urbanSTL

I guess my major questions off the top of my head for BPV are...

-- do Cards really want to see quality mixed-use?
-- if so, what are the primary issues?
-- is Cordish the primary problem?
-- are both hustling but just can't work the numbers and/or find office tenants?
-- if hustling, what can move the needle?
-- was Centene really interested or was it just using it to successfully leverage subsidies from Clayton?
-- if they really were at the table in earnest, what went wrong?
-- if Cordish is a primary problem, can they be jettisoned?
-- if Cards aren't really committed, are there any penalties still available?

DogtownBnR wrote:

I love how Budweiser Brew House is on Taphunter (draft listings site), so you can see exactly how badly they're ripping people off.
http://www.taphunter.com/location/Budwe ... 9945764864

I'm shocked they sell so many non-AB products at BBH.

I don't think these are all available through the entire BBH. Just a few taps on the second or third floor. The majority of the hundred+ taps are AB products. They really do focus on Bud, Bud Light, Select, etc...

^ I'm not sure I have optimism; I'm drowning in a torrent of tears! I guess part of it is I want to know who to blame, and while I didn't include this above, what Slay's role has been here.... if he's been putting pressure on DeWitts to get something done. If I were him, I would call the project out

roger wyoming II wrote:^ I'm not sure I have optimism; I'm drowning in a torrent of tears! I guess part of it is I want to know who to blame, and while I didn't include this above, what Slay's role has been here.... if he's been putting pressure on DeWitts to get something done. If I were him, I would call the project out

Exactly. Another failure of our leadership. At the very least, we're leaving money on the table since penalties for not developing the site are in the contract.

^ The Ballpark Village failure certainly is something to add to Slay's lack of accomplishments. It's amazing to me that it is possible that no mixed-use will have arrived to the site by the end of his 80th term or whatever # he is on now.

stlgasm wrote:

roger wyoming II wrote:^ I'm not sure I have optimism; I'm drowning in a torrent of tears! I guess part of it is I want to know who to blame, and while I didn't include this above, what Slay's role has been here.... if he's been putting pressure on DeWitts to get something done. If I were him, I would call the project out

Exactly. Another failure of our leadership. At the very least, we're leaving money on the table since penalties for not developing the site are in the contract.

Are they big enough to cover payments on a football stadium?

Slay retains solid support of old school Saint Louis and part of his advantage is that in past campaigns there was never a viable candidate that could create a successful new school coalition. That may be changing though and the next election may be a tough one.

But we still don't have a candidate. Reed is just the anti-Slay not a viable figure on his own. They both make political decisions out of spite for the other.

Ogilvie for the win! He's a white male, which the "old school" you talk of would like. He's got a beard and rides a bike, which the "new school" should like. More importantly, he is an independent pragmatist that isn't afraid to step on toes to keep the city from making stupid decisions.

framer wrote:Slay has just been in office too long. We need new blood. It's really a shame no good candidate has stepped up.

I'm looking at you Ogilvie. Save us.

Slay has seemed pretty consistent to me. Whenever a historic building is in trouble, he's there to spend money on the wrecking ball. Whenever there's a big project to wipe away all the organically gained achievements of regular citizens, he's there with a mini-poll and a smile. When there's a good idea, he is silent or working behind the scenes against it. When there's a bad idea, he'll work out a way to wield giant scissors or a golden shovel.

The bigger issue though is that St. Louis mayors for quite some time have been black or white. Slay's a symbol of the white Catholic machine. He cannot heal the distrust in our community when he ignores north city as a matter of policy or only takes an interest when he can help somebody erase it. We need a mayor that doesn't smell like Civic Progress.

A very long time ago Alex Ihnen proposed lit up towers all over town in different colors so you could know roughly where you are in town by the dominant color and those placemaking landmarks would help in giving people directions. Like you head from blue to green and then try to get to purple. You could figure it out because you'd see the tall lit up towers on the horizon.

Then time passed. Then SLU lit up midtown in blue. Now you are suggesting the cardinals light up the river to 14th street in red. A color often associated with other activities. But the St. Louis Blues can't claim blue if SLU already did it.