My hunch has come true... a pair of old buildings on the south end of the Grand viaduct have been demolished. The buildings on both sides of the street in this picture are gone:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=grand+%26 ... eeAYOMEZdg

While the buildings themselves may have been nothing special, their loss further degrades an already diminished urban context as motorists head south on Grand. In a way, they were the "Gateway to the South Side", and now we are left with vacant lots and a Captain D's to greet us as we cross over the Grand bridge. The buildings were small but significant reminders of an old, gritty, dense city that we call ST. LOUIS.

^ And wide sidewalks/bikelane or not, the removal of these buildings adds to the soul crushing pedestrian experience. The walk from SLU Med to the main campus will feel that much longer.

maybe we'll get some grass and fences!

Oh, oh, maaaaybe a...fountain!!!!

^ I doubt it. There wouldn't be good access directly from Grand since Chouteau is so close and the viaduct may still be a bit above grade here. Who knows though.

I had someone who I respect very much tell me that Biondi "is one of the great urban renewal developers in St. Louis history."

Alex Ihnen wrote:I had someone who I respect very much tell me that Biondi "is one of the great urban renewal developers in St. Louis history."

Now that's a head scratcher. Tell that to the Gate District. Was this respected person a fountain salesman or sod farmer?

Mark Groth wrote:

Alex Ihnen wrote:I had someone who I respect very much tell me that Biondi "is one of the great urban renewal developers in St. Louis history."

Now that's a head scratcher. Tell that to the Gate District. Was this respected person a fountain salesman or sod farmer?

You would think, right? The comment was predicated on the person stating that the SLU area was a complete hell hole and now it's rather nice = Biondi's clearance program worked. Not entirely an insane argument. It's easy to forget (never learn) what a place was like 10-20 years ago. (That said, he's still wrong.)

Alex Ihnen wrote:

Mark Groth wrote:

Alex Ihnen wrote:I had someone who I respect very much tell me that Biondi "is one of the great urban renewal developers in St. Louis history."

Now that's a head scratcher. Tell that to the Gate District. Was this respected person a fountain salesman or sod farmer?

You would think, right? The comment was predicated on the person stating that the SLU area was a complete hell hole and now it's rather nice = Biondi's clearance program worked. Not entirely an insane argument. It's easy to forget (never learn) what a place was like 10-20 years ago. (That said, he's still wrong.)

A corollary argument could be made to when Mayor Giuliani chased the homeless, the whores, and the dealers out of Times Square.

On one hand, his actions changed the distinctive character & history of Times Square, from which there can be no return to its original underpinnings of creatively weird & base. However, from that has been incentive to invest from interests all over the world, incredibly changing private land valuations & bringing in millions more people per year, and with less fears of being mugged. While one can harp about the "Disneyification" of Times Square through heavy-handed, top-down dictation of what is allowed to remain in the area, supplemental investments have led to the area being a fitting home to the Nasdaq, Morgan Stanley, and Barclays (as opposed to Lower Manhattan).

While not condoning all that it's done, I do know SLU was close to relocating to the County decades ago, on what would have been totally gifted lands where multiple supplemental real estate projects have been conducted since. And while I can always expect more, I'd rather have a heavy-handed Midtown SLU than a West County SLU any day.

gone corporate wrote:A corollary argument could be made to when Mayor Giuliani chased the homeless, the whores, and the dealers out of Times Square.

On one hand, his actions changed the distinctive character & history of Times Square, from which there can be no return to its original underpinnings of creatively weird & base. However, from that has been incentive to invest from interests all over the world, incredibly changing private land valuations & bringing in millions more people per year, and with less fears of being mugged. While one can harp about the "Disneyification" of Times Square through heavy-handed, top-down dictation of what is allowed to remain in the area, supplemental investments have led to the area being a fitting home to the Nasdaq, Morgan Stanley, and Barclays (as opposed to Lower Manhattan).

While not condoning all that it's done, I do know SLU was close to relocating to the County decades ago, on what would have been totally gifted lands where multiple supplemental real estate projects have been conducted since. And while I can always expect more, I'd rather have a heavy-handed Midtown SLU than a West County SLU any day.

I agree with this.

dredger wrote:

moorlander wrote:If it has anything to do with the SLU Med School or SLU Hostpital, I'll find out next Monday.

Curious if you heard anything.

I second this question!