urbanSTL

How about a Grand Streetcar?

Over time, the hope is that development can connect SLU’s north campus with the medical institutions farther south on Grand Boulevard.

“If we can somehow give it a feel that it's one campus, that would be a tremendous thing for our students,” Heimburger said.

The bill passed 25 - 1. SLU expects to release a redevelopment plan soon:

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/educ ... 0018a.html

^ so long, Pevely and MO Belting and probably a bunch of other stuff.

Yep.

God I hope this is a good plan but I'm not very optimistic. Very little urban form coming out of these kind of situations.

I share your enthusiasm ImprovSTL, but at the same time maybe the new SLU administration will be different than the last. While i dont expect to see a plan with an urban form, maybe they will surprise us and give us midrise mixed use buildings with first floor retail that fronts the street, hiding parking in consolidated metered garages scattered throughout. Maybe.

There is a lot of potential for Grand Ave right there and a lot of ways they can screw it up.

There were some guidelines that came out a while back elsewhere in this thread that looked very good and very urban. There's reason to think the new administration is quite different. But I still hate to see power concentrated so completely in one stakeholder; especially when that stakeholder can be so completely shaped by the whim of one person, a person who might be replaced with absolutely no input from any voter or any other stakeholder. We shall see what happens. Hope for the best and plan for the worst, I suppose.

In 1990 my brother bought an old 1890's brownstone down the street from Boston Symphony Hall and very close to Northeastern University and the Green line subway. Today, per Zillow, it is worth 8 times what he paid. When I visit him, (my daughter goes to college in Boston), I can literally walk to 10 restaurants 2 blocks from his place near Huntington and Mass Ave, not unlike CWE. No reason Grand Center area and North could not experience a similar revival.


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So where is this plan?

Will this bring the incentives conversation to a head?

StlToday - SLU would control tax breaks, demo Pevely Dairy building under Midtown redevelopment plan

Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, a planning commission member, wondered whether 25 years of tax abatement is too much considering the high interest in land near Cortex. The city has said it is working to better manage its use of tax breaks to maximize revenue.

“I would just think that some of those values are already there and 25 years is not even necessary,” Boyd said.

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... f37ef.html

Any hint what the "major new educational building" might be?

SLU Releases Redevelopment Plan for Midtown St. Louis

SLU’s strategic plan calls for the University to become “a leader in just land use and responsible urban design.”

http://www.slu.edu/news/2016/november/r ... leased.php

Yea I'm not sure what to think of this plan. I understand why SLU wants control so they can figure out how to link the two campuses. Until Grand is redone at Forest Park Parkway there won't be any feasible connection. Just seems like development is happening just fine without SLU being involved and controlling everything. On the other hand, maybe some actual master plan for the area is something we do need.

As you can tell I'm completely conflicted on how to approach this

If SLU is serious about building a better STL and connecting the two campuses, investment in a Grand Streetcar line would be a logical option. Even a decently short line (1.5 miles) between the VA hospital in Grand Center to the north and Cardinal Glennon to the south would do wonders for the area. Connecting Grand Center to the Metrolink system would do wonders for the neighborhood, which would definitely be in SLU's best interest. Maybe if they feel really ambitious they could terminate the line around Utah street.

Even without SLU, the Grand Streetcar is an option that the city should heavily consider, the route is just so full of institutions and residential density. (at least in South City)

Wasting all the land around Doisy doesn't help connect the campuses.

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote:If SLU is serious about building a better STL and connecting the two campuses, investment in a Grand Streetcar line would be a logical option. Even a decently short line (1.5 miles) between the VA hospital in Grand Center to the north and Cardinal Glennon to the south would do wonders for the area. Connecting Grand Center to the Metrolink system would do wonders for the neighborhood, which would definitely be in SLU's best interest. Maybe if they feel really ambitious they could terminate the line around Utah street.

Even without SLU, the Grand Streetcar is an option that the city should heavily consider, the route is just so full of institutions and residential density. (at least in South City)

Seeing a streetcar going through grand center will be the closest thing we get to what things looked like back then. A street car going down grand all the way to the medical campus would be amazing. I could easily be down with something like that

Word in the tennis community is Rex has plans on the table for a world-class tennis academy similar to this.

https://xstennis.org/

Plans are for it to be within this district.

He does love his tennis, yes. Makes sense.

Anyone know if SLU's master plan will address its properties outside of the highlighted redevelopment area? Will there be plans to develop their property in Midtown?

Alex Ihnen wrote:^ My understanding is yes, the master plan will address all university property, Midtown/Grand Center, Downtown, etc.

Great, thanks!

Maria Altman ‏@radioaltman
SLU says will divest some land that it cleared of homes but has determined it doesn't need.