It's one hiccup that will occupy such a small parcel of land that it shouldn't bother anyone. In the grand scheme of things, a QT will not hinder additional projects and progress in the redevelopment area.
St. Louis has a sh*t-load of unfortunate "hiccups" that have cumulatively destroyed it. At some point somebody's gotta recognize this, but I don't have the patience to wait around for it anymore. QT gives zero f*cks about St. Louis. They only care that St. Louis lets them tear down whatever the f*ck they want wherever they want whenever they want because St. Louisans are insanely and hopelessly addicted to cars. And "OMG, they pay slightly better than minimum wage!" And "OMG, their prepared food is slightly better than gutter trash!" Oh, and they buy people like Ms. Williams. QT is f*cking garbage and they can rot in hell. Also, as quoted in the above stltoday article, adjacent residents disagree that "it shouldn't bother anyone."
Whether the alderman wants to make it a decision that is up to what sounds like an exclusive community association is irrelevant. It’s a citywide decision, impacting all city residents and business owners, and everyone gets to express their views and concerns to the Board of Public Service via written or spoken comment. Email the Board of Public Service and express your views.
The BPS is charged to make their decision based on 5 factors, which include whether the requested use will be detrimental to the public health and general welfare of the community, will reduce or impair neighboring property values, whether it will contribute to, enhance, and promote the general welfare and convenience of the specific location, and whether the use will complement or be compatible with the surrounding uses and will not have a negative impact on adjacent uses or community facilities.
Several strong arguments can be made that a gas station next to residential and next to a right of way the city is trying to make more bicycle and pedestrian friendly violates several of the Board of Public Service criteria. Send comments to the BPS.
^Should throw in as well that such a heavy-traffic development, right next to a tight highway exchange, could be a negative factor to emergency medical services running ambulances to SSM SLU and Cardinal Glennon. Position it as a hazard, that sick kids in ambulances would face a greater risk of dying on their way to the hospital because there are too many cars trying to get QuikTrip hot dogs and cruising. They don't allow that sort of development right next to BJC; why should they let it be right next to SLU Medical Center?
SouthCityJR wrote:Is SLU’s angle here just a hope that a fancy QT will run the junky BP just up the street out of business?
Maybe, just maybe, a QT here could lead to the closure of both the BP at Spring & Grand AND the Circle K at Grand & FPP. If and only if this could be achieved, I'd support this project, but I just don't see that happening. That'd certainly be one hell of a chess move.
I don't think gas stations could ever really become oversaturated. Think how many times you see two gas stations across the street from eachother. One has gas 20 cents cheaper, yet you still see three or four cars at the expensive station getting gas.
That is until EVs gain a majority market share. Then we will start seeing the gas stations close left and right (I'm sure without doing any of the environmental cleanup required to redevelop the sites)
In all seriousness, why hasn’t the so-called progressive wing of the Aldermen proposed a moratorium on new gas stations? I’d support it for the exact reason you just mentioned. In 10 years these things will end up as tombstones. We just do not need any more of them.
In all seriousness, why hasn’t the so-called progressive wing of the Aldermen proposed a moratorium on new gas stations? I’d support it for the exact reason you just mentioned. In 10 years these things will end up as tombstones. We just do not need any more of them.
Because they're already bought and sold, just like all their pandering predecessors who parroted talking points and sported trendy labels to confuse credulous citizens...
I don't think gas stations could ever really become oversaturated. Think how many times you see two gas stations across the street from eachother. One has gas 20 cents cheaper, yet you still see three or four cars at the expensive station getting gas.
That is until EVs gain a majority market share. Then we will start seeing the gas stations close left and right (I'm sure without doing any of the environmental cleanup required to redevelop the sites)
And if that ever happens, then all those gas station/c-stores will just be converted to charging/battery swapping stations with c-stores.
All these chains already have a concept for this, and it looks pretty much like a QuikTrip, only larger, to accommodate charging stalls and much more seating, food, and entertainment. Some even have lounges, so maybe more like a hybrid of a QT and a truck stop...
I don't think gas stations could ever really become oversaturated. Think how many times you see two gas stations across the street from eachother. One has gas 20 cents cheaper, yet you still see three or four cars at the expensive station getting gas.
That is until EVs gain a majority market share. Then we will start seeing the gas stations close left and right (I'm sure without doing any of the environmental cleanup required to redevelop the sites)
And if that ever happens, then all those gas station/c-stores will just be converted to charging/battery swapping stations with c-stores.
All these chains already have a concept for this, and it looks pretty much like a QuikTrip, only larger, to accommodate charging stalls and much more seating, food, and entertainment. Some even have lounges, so maybe more like a hybrid of a QT and a truck stop...
Charging your car while it's parked in your garage or waiting around in a hybrid QT/truck stop lounge with "entertainment". That's a tough call.
^Sure. And in an idea world not all city dwellers need to have individual private cars. We've a long way to go to idea, but I suspect we might be at just about the peak of individual automobile ownership in St. Louis and just possibly the nation as a whole. I am inclined to think the demand for gas pumps is going nowhere but down from here. And charging stalls probably won't need to replace them on anything like a 1:1 ratio, since it's so easy to simply stick a charging port in a parking lot at the super market, shopping mall, or office anyway. (Or, as noted, in the many ample garages we do have.) If QT is banking on the electric car market keeping them afloat at present levels I think I'd sell fast. (NB: I am a musician and stagehand, not a stock analyst. This is not actionable business advice.)
I’ve been under the impression gas stations make very little money off gas. It’s all the stuff sold inside. I go to qt to get stuff inside far more than to get gas. I figure the qt types will be okay. Now the stations that have very limited inside sale options.. it might be different.
Grand and Lafayette. What a terrible decision. Does SLU need the money?
The Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood has had the courage to say no on more than one occasion to lame ideas at Delmar and Skinker, why can't they?
I think yes. They had budget deficits of $20 million in FY 2020 and $4-8 million in FY 2021. And that was after significant budget cuts (over $50 million).
What is required to revoke SLU’s development authority? Are the voters powerless?
In SLU’s 2016 press release announcing the redevelopment priority, the first sentence states the SLU wants to become a “leader in just land use and responsible urban design.” They lied. They’ve not done anything just or urban. Their power must be revoked.
StlToday - Despite plan calling for ‘signature development,’ SLU sells prime Midtown land to QuikTrip
The university sought in the spring to distance itself from the potential sale of the land, saying only it had told the company to work with the adjacent Tiffany Community Association on the potential for a new QuikTrip and referring questions to the company.
But documents filed with the real estate sale in September show QuikTrip has had the SLU land under contract since February 2019.
Maybe enough public shaming will force their hand.
I sent a message to Ald. Davis. Not expecting to hear back. Last she said it was in the hands of the Tiffany Neighborhood Assn. Well, I guess it's not, then.
Frankly, screw the Tiffany Neighborhood Assn. A perfect example of why we need neighborhhod consolidation. This parcel is barely within Tiffan'ys boundaries and directly effects the Gate, Shaw and Compton Heights.
Is there any recourse at this point? It's zoned H, so I don't think there's a zoning change needed. They may not demo either building to the west, but it's in the Tiffany Neighborhood Historic District. Does that one have any regs on new construction? Does the Chapter 353 redevelopment area supersede that?
