^^ Chris, do you hear any rumblings about those lots or any others in the immediate vicinity? We've seen a lot of development in the CWE in the last several years and I wouldn't be surprised if we experience a bit of lull, especially when considering the economic forecasts. That said, I remember hearing the same sentiment after One Hundred was completed and leasing there hasn't exactly been red hot, at least not at a level like BPV, yet here we are with another tower about to go up next door.
^^ Chris, do you hear any rumblings about those lots or any others in the immediate vicinity? We've seen a lot of development in the CWE in the last several years and I wouldn't be surprised if we experience a bit of lull, especially when considering the economic forecasts. That said, I remember hearing the same sentiment after One Hundred was completed and leasing there hasn't exactly been red hot, at least not at a level like BPV, yet here we are with another tower about to go up next door.
I’ve heard nothing new on the 4915 West Pine site since that proposal fizzled away. The site immediately east of One Hundred is will likely never be developed because the St. Regis uses it for parking. Maybe decades down the road we’ll be talking about a project there, but not imminently. I’d say that once this cycle is complete, the next project we’ll see in the CWE will likely be Lindell and Euclid or further down Lindell.
Several posters have commented on the mystery of why this most desirable of parcels was never developed. So for those of you who are urban planning buffs - a bit of history - much of which comes from a historian neighbor.
Peter Lindell owned a large tract of land west of the city. The area was platted in the late 1800's. A dirt road (actually a bridal path) was pushed through his property to link downtown and what is now Forest Park. The road followed an early 1800's path which led from downtown to a spring at what is now Maryland and Euclid. The spring was part of the extensive underground water system which centuries later surprised the builder of One Hundred and resulted in extensive and expensive changes to Jeanne Gang's initial engineering design; and which the Albion architect is very wary of.
In anticipation of the 1904 World's Fair the road and Kingshighway were paved in 1903. Claude Vrooman, a Wash U. grad, a lawyer, and early real estate developer saw potential and grabbed up a number of parcels all over what is now the CWE - including the south side properties between Kingshighway and Euclid. He built a number of apartment buildings in the area culminating in the St Regis in 1908, and he moved in.
Vrooman, a world traveler was entranced by the 'Place de la Concorde' in Paris. He became literally obsessed with replicating it in St Louis - fountains, statuary, a central obelisk - the works. This parcel, part of the park, and the still empty parcel on the NW corner of the intersection were to be used.
Vrooman was also a friend of the owner of the Buckingham Hotel (built in 1904 - the site of todays One Hundred), who supported the idea. So, while they lobbied and waited Claude agreed not to build anything on the parcel so as to not block the view from the Buckinghams north facing fancy dining room. He made it into a quite nice little park, open to the public. Decades of lobbying the city proved fruitless, but Vrooman never gave up on the idea. Although at some point in the 1920's he did install a number of above ground garages on the parcel for St Regis tenants.
Vrooman died in 1955, his dream unrealized except for a gigantic three-tiered ornate lamp standard which he had installed (in 1923) just a bit south of the current intersection. This standard, which some of us old-timers in the neighborhood remember, was knocked down by a car in 1958, and never re-erected. Much smaller replicas of the lamp are now sprinkled around the CWE.
Vroomans wife lived on at the St Regis until her death in the early 70's, having sold the parcel to Sam Koplar in 1964, who converted it into a much needed parking lot for activities at the Chase ballrooms. Then, of course, the decline of the CWE in the late 60's - 70's. The shuttering of the Chase for ten years in the eighties, and the subsequent decades of turgid activity in the city as a whole. And, you are up to date.
The 'Bixby Mansion' was built in 1885 and purchased by William Bixby, then Saint Louis's richest individual, in 1904. The picture posted shows the mansion, but the estate had numerous buildings and encompassed the entire area bounded by Kingshighway, Lindell, Euclid, and Maryland. For whatever reason Bixby moved back to a mansion on Portland Place, and the building was razed in 1921. Part of the property was purchased by Chase Ullman and in 1922 he built the Chase Hotel and Chase Apartments.
Bixby Hall at Wash U. and the Bixby restaurant in the Missouri History Museum remember him.
Surprised they agreed on the setback adjustment so quickly, but I'm sure not asking for that variance helped counter some arguments from the St. Regis while limiting the number of variances they will have to request.
Landscape architecture wise; I hope they use soil cell infrastructure for those trees on kingshighway as that green strip looks 2/3’ wide and will not support a tree. If a tree miraculously does do well it’ll only strangle itself over time or flare up the adjacent sidewalk to make space for itself.
Also the northern portion of the plaza should get some trees in it maybe 4? With some posts next to them to make it a hammock on the edge kind of space. Colleges are doing it and they are very enjoyable spaces to use.
Otherwise overall glad to see it’s moving forward.
There’s a really old tree on the northwest tip of this parcel I’ve always found intriguing. Wouldn’t it be cool if they could retain it, string lights and scatter seating and landscaping underneath. Could be more charming and inviting than a hard surface ‘plaza’.
I’ve never seen such incompetence at this Board of Adjustment meeting. The Alderwoman claims a good neighborhood agreement was agreed upon by Sam Koplar and he strongly rebuked that. Sam’s comments were… “Under no occasion was this proposed. We haven’t seen such a letter. We’re getting impatient. We’ve done everything we’ve been asked to do and new things get slid in all the time and slow is down. I can’t agree to a document that we haven’t seen before”.
Damn.
Tina said she had proof in an email then spent 22 minutes (so far) trying to find the email but couldn’t. It was found that Koplar/Albion made a good neighbor agreement with the St. Regis, but no one else. Tina continued to insist that an agreement was made and wanted it attached to the variance votes today and Sam Koplar continued to say that wasn’t the case.
It’s insane and still going on. I’ve been listening to this debate for a while now. The vote has been moved to the end of the meeting until Tina can find the document. She says she’s still in support though.
