urbanSTL

roger wyoming II wrote:^^ Can you be more specific on what you're disagreeing on? I really don't have strong opinions on how far downtown collaboration should go and can see pros and cons, but I think it is certainly interesting food for thought.

In general I think we have the CBD as a distinct area and then sort of a long stretch of Downtown West to Midtown and Cortex where there are many commonalities... hopefully the districts will eventually blend all together. And one thing I hope there will be a shared goal is making Saint Louis Streetcar a reality.

If I were the CID I would spend almost all my energy on fostering a strong and very focused business and visitor core. An area even smaller than the extent of the current CID. I would try to build around short walking and transit system headways/travel times that already exist so the entire core would really be able to function as "one place"..... Perhaps each of the Metro Link Stations from the Civic Center to 6th and Washington and locations one can walk to/from those stations within 5 minutes....I would concentrate my investments and energies in that area at, least for awhile, until it has a take off which seems sustainable....Could be a decade or more... I would try to strengthen the sense/experience of the "place" being one interactive and pleasurable "place" to work and play.... Perhaps, work with Metro to create a downtown reduced fare zone for travel only among the four stations with tickets wholesaled by Metro to businesses within the "place". Those businesses would sell or comp the tickets to patrons and employees. Perhaps, focus most of my investments to improve walking/biking/streetscapes within the "place". And, I would probably focus my marketing efforts to be about "the place".

One way to try go about it anyway.. Maybe there are others that work better.

I had intended to say the four stations from the Civic Center to 6th and Washington.. I edited to clarify. I think the downtown fare concept should be for all hours...not just lunch...Make "the place" an almost all the time work/live/play space.... The Metro trains downtown seem to have some capacity (at least standing room) just about all of the time. By actually wholesaling reduced fare tickets to businesses, Metro would get some revenue and their ridership numbers would go up a little...useful in the UMTA formula games.

Cortex and Midtown seem to be doing just fine without any special efforts and I think they will continue to do so.

The downtown core needs sustained and focused help.

^ I think vollum nailed it with what a TDD should be and what it should prioritize for downtown.

The one item that seems like a no brainer is somehow find a way to fund the replacement of the 22nd street parkway with a new interchange, at grade intersection as well put back some street grid in that part of west downtown. I think that improvement with an at grade intersection at Grand and FPP should have been part of the upcoming bond vote or the bond measure should have at least been increased a sufficient amount to tackle a couple of key street, transportation projects. However, I wouldn't suck up TDD funding to favor one large project downtown. That would be a mistake

My real opinion on this proposal is that my arms are wide open for this as an employee of Downtown i would love to see our Downtown infrastructure improved & beautified also i would be open to seeing some of our Downtown streets become 2 ways streets also still like to see the possibility of street car Downtown i know hands down that that would a complete game changer anything that will help improve Downtown that will promote growth beautify bring people Downtown will be merrier