 2006#102006-01-23T00:59+00:00

Trailnet plans park near Landing

By Tim O'Neil

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

01/21/2006

An old towboat and some of artist Bob Cassilly's big concrete reptiles will grace a riverfront park that Trailnet plans to build just north of Laclede's Landing.

Trailnet owns the old Laclede Power Co. building and has begun renovating it as a $5 million trailhead center for the St. Louis Riverfront Trail. The building, at 1246 Lewis Street, is next to floodwall gates that double as an entrance to the trail.

Trailnet, a nonprofit group that promotes bicycling and trails, announced on Friday that it received a grant to pay for most of the $525,000 park, to be known as RootWad Park. Trailnet wants to finish the park and trailhead center in 2007.

The name refers to the gnarly root stumps on river driftwood. Cassilly, creator of the child-friendly sculptures at Turtle Park near the St. Louis Zoo, plans to use large chunks of driftwood in the park design. Cassilly also founded City Museum downtown.

The $216,700 donation is from the Mysun Charitable Fund, on the recommendation of Sonya Glassberg, in memory of her late husband, Myron. Tim Tucker, project manager for Trailnet, said associated tax credits bring the value to $350,000.

Read More

Expat · Jan 23, 2006#112006-01-23T01:05+00:00

Can't wait to see this completed.

janit0r · Jan 23, 2006#122006-01-23T01:36+00:00

I thought I saw several possible renderings a while ago, but all I can find now is one on the Confluence Greenway site for the St. Louis Riverfront Trail.

shadrach · Jan 24, 2006#132006-01-24T19:05+00:00

BTW, the first time I rode the riverfront trail (right after it opened) I parked by the power plant and came back to discover my radio was stolen.

Thus the knocks of a city enthusiast!

Expat · Jan 24, 2006#142006-01-24T19:50+00:00

^When they get the powerplant developed, it will be safer to park your car there.

markinlondon · Jan 26, 2006#152006-01-26T05:15+00:00

Amazing what this little tax increase has done. This building will be great especially with the elevated tracks being converted close by!

gerwitz · Jan 26, 2006#162006-01-26T14:44+00:00

shadrach wrote:BTW, the first time I rode the riverfront trail (right after it opened) I parked by the power plant and came back to discover my radio was stolen.

Another reason to live close enough to ride to the plant

jambo · Jul 29, 2006#172006-07-29T23:24+00:00

Who wants to develop Laclede Power Center?

From Trailnet.org--

The first phase of the project, including building stabilization and environmental remediation, will be completed in 2006. Plans are underway for a two-acre family-friendly park that will surround the building and provide a unique and entertaining outdoor venue. The park will reflect themes of water and the rivers, with a children's water-play area as its centerpiece.

Trailnet Acquisition LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trailnet, Inc., is seeking a developer to assist in the development of the Laclede Power Building and adjacent parking lot (“the Project”). Trailnet embarked on this project over eight years ago and has completed some improvements to date. In order to facilitate the continued development of the project Trailnet, Inc. is seeking a developer that would retain to the greatest extent possible the public purpose components of the project (trailhead for the St. Louis Riverfront Trail and entrance to the Confluence Greenway ... that correlate to Trailnet, Inc.’s mission ... while proposing a compatible private development that maximizes the development potential of the building and financial return to Trailnet, Inc.

http://www.trailnet.org/p_lacledepower.php

metzgda · Apr 12, 2007#182007-04-12T13:59+00:00

I have two questions about this development.

1. Does anyone know what the status of this project is? Has any of this been developed at all?

2. Has anyone ran/biked on this path recently starting from downtown? I'm staying downtown this weekend and need to go on a 5-mile training run. Is the path safe to run on early in the morning alone?

Thanks!

debaliviere · Apr 12, 2007#192007-04-12T14:05+00:00

^

I've biked it several times. I would say it feels safe, as every time I've ridden it, there have been lots of people on it. It's in kind of a desolate industrial area, so it's not like there are a lot of people in the surrounding area.

chrisindowntown · Apr 12, 2007#202007-04-12T14:11+00:00

I run downtown fairly often, usually right after work if it's nice. I use the trail a little and then kind of make my own route. Never had any problems. If you need to do a 5 mile training run, you can always hop on part of the St. Louis Marathon Sunday morning.

jcity · Apr 13, 2007#212007-04-13T03:52+00:00

this is the best bike path in st louis. fair amount of people on it during the day, weekends. I'm not sure about early mornings.

metzgda · Apr 13, 2007#222007-04-13T13:08+00:00

Thanks for the info everyone! I'll be there Sunday morning while all the other runners will be doing the marathon. Hopefully the rain won't be too bad this weekend...

publiceye · Apr 13, 2007#232007-04-13T14:46+00:00

Has anyone ran/biked on this path recently starting from downtown? I'm staying downtown this weekend and need to go on a 5-mile training run. Is the path safe to run on early in the morning alone?

I'm on it most Sundays, usually early. There will be plenty of fisherpeeps down along the bank -- there's also a pretty cool male turkeyteen about mile 5.

metzgda · Apr 13, 2007#242007-04-13T16:34+00:00

fisherpeeps

?

male turkeyteen

??

Apr 16, 2007#252007-04-16T13:20+00:00

I ran the trail while I was in town Sunday morning. It was pretty quiet, except for a few bikers that I saw.

The trail is pretty nice, of course, it doesn't go through the prettiest part of town. I was dissapointed to see that the Laclede Power co. building hasn't started renovation so the entrance to the trail is not very welcoming. Hopefully this will get started because that would be a big plus for downtown residences. One of the biggest appeals for where I'm at in Chicago is being able to get on the Lake path and run or bike for miles and miles.

It would be neat if they could do a program so that some of the inner city kids could paint murals along the huge concrete barriers that follow much of the path.