really? last I heard they didn't even know who there general contractor was yet ......
i hope i'm wrong on that point.
i hope i'm wrong on that point.
The article in St. Louis magazine said they were looking at some time around August/September. I would hope that all the engineering/design work is done by now and they can get going as soon as the bonds are sold and the GC is selected if that has not been done yet.
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I hope you're right. I do a bit of legal work on construction matters - and generally it can take four to five months to straighten out all the legal technicalities once a general contractor is selected ..... so if they don;t have one yet I'd be concerned. .... but maybe they have everything streamlined and ready to go.
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markofucity wrote:maybe they have everything streamlined and ready to go.
I love that extreme optimism! You smoking the same stuff that Cubs fans are? Either that or I've become a jaded cynic of the DeWitts and their commitment to actually getting this project literally off of the drawing board and into reality.
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actually I think its pretty clear that I'm NOT optimistic. I said that I hoped I was wrong ....
markofucity wrote:guess they're not going to make that 2009 allstar deadline now huh ???
god help us if this doesn't go forward .... are we concerned yet.
My frustration and disappointment aside, I just hope for the sake of St. L that that doesn't happen.
It'd be an unbelievable mistake if they don't have at least some of phase I done by the All Star Game. That's an incredible opportunity to show off not only our new sports diggs, but downtown in general. A giant big mud pit doesn't exactly give off the greatest impression, and I can see the media coverage now with aerial views of the stadium showing off to the world that our city can brag about having the biggest downtown mud wrestling pit... boy if that's not an exciting prospect.
Sadly tough, yeah, I am a little concerned since there's been such limited news as of late. Hopefully they stick with that August/September goal, but for some reason, I won't be overly surprised if they miss that target.
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On the bright side.... I hope that BPW IS NOT completed by the allstar game. That's right boyz and here is why.
I believe that if phase 1 is completed and open for business by the all star game, that most people will spend a majority of their time there.
Now while that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, I believe that if it is in the latter stages of phase 1, people will get a greater opportunity to explore and see the rest of what we've accomplished while still experiencing the excitement of what's being built.
And can someone please tell those birds and cordish to put up some freaking BPV banners for once in their life.
thoughts?
I believe that if phase 1 is completed and open for business by the all star game, that most people will spend a majority of their time there.
Now while that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, I believe that if it is in the latter stages of phase 1, people will get a greater opportunity to explore and see the rest of what we've accomplished while still experiencing the excitement of what's being built.
And can someone please tell those birds and cordish to put up some freaking BPV banners for once in their life.
thoughts?
- 11K
I generally agree. I don't think it would be wise to plan not to have it done, but I can see the benefit of having a lot of construction taking place immediately next to the stadium. I think it adds a sense of energy to the city.
bpe235 wrote:On the bright side.
And can someone please tell those birds and cordish to put up some freaking BPV banners for once in their life.
thoughts?
Good point..I was thinking the same thing!
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ACTIVITY! Well, not much, admitedly, but it's the first thing I've seen outa this site in...well...about a year! There is a bulldozer on site today working on the Southern-most portion of the plot (closest to Busch). I know it's not much, but let's all hope theres two on the site tommorow...and cranes by August!
Were you able to see any type of markings on the dozer to suggest a contractor?
And how big are we talking? Is it the bobcat that was working at the Bottle District for a while or is this a big dozer.
And how big are we talking? Is it the bobcat that was working at the Bottle District for a while or is this a big dozer.
Hopefully the pond is enlarged, then we can get some bigger goldfish.
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MattnSTL wrote:Were you able to see any type of markings on the dozer to suggest a contractor?
And how big are we talking? Is it the bobcat that was working at the Bottle District for a while or is this a big dozer.
I think the contractor is John Deere... They read about the urban farm in north city and walla...
photo courtesy of John Godbey - Decatur daily news..
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdail ... fuel.shtml
From Tim McKernan and insidestl.com
http://www.insidestl.com/mckernan/index.php?storyid=336
http://www.insidestl.com/mckernan/index.php?storyid=336
This new stadium reminds me of the lackluster Cincinnati ballpark when it comes to Major League comparisons...but in reality, it's more like where the Memphis Redbirds play or some other River City Rascals-type operation.
I suppose I could deal with it if I felt like Busch Stadium III was the price we had to pay for Ballpark Village and a rejuvenation of downtown, but 16 months into its existence, the only thing the new ballpark has brought is a giant hole beyond left field.
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It was deffinitely not a bobcat, but not the biggest I've ever seen either. Don't remember any markings. Sorry guys.
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when is the deadline for the city to begin collecting the $3 million/yr in delay penalties. and is that deadline for nothing being completed or nothing under construction/no progress? and last but not least, would that penalty be imposed on the cardinals, cordish or both?
I drove by on my way home. There's an old track loader and an excavator. Similar to the ones below, since we are playing with pictures.
There's also a Clayco container sitting there, but I assume that is still there from work they did on the stadium.
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There's also a Clayco container sitting there, but I assume that is still there from work they did on the stadium.
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I don't understand this concern.
According to some on this board and in the media this is the most desirable piece of land in the city, therefore no development subsidies are need to entice developers to build on the site. Plus BPV is too touristy and doesn't have enough residential units.
With all of this demand there should be a line of developers waiting outside of Bill DeWitt's office with plans for 80-story buildings and 1,000 condo units with no need to give away our hard earned tax dollars for TIF and other subsidies.
If it is this easy, shouldn't we be rooting for Cordish to just give up, and let all of these others have at it?
According to some on this board and in the media this is the most desirable piece of land in the city, therefore no development subsidies are need to entice developers to build on the site. Plus BPV is too touristy and doesn't have enough residential units.
With all of this demand there should be a line of developers waiting outside of Bill DeWitt's office with plans for 80-story buildings and 1,000 condo units with no need to give away our hard earned tax dollars for TIF and other subsidies.
If it is this easy, shouldn't we be rooting for Cordish to just give up, and let all of these others have at it?
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God knows I would love that to be the case. IMO, there would be NOTHING better than the cancellation of ballpark village to make way for other developers to move in with multiple towers planned for the site. HOWEVER...I'm assuming this has not happened. Keep in mind that the city is headed in the right track, but we're not very far down that track yet. I think most educated St. Louisans can tell that St. Louis is starting to register on the urban map once again, but I'm not sure how obvious it is to outside developers not familiar with the city. We are a ways away from shaking the *stigma* that has become attatched to stl, but once we finally do for good (hopefully within the next decade ~ 2015?) developers will finally see how ripe our city is for development. (my viewpoint at least - see tag 
)
)In the long-term perspective of what is best for downtown St. Louis, I also would prefer someone develop this site other than Cordish. And, yes, I do think major developers would be "lined up at the door" if this plan fell through. It did not seem as if there was much of a competition to select a development team. Instead, it seems as though Cordish was simply anointed developer by DeWitt and Company. I would really like to have seen what other development teams could have come up with for this site if it had been a true national competition.
Unfortunately, at this stage of the game, the local media spin and national press from BPV's demise would set back downtown development and St. Louis' image considerably, not to mention the fact that we would probably have to stare at The Pit for at least two more years while a new developer was selected and new plans prepared.
Unfortunately, at this stage of the game, the local media spin and national press from BPV's demise would set back downtown development and St. Louis' image considerably, not to mention the fact that we would probably have to stare at The Pit for at least two more years while a new developer was selected and new plans prepared.
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It did not seem as if there was much of a competition to select a development team. Instead, it seems as though Cordish was simply anointed developer by DeWitt and Company.
Several developers did make proposals for the site prior to Cordish being selected, including McCormack Baron. Cordish's plan was the most ambitious.
Looks like enviornmental work has begun. Trucks seen on the site this morning from SCI Engineering and a company called Terra Drill.
Also as I was typing KMOX teased an upcoming story about BPV being "on track".
- 11K
From KMOX:
Ballpark Village On-Track for 2009 All-Star Game
Kevin Killeen Reporting
ST. LOUIS (KMOX News) -- As we near the All Star Break, the Cardinals and city of St. Louis both say Ballpark Village is on schedule to host the big game two years from now.
''The first phase is what we've been focusing on to try to be delivered by the all-star game in two years," says Cardinals Senior Vice President of Business Development Bill Dewitt III. ''That still looks good.'' Phase One includes shops, bars and restaurants of Ballpark Village, but not the living spaces and office towers.
Dewitt also says the private investment and state tax breaks are lining up on schedule and that a general contractor will be named in a month or so. Meantime, St. Louis City Development Director Barb Geisman says the city will issue bonds for the project later this month.
Ground breaking is slated for the early fall.