I noticed something a bit discouraging this afternoon-- a crew was installing a wrought-iron fence around the Church's Chicken building. Seems like an expensive "temporary" measure if they were preparing to demo the building, but I could be wrong. Anyone have the scoop?
According to a Wash U representative, Church's closure was unexpected. It's here to stay for the time being, but the property will eventually be redeveloped and "a major institution" is involved in the planning... Wash U does not own the property but "knows the owner". My theory is that Wash U indirectly purchased the property through an intermediary but was genuinely caught off guard when Church's closed and hasn't decided what to build yet.
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No changes--change of owner, building permit for a fence--listed yet on the city's website.
They opened today.quincunx wrote:Blueprint Coffee expects to open in three weeks.
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I talked to the baristas at the coffee shop across from the old church's Chicken and they had heard it was going to be torn down for ... wait for it ... PARKING! They weren't sure if it was wash U parking or public, but they were hoping for public (since I guess its hard for them to find parking?!?)
Hopefully, this is just misinformation....
Hopefully, this is just misinformation....
I hope you're wrong too. There's already a very under-utilized parking look across the street!
RFT - First Look: Blueprint Coffee in the Loop
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/gutche ... coffee.php
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/gutche ... coffee.php
Thai Pizza says it'll reopen Sep 30.
There is a big dumpster in front of the Wabash Station. Don't see any permits listed on the city's website.
There is a big dumpster in front of the Wabash Station. Don't see any permits listed on the city's website.
Some artists were painting murals on the boarded-up windows of the former Church's Chicken. You can't put lipstick on that pig!
I saw work being done on the roof of the Wabash Station today. My guess is routine maintenance.
The art on the boarded-up windows of the former Church's Chicken uses the same eyeball motif as the mural on the Lofts of Washington University construction barrier. The eyeball is the trademark of the artist Peat Wollaeger. That he was hired to decorate Church's suggests to me that Wash U controls the property.
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Gut Check had a post about this. It does sound likely that Wash U has the property under contract, but no one is admitting it yet
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/gutche ... window.php
http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/gutche ... window.php
I sure hope it's WU. My biggest fear, as someone pointed out earlier, would be the church next door acquiring the lot for parking.
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While we're at it, let's take up a collection, buy that Shell station, and replace it with something mixed-use that holds that NW corner.
Wow I didn't even consider this. I would be horrified if this were true. The gas station has to go, I agree. Delmar has been declared a walkable region stretch and the car centric gas station simply has no place. Cars only looking for gas should be actively discouraged from coming near there. The BP at Forest Park and Vandeventer was purchased and demolished in a blink of an eye to make way for the developments in that area. The same could possibly happen here.framer wrote:I sure hope it's WU. My biggest fear, as someone pointed out earlier, would be the church next door acquiring the lot for parking.
Also are there any future plans for the AT&T building in the southwest corner? It looks like it could potentially be converted into residential or office space. The parking lot right at the corner has to be turned into a building but the lot on the west side could possibly fit a parking deck. There are no windows on the west side facing side so it wouldn't block anybody's view. I'm not sure what to do about the building's lack of appeal at street level though.
Getting rid of these things and fixing the Church's Chicken site would remove a barrier to pedestrians walking to east loop.
Found this East Loop shot from the 1920's on the History Museums website (link to hi-def photo). I wonder when they dug the below grade open cut that the Metrolink Red Line runs in now. Probably at the same time the beautiful limestone Wabash Station was built, which was 1928. Looking closely you can see that the steam engine crosses right over the Delmar streetcar tracks. Amazing to think how integral and pervasive rail infrastructure was back then.
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Here's a double decker People's Motorbus pulling into Wabash sometime between 1928 and 1934 (care of NextStopSTL)
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Here's a double decker People's Motorbus pulling into Wabash sometime between 1928 and 1934 (care of NextStopSTL)
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My understanding is that the AT&T property holds a large amount of regional telecommunications infrastructure and won't be touched for a long time. The best we will see is a small public plaza built on the current parking lot.Also are there any future plans for the AT&T building in the southwest corner?
AT&T refuses to give up the barely-used parking lots citing security.
A small public plaza would be a huge upgrade from the fenced off empty parking lot that is there now.
I would hope that a public plaza surrounded by benches, planters and bollards to prevent vehicle access would be adequate security for whatever precious telecom infrastructure they have stored in that fortress of a building.
I would hope that a public plaza surrounded by benches, planters and bollards to prevent vehicle access would be adequate security for whatever precious telecom infrastructure they have stored in that fortress of a building.
^Well, I doubt that ATT would want to invite the young crowds that take over the gas station to come party on their property.
I don't really understand the security complaint. Wouldn't a building standing next door be more secure than an open plaza or an underutilized parking lot and fence? Or am I missing something obvious?
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^maybe people would rent the room that shares a wall with the building, then break through the wall into the vent system, the rappell to the computer station in the room with the pressure sensitive floor and make free phone calls to foreign countries.
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Referring to if it was a public plaza. Would draw loitering and other nonsense.
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What's the incentive for AT&T to give up their parking lot? They don't need the money. They would just be giving up parking for their employees and the property gives AT&T the potential for expansion of their facility if that ever were necessary.
Not saying I hope AT&T keeps it as an underutilized lot, just saying that the idea of change has to come with incentives.
Not saying I hope AT&T keeps it as an underutilized lot, just saying that the idea of change has to come with incentives.