urbanSTL

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Sep 24, 2020

Did the decibel test thing on my watch today. Sat where my beer garden concept would go for a couple minutes. It's loud, so ideas will have to be considered to try and make the area tolerable to sit outside. That will be a question for landscape architects and people know what they're doing.

This is the lowest, and highest, readings on the decibel thing on my watch. I should note that these readings were taken from what would be the middle of the beer garden, so you get echo from the sound bouncing off of the garage, rear of 744, and side of Nephews/742.

That isn't bad at all. A crowded outdoor bar/restaurant can easily get to 75dB by itself.

And as you noted, the main problem is not so much the direct highway noise, but the way it echoes off of the brick and concrete walls. Cheap solutions range from acoustic blankets that can simply be fastened to a chain-link or wooden fence, to fast-growing evergreen trees, ivy and/or hedges.

I like this idea. It's separate from the wall or fence, low-maintenance, and relatively cheap and easy to build...


Garden of Ease

From alderman Coatar:

Lastly, we're taking aggressive action against Terry McDonald's properties on South 4th.  We recently boarded up his "parking garage" and added jersey barriers to prevent cruisers from hanging out on his unsecured, unfenced surface lot.  We've also continually denied demolition permits for the falling down building (due to his own neglect) on South 4th.  Terry's lawyer has told me and the building commissioner that he is planning to shore up and the falling down building.  I'll believe it when I see it.  There's no way to take the buildings from him if he continues paying his property taxes.  Last I checked, he was current on his taxes.

bwcrow1s wrote: ↑

Oct 01, 2020

From alderman Coatar:

Lastly, we're taking aggressive action against Terry McDonald's properties on South 4th.  We recently boarded up his "parking garage" and added jersey barriers to prevent cruisers from hanging out on his unsecured, unfenced surface lot.  We've also continually denied demolition permits for the falling down building (due to his own neglect) on South 4th.  Terry's lawyer has told me and the building commissioner that he is planning to shore up and the falling down building.  I'll believe it when I see it.  There's no way to take the buildings from him if he continues paying his property taxes.  Last I checked, he was current on his taxes.

Interesting since the people I work with are told a slightly different story. And the part about Terry "shoring up his buildings"... yea, we'll believe it when we see it. We have no faith he will do that. He's just waiting for the first major snow storm to make the building collapse, he gets his insurance money, and builds a parking lot. 

Sad times.  So what's next?  The rest gets taken down and it becomes more blacktop?

so Terry gets what he wants after all then?

EssTeeEll wrote:Sad times.  So what's next?  The rest gets taken down and it becomes more blacktop?

Well... there were buildings in Old North that were saved in a similar shape to this. So that path can be taken.

Second option would be to hire an architect and create a basic design for a replacement building that looks the same as the one that collapsed. This is a similar situation to what was done in FPSE with that corner building on the Foundation for Health Campus.

The last option, but could be first if you’re Terry, is demolish the building, fill in the hole, and create a parking lot but then sell it right away. We’re going to try and prevent this from happening.

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Oct 27, 2020

The last option, but could be first if you’re Terry, is demolish the building, fill in the hole, and create a parking lot but then sell it right away. We’re going to try and prevent this from happening.

I have to ask... what exactly do you plan on doing to prevent this from happening?  If the building's collapsed and the owner isn't behind on taxes, short of eminent domain what else can be done to stop further demo?  At this point the building probably just needs to be demolished, and it's worth focusing on stopping any changes to zoning or required permits to allow the parking lot.

I’ll have some news to share later this week. Many moving parts

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Oct 27, 2020

urban_dilettante wrote:so Terry gets what he wants after all then?

Yes and no.

Yes since the building collapsed.

But no since we’re going to be as much of a roadblock as possible moving ahead to him

okay. i just really want Terry to suck a brick.

urban_dilettante wrote: ↑

Oct 27, 2020

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Oct 27, 2020

Yes and no.

Yes since the building collapsed.

But no since we’re going to be as much of a roadblock as possible moving ahead to him

okay. i just really want Terry to suck a brick.

I was going to suggest an alternate orifice, but I suppose, technically, you weren't specific. 

^ can one suck a brick via another orifice? in any case, pick an orifice and put a brick in it. (Gently, though—I'm not condoning violence against anyone. Perhaps just inform him that he's a sack of sh*t and suggest that it would be for the best if he were to voluntarily slurp on a brick.)

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Oct 27, 2020

I’ll have some news to share later this week. Many moving parts

An effort will be made to remove all of the collapsed material and wood from within the brick walls in order to prevent further deterioration. Loose bricks will also be taken down for safety. The back of the site will get a new fence and all loose, and whole, bricks will be stacked up and secured on site. I've been told that a small crane will lift material out of the building when the time comes. This work is not being done by Terry FYI. When this process is complete, think of it like that open air church in Grand Center, only you won't be able to go inside the walls of 744.

It is widely believed, by many I have talked to about this, that the building is able to be saved in its current form and the restoration will eventually yield a building that looks brand new. In fact, some say it's a saving grace that the wood and roof collapsed as it means that it will be easier to remove the rotten old materials without risking worker safety.

There are ideas floating around on my end about the best way to move forward after all of this. I'm not ready to talk about the consensus idea publicly yet that was agreed upon as "the best way forward" by people I am working with, but I assure you it's a fitting idea that will become a reality in time. 

Terry's lawyer has said publicly, on my Twitter, that Terry has an architect hired and was working on plans prior to collapse. However, take that claim as a grain of salt since this is the same story that has been said multiple times since he bought the building in 2013 from Steve Murphy. Terry's lawyer has also blamed Steve Murphy for the deterioration of the building when in fact the City said the building was structurally sound in 2015, 2 years after Terry bought it. Only reason I know this from the City is because of the May 2015 Preservation Board agenda and minutes where Terry was appealing the directors decision to not approve of the demolition of the Garage or 744.

Other information regarding the collapse the other night...

• The Garage (750 South 4th) was not compromised any. No bricks fell through the roof there but there could be some on the roof.
• No one was inside at the time of collapse.
• The Eastern wall is stable.
• The Western wall is only standing thanks to the more recent brick-up of the storefront. If it were the original bricks, that whole wall would've been gone.
• The North wall is in debatable condition. It is leaning on 742 South 4th (Nephew's Grille) but does not appear to be in any danger of collapsing right now.

That is all for now. I'll provide updates when the selective demolition begins hopefully within the next week or two.

EDIT: I would like to add that the team appreciates the support shown on here and on Facebook and Twitter. They all see the posts people write.

Does Terry own the Nephew's building?

debaliviere wrote:Does Terry own the Nephew's building?

No. That is owned by another guy who has been willing to work with us

Good to hear it's likely able to be saved...looking forward to hearing about the potential plan.

Crews have removed the loose bricks and will, throughout next week, carefully remove the collapsed wood still in the building leaving a shell. After all of this, crews should then go and sort the good bricks from the bad bricks. Good bricks will be used later with the rebuilding of the front facade. I've taken plenty of photos of the cornice of this building prior to collapse that it should help architects recreate the pattern.

We're not in the clear yet on this building until the remaining collapsed wood is removed. It's still a very delicate situation.