hey, is that Joe Edward's hotel in that picture (2nd tallest building...on the left)
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We shouldn’t fear the height limit.
First off, the BJC complex is one of the tallest clusters of hospital buildings in the world, with the Queeny Tower already tied for being the ninth tallest hospital tower in the world. And that’s before Biomed 21 is finished. Skyscraper heighth is not a problem for the BJC Complex.
Source: http://www.emporis.com/en/bu/sk/st/tp/ty/hs/
Also, is it so much of a crime that the new residential tower is to remain taller than the top of the hospital? I don’t think so. If I’m paying $3M for a penthouse, I want it to not necessarily be eclipsed by a helicopter landing pad.
It also helps establish a precedent for density. As mentioned above, I’d rather have a whole lot of 300’ building along Forest Park Avenue and clustered around the hospital complex than a hospital tower 600’ tall that is impractical by design.
As for the Ettrick Building, meh, it’s not that important. It’s a vacant hole amidst the life up and down the street. I’ve never thought to shop there; apparently, I’m not the only one, as no business located there is fighting the takeover. When you have one of the most modern and aesthetically pleasing advanced medical centers in the world across the street from a dumpy little brick shell, that’s eclipsed by a parking garage, it’s a low priority. Does it look like something that would attract investors to CORTeX?
With the new Shriners’ Hospital coming in, this little building, which all I can think of it holding is a liquor store, serves no substantive purpose in its present incarnation. If they have solid plans for the site that are better than anything the Ettrick could ever be, then by all means go for it. BJC & Wash U Med Center do own then, after all.
As with other buildings, if they’re that significant, then where are the preservationists willing to buy it?
If they’re out there, I’m sure they’ll make a play at the Ittners first.
First off, the BJC complex is one of the tallest clusters of hospital buildings in the world, with the Queeny Tower already tied for being the ninth tallest hospital tower in the world. And that’s before Biomed 21 is finished. Skyscraper heighth is not a problem for the BJC Complex.
Source: http://www.emporis.com/en/bu/sk/st/tp/ty/hs/
Also, is it so much of a crime that the new residential tower is to remain taller than the top of the hospital? I don’t think so. If I’m paying $3M for a penthouse, I want it to not necessarily be eclipsed by a helicopter landing pad.
It also helps establish a precedent for density. As mentioned above, I’d rather have a whole lot of 300’ building along Forest Park Avenue and clustered around the hospital complex than a hospital tower 600’ tall that is impractical by design.
As for the Ettrick Building, meh, it’s not that important. It’s a vacant hole amidst the life up and down the street. I’ve never thought to shop there; apparently, I’m not the only one, as no business located there is fighting the takeover. When you have one of the most modern and aesthetically pleasing advanced medical centers in the world across the street from a dumpy little brick shell, that’s eclipsed by a parking garage, it’s a low priority. Does it look like something that would attract investors to CORTeX?
With the new Shriners’ Hospital coming in, this little building, which all I can think of it holding is a liquor store, serves no substantive purpose in its present incarnation. If they have solid plans for the site that are better than anything the Ettrick could ever be, then by all means go for it. BJC & Wash U Med Center do own then, after all.
As with other buildings, if they’re that significant, then where are the preservationists willing to buy it?
If they’re out there, I’m sure they’ll make a play at the Ittners first.
The Ettrick was no good for the street -- why anyone thought building the first floor halfway below streetlevel, I'll never know.
Where did the idea of a heigth restriciton come in? Who cares? Why should Park East be the tallest? That seems so arbitrary.
On a positive note, the liquor store, the one place in that building I would be sad to see go, is just moving around the corner to the old Fortune Cookie spot on Laclede.
Where did the idea of a heigth restriciton come in? Who cares? Why should Park East be the tallest? That seems so arbitrary.
On a positive note, the liquor store, the one place in that building I would be sad to see go, is just moving around the corner to the old Fortune Cookie spot on Laclede.
The UPS store is moving into the old Fortune Cookie space on Laclede. They have already switched the awnings over the storefronts, so the Fortune Cookie sign is hanging over the current UPS location. Perhaps the liquor store is moving in there?
LoftLaw wrote:The UPS store is moving into the old Fortune Cookie space on Laclede. They have already switched the awnings over the storefronts, so the Fortune Cookie sign is hanging over the current UPS location. Perhaps the liquor store is moving in there?
well, it's one of the two enpty spaces on either side of Rosie's. Must be the old India's Rasoi spot.
With the liquor store moving, all the retail in that building is gone. The apartments above the stores have been vacated as of a few weeks ago. It's an ugly building in its current incarnation, though I have no idea what is under the pastel/art-deco remodeling. The only thing that confuses me is that while the ettrick building is marked for demolition on the map that vanishingstl posted, the building that housed the liquor store and the vegetarian place was not.
As for the ettrick building, it's fairly attractive, but unfortunately doesn't relate to the street well at all, and I think that it's a worthy sacrifice for the higher use that is to come.
As for the ettrick building, it's fairly attractive, but unfortunately doesn't relate to the street well at all, and I think that it's a worthy sacrifice for the higher use that is to come.
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DrDrew wrote: The only thing that confuses me is that while the ettrick building is marked for demolition on the map that vanishingstl posted, the building that housed the liquor store and the vegetarian place was not.
I don't get it either. Is the Med School taking over both buildings east of the parking garage, or just the Ettrick building? The Park East leasing office and The Majestic are both in the northern building, and the vacant space in between the two (formerly Second Empire Reality) is looking for a tenant. The space of just the Ettrick building doesn't seem all that large, unless the building is going to reach up to the sidewalks on FPP & Euclid.
There are actually three buildings: The ettrick, the one with the liquor store, and the majestic. In all scenarios the Majestic is safe.
Buildings in Red are slated for demolition in the next ~10 years. As I discussed above, some of these are only possibilities, and some may just be incorrect. I'm not precisely sure where this graphic originally comes from. I got it from vanshingstl.
Buildings in Red are slated for demolition in the next ~10 years. As I discussed above, some of these are only possibilities, and some may just be incorrect. I'm not precisely sure where this graphic originally comes from. I got it from vanshingstl.
I was combining the Ettrick with teh liquor store building. I hope they tear down the liquor store building, too, if they put something decent in its place...
Word on the street is that surveying of the site is taking place as we speak, with demolition of the Ettrick to begin "pretty soon, I think". Still unsure as to whether the building that formerly housed the liquor store and the vegetarian deli will be demolished as well, though it definitely is included in the project in some fashion.
The clinics are in theory going to open in 2010.
The clinics are in theory going to open in 2010.
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Let me guess -- the clinic building will feature the "signature" look of ugly beige concrete and teal-tinted glass.
Clayton has the red/salmon/pink brick with blue glass and CWE can have the beige/green glass look. Everything must flow seamlessly from BJC to the Park East Tower. No ifs, ands, or buts.
In response to the survey crew: they were out there earlier this week
In response to the survey crew: they were out there earlier this week
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So if demolition is supposed to start soon...one would imagine they (BJC/WU) know what will be put in the spot. Are there any renderings for the new building?
I think the city should work with WUSTL/BJC to keep the medical center expanding and bringing jobs to the area. However, I think they should look at building east rather than north. I'm surprised Queeny Tower or the Wohl Clinic aren't slated for demolition in the near future.
Haven't seen any public renderings yet, but, since depending on the results of tomorrow's Match, I may have a very deep interest in this building, I'll see what I can find out.
The old grand plan was to take down Queeny tower at some point, as it's poorly designed for a hospital (no freight elevator, no closets, small floor plates), but it seems as though people came to their senses and realized what a waste that would be. I wouldn't be surprised though, if it is converted completely to office space at some point in the next decade or two, after whatever will be built on part of Hudlin park is complete.
Wohl Hospital and Wohl clinic are safe, but after the new resident clinic building opens, many more floors will be converted to office space or research labs. Buildings that are destined for the wrecking ball are the Renard hospital building, and the smaller buildings connecting the Wohls to Radiology and the main hospital.
The medical center will indeed expand to the East, with the new Shriners, and research buildings, but the actual hospital is gargantuan enough as it is, and clinical facilities any more spread out than they already are would be a real pain.
The old grand plan was to take down Queeny tower at some point, as it's poorly designed for a hospital (no freight elevator, no closets, small floor plates), but it seems as though people came to their senses and realized what a waste that would be. I wouldn't be surprised though, if it is converted completely to office space at some point in the next decade or two, after whatever will be built on part of Hudlin park is complete.
Wohl Hospital and Wohl clinic are safe, but after the new resident clinic building opens, many more floors will be converted to office space or research labs. Buildings that are destined for the wrecking ball are the Renard hospital building, and the smaller buildings connecting the Wohls to Radiology and the main hospital.
The medical center will indeed expand to the East, with the new Shriners, and research buildings, but the actual hospital is gargantuan enough as it is, and clinical facilities any more spread out than they already are would be a real pain.
Surveyors were out at the site of the new resident clinic building again last week. As far as I know, there aren't any more barriers to starting on this, and demolition could begin soon, though I'm not sure if they have a permit yet.
The people I talked to hadn't seen an exterior rendering yet, but knew exactly how the interior is going to look, because they had a design charette earlier this year.
The exterior design is as yet not established in part because it seems Wash U hasn't decided for sure what form the street-level retail will take. That it will exist is certain. The uncertain part is whether it will be a pharmacy, optical shop, and/or other things directly related to the clinic, or whether they will simply be commercial spaces that Wash U can lease to whomever, a la the park east.
The people I talked to hadn't seen an exterior rendering yet, but knew exactly how the interior is going to look, because they had a design charette earlier this year.
The exterior design is as yet not established in part because it seems Wash U hasn't decided for sure what form the street-level retail will take. That it will exist is certain. The uncertain part is whether it will be a pharmacy, optical shop, and/or other things directly related to the clinic, or whether they will simply be commercial spaces that Wash U can lease to whomever, a la the park east.
Large pieces of furniture were being moved from the Ettrick building into a moving truck this morning. I wasn't aware that anyone was still in the building, but perhaps this is the last step before demolition?
It housed the interpreter service and a couple of physician's offices - they were all supposed to be out by the end of July. Looks like things are just slightly behind schedule.
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Since Tuesday, the parking lot to the Ettrick has been barricaded off, but I haven't noticed anything else going on in or around the building.
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wuphys wrote:This morning they were starting demo work on the Ettrick building
The stone with "Ettrick Building" or whatever it said was removed by at least Wednesday and there was a back hoe on location.
they've made pretty quick work of it; about 1/3 looks gone as of 11:00 or so this morning.
(big picture here)
(big picture here)
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^ Well, that's not a third gone, it's only just touched in that photo, but they just started this morning (Friday) so it's moving quickly. The College of Pharmacy res hall is going down quickly too.
Grover wrote:^ Well, that's not a third gone, it's only just touched in that photo, but they just started this morning (Friday) so it's moving quickly. The College of Pharmacy res hall is going down quickly too.
yeah, I realized a bit after I posted it that the building had not gone straight up to the parking garage in the next lot over, so there's not as much gone as I had first thought.
At any rate I saw some pretty big chunks fall down as I walked past on the way to lunch on Friday afternoon and don't expect much to be left there soon.
All in all I can't complain about this building going down so long as WU/BJC extends the street level retail out all the way down to Forest Park Ave.