urbanSTL

Longtime S Grand mainstay, Pho Grand is closing June 13th after 30 years of business

Sauce Magazine - South Grand mainstay Pho Grand to close permanently

https://www.saucemagazine.com/a/59787/s ... ermanently

StlToday - Pho Grand to close after 33 years on South Grand

https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/ ... a5e34.html

deleciousfood.com - St. Vietnamese Restaurant Louis Pho Grand will shut after 33 years

https://deleciousfood.com/st-vietnamese ... -33-years/

Hard to imagine worse news.

Like with Cicero's I don't understand why selling the brand doesn't happen. Am I imagining value that's not there?

I don't know what's happening in this case, but sometimes, for any number of reasons, business owners choose to take their name with them. There was a large, family-owned supplier in the model railroad business that decided to close up a few years ago. They had the very best reputation, and made the very best quality product. When they sold the line, they insisted that the new owners change the name. I guess they didn't want to risk seeing their good name potentially cheapened in the future. 

I'm just glad they gave us more than a weeks notice. I will try to go a couple more times before the end.

NextSTL - The South Grand Community Creates A Special Use District

https://nextstl.com/2022/06/the-south-g ... districts/

Sounds like a good thing. Would like a more detailed explanation of how the conditional uses were chosen. Like what's wrong with barber shops?

The Special Use District will play a large role in keeping the District a destination as an international corridor, eclectic businesses, and vegan scene.

South Grand knows that they are a truly special place and are looking to build upon that existing reputation as a regional draw. While barber shops, laundromats, electronic stores and 1st floor offices are great neighborhood amenities, there is only a limited amount of space within the corridor. When you have such a great thing going why allow it to become diluted? I'm sure if there is a vacancy crisis that hits the strip that the use limitations can be eased.

Hence, we no longer allow gas stations within our six-block business district. The two gas stations will be grandfathered in, which means in the future if the gas stations are to shutter, they have a finite number of days to sell to remain a gas station. If not sold in that timeframe, the site is to be redeveloped.

Big supporter of this. Something similar should be instituted citywide or at least adopted by other special use districts.

Saw this posted last week...
Urban Land Institute on Redevelopment Opportunities along South Grand

Looks like a ULI Technical Assistance Panel did a study of the South Grand Business district and proposed 4 development scenarios. They included a mix of options including a market hall, multi-family building(s) and/or hotel.

This is interesting. I don't really have a picture of what the market hall would look like but it's intriguing. I hope they go with the housing option. I'm glad they're trying to redevelop the parking lots, and surprised that tearing down the Commerce Bank is on the table. 

Commerce was involved, so I think they would be a willing seller and tenant in any new development.

RFT - South Grand Battles Back


https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/so ... k-40026536

^Mo is a true gem. And I'm glad to hear McCreery has treated her well and that the two get along. I am deeply sorry to hear Boardwalk has been a sore spot and I hope McCreery can get that sorted out and get something open in the building quickly. And yeah, I remember the nightclub atmosphere along the strip and the late night coffees. I really really miss that. Used to be my favorite place to hang out late into an evening.

Love this illustration from 1929. Found on St. Louis Architecture Facebook page.

The Crossroads of the World!

^It wasn't that long ago that Gravois had variable direction express lanes it was so busy. (There were these traffic signals in a middle lane or two that changed from a red X to a green arrow, depending on direction of flow.) That used to be a heck of an intersection. And it could be again, with the right investment, some serious traffic calming, and some growth. I would love to see a traffic circle there and road diets on both Grand and Gravois. And remove all the bi-directional left turn lanes and replace them with medians, so that people who would otherwise turn left across traffic are instead able to make a u-turn at a circle and then a right turn. It's just so much smoother and safer. Put good pedestrian refuges in the median, as in front of SLU, and you have a much more walkable and connected world. Make sure the good crosswalks are available about every half block or so and you're there. No left turns on Grand at all. No right on red. Much better (and safer) world.

Removing the slip lanes at Grand & Gravois would be another good step. 

the building at 3600 Grand  (ck out Google street view 2022)   In its present state its as if its decay art
The overall deterioration and the deteriorating band aids upon the front of it pulls your vision to it not only  as you approach the structure but as you pass by it

^I love that building.

New health clinic coming to the corner of Grand and Chippewa.

https://familycarehealthcenters.org/202 ... dutchtown/