urbanSTL

I think there is a good bit of "mish-mash" along Manchester and a mix of new architecture would be welcome, but within the neighborhood this is less true. Especially north of Manchester, the housing stock is amazingling homogenous (I mean this in a good way). There are really few open lots - save Chouteau and the gas storage tank area. My point is that this should be a great historic neighborhood (north of Manchester is designated a historic district).



stellar - any word on the commercial building on the NW corner of Taylor/Manchester?



_________________________________________

trent

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



With the current mishmash of housing stock in the area, the infill could really defy current convention. Let's mix it up, stone, concrete, brick.



This area could really become something of a destination just by the changes in architecture.

Ihnen wrote:stellar - any word on the commercial building on the NW corner of Taylor/Manchester?

_________________________________________

trent

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the current mishmash of housing stock in the area, the infill could really defy current convention. Let's mix it up, stone, concrete, brick.



This area could really become something of a destination just by the changes in architecture.

I was going by there around lunch time and all of the workers were sitting in back having lunch so I didn't talk to anyone. I can tell you that they were doing demo work on all of the buildings together which would lead me to believe they were making it into one large space instead of the current 3 or 4 seperate spaces it is now.



Restoration St. Louis bought up all of the vacant parcels as well as the buildings along manchester so I wouldn't be surprised if there was some new construction in the works. I actually would expect to see a Loop style parking structure with retail and all. If the strip takes off like I'm sure they are hoping then parking could become an issue.



Speaking of mishmash of styles. I wonder what will happen to this building along Manchester?? I never noticed it until I walked the strip. There's got to be a story there.

Where is that one, exactly? I can't say I've ever noticed it before - very interesting.

doesn't look like a very happy story

DeBaliviere wrote:Where is that one, exactly? I can't say I've ever noticed it before - very interesting.

It's right next door to that Five restaraunt.

stellar wrote:

DeBaliviere wrote:Where is that one, exactly? I can't say I've ever noticed it before - very interesting.

It's right next door to that Five restaraunt.

Must have been a carriage house or servants' quarters, to be set back that far from the street.

The information below is from the city Assessor's Office. Anyone know Archie? IMO it looks commercial. Maybe the roof's too low for a carriage house? Maybe the alley view would tell us more. There's so much going on in the area that I can't imagine this sitting for too much longer [-o<



Property Address: 4321 MANCHESTER AV New search



Owner name: FRY, ARCHIE

Owner address: 1324 TOWER GROVE

City/state/zip: ST LOUIS,MO 3110

Parcel

Parcel Number: 51120202400

Property address: 4321 -4323 MANCHESTER AV

Zip code: 63110

Class code: Commerically Assessed

Land use: Commercial

Redevelopment code: NA

Vacant lot: unknown

Condominium: 0

Number of units: n/a

Frontage: n/a

Land area: 6250

Legal Description

Legal description: C.B. 5112B MANCHESTER

50 FT 1 IN X 125 FT

MCREE PLACE ADDN

BLOCK 8

LOTS 10 & 11

Assessed Values

Assessed land: $3,000.00

Assessed improvements: $4,300.00

Assessed total: $7,300.00

Sales

Sales date: 03/03/1977

Sales price: $4,000.00

Book Location (Recorder of Deeds Data)

Daily date: 06/17/1999

Daily number: 106

Book number: 1527

Page number: 1958

Boundary & Geography

Assessment neighborhood: 223

Special business district: 0

Census block: 1186.3006

Ward: 17

City block: 5112.02

City neighborhood: Forest Park Southeast (39)

On the subject of the work being done at the corner of Manchester & Taylor, I doubt they are going to have loop style parking around the building. I talked to the owner of the 4-family (actually it is 2 townhomes) next door. He knows nothing of the project. That would make it kind of hard to install quality rear parking. Any thoughts?

Anyone interested in meeting the Gil's and discussing Manchester--feel free to drop by the new resturant 5 at 5:30, Sept. 22, 4317 Manchester and get the scoop. The 1st drink is on us. This will be a great way to kick off the 1st annual grove fest.

I called the FPSE Development Corp today to ask them a few things:



-That both they and the city are requesting a development plan from City U. They own those the idle buildings in the NW corner of the neighborhood near Kingshighway. If they buildings remain idle he said they city may take action by the end of the year.



-He also said that the building at the corner of Taylor & Manchester is being rehabbed by Restoration St. Louis.



-The gasometer is still undergoing environmental testing. Everything we have heard up to this point is only rumor. He didn't know when we may know more.

Good news on the building at Manchester and Taylor (I'm assuming this what you meant instead of Manchester and Kingshighway). It's one of the more distinct buildings in the area.



I generally like Irving and by all appearances the dev corp's done a good job, but has anyone else felt like they get a cold shoulder over there? They seem to treat questions with suspicion - like "why do YOU want to know". Well Jack, I LIVE HERE. The office doesn't seem to have regular hours and they don't return messages. I actually spoke to someone on the phone a while back and asked about historic district requirements when working on my house. I've heard nothing. I'd like to replace the missing cornice - and I have a few questions about recent "renovations" in the neighborhood.



On a happier note, we walked down Manchester yesterday and found Five and El Mundo Latino busy. It was nice to see the front doors open at El Mundo - I'm a little hesitant to go in anywhere that doesn't have windows. Can someone order some glass and get rid of that sliding take-out window on the front of the building!!!

DeBaliviere wrote:
At this point, I'd take streetcars going just about everywhere.

Fixed.

Does anyone know what the following means, exactly? Restoration St. Louis has already completed at least half a dozen properties in FPSE and are working on a half dozen more. What does the LCRA designation mean? Are these sixty-four additional properties? ward17?



From the Mayor:

The LCRA Board has designated Restoration St. Louis – one of the enterprises of Amy and Amrit Gill as the redeveloper for sixty-four properties in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood. The development includes the rehabilitation of residential, mixed use and commercial properties.

They own 64 properties: 6 are completed, their crews are currently working on 6 and they have yet to start on the other 52. Restoration has their own crews, but they could never handle all those buildings at once. It you want to see some of the buildings you can find them at www.frontdoorstl.com

Not sure, but the Gills will be at Five this Friday at 5:30pm to answer whatever questions we have - should be fun. Anyone else planning to go? If anyone's looking into the neighborhood I'd be more than happy to take a tour - there's always something new to see, or show you our place.

Ihnen wrote:I generally like Irving and by all appearances the dev corp's done a good job, but has anyone else felt like they get a cold shoulder over there? They seem to treat questions with suspicion - like "why do YOU want to know".

Maybe they thought you were from the Post-Dispatch, prepping another hatchet piece about a city neighborhood?

A friend just directed me to www.frontdoorstl.com - the Gill's property management wing. It's a great list of the projects now on the market. Wash U is putting their medical center redevelopment office on the first floor of a mix-use property on Chouteau. They're even transforming the old garage into a 2br loft/apt. Not sure how I feel about that - a garage for the main building tenants would have been nice. I think the stuff they've done in the Grove looks great! (they must have gotten one hell of a deal on creamy yellow paint!)

I recently saw an advertisement that the up-market Edward Bakewell Realtors weres opening an office in the Atomic Cowboy building. This is another great sign for the area.

How safe is this area generally?



A relative of mine is considering moving to St. Louis (I've mentioned her on here before) and found a place that interests her (one of the Gills' rehabs), but she'd previously toured Soulard and found the neighborhood too "scary" - some nice areas, but too many rough stretches that made her nervous. If she didn't like Soulard, I don't know if she'd like FPSE/The Grove.



She prefers city living and loves older places with character, but as a single woman is understandably concerned about her safety.



Thanks in advance,



-RBB

The entire city is safe if you are confident and have a good head on your shoulders.



Someone thinks Soulard is not safe? That's pretty absurd. It sounds like the only places she would want to live then are Lafayette Square or the Central West End.

If she felt unsafe in Soulard, it probably wouldn't be wise for her to buy in FPSE. Honestly she should probably look in SW city (Northampton, Southampton, Clifton Heights etc.) While I think Soulard, CWE, Lafayette Square, FPSE (hopefully, read some of the older stuff from Ecoabsense Blog when they lived in FPSE) ONSL are generally safe if you take care of yourself like Alonzo said, if someone is uncomfortable in an area, it makes no sense to buy in that area. If she likes older homes with charm there are plenty for sale in SW city. (The house next door to me is for sale in fact, someone please buy it, I don't like an empty house next door!) My house was built in the 30's and has a number of touches - full brick exterior, stained glass, archways, hardwood floors, that you do not get in new construction.

Alonzo P Hawk wrote:The entire city is safe if you are confident and have a good head on your shoulders.



Someone thinks Soulard is not safe? That's pretty absurd. It sounds like the only places she would want to live then are Lafayette Square or the Central West End.

Her exact words regarding Soulard:

right now, it's still a little scary where you have 1 nice home admidst 5 vacant and torn down homes. It's a place that will be nice 5 years from now when the prices are through the roof, I'm sure

She checked out a few different apts in the Soulard area she found on Craigslist the last time she was in town, but maybe she just hit the wrong streets.



She did add:

The Grove is definitely a thought. It's someplace I'll probably like to visit next trip.

So, we'll take her there next time she's in town.



-RBB