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Land of Giants

Land of Giants

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PostJan 28, 2021#1

I couldn't find a thread about this subject, so I thought I'd start a new thread. 

Land of Giants is a pet project of Bill Christman, a longtime City Museum collaborator, at the southwest corner of Union & Cabanne in the West End neighborhood. It's not far from Delmar Divine and the Maker District. Christman is responsible for a number of significant sculptures around town, including the Native American at Jefferson & Cherokee. 

The space is definitely reminiscent of City Museum. Plans for the 1.5 acre lot included outdoor concerts and other attractions. 

Christman claims he has spent over $100,000 of his own retirement on this project in his childhood neighborhood, but now Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard and neighbors have successfully gotten his property condemned by the city of St. Louis. 

I'm not sure if there is a path forward for his vision or not, but when I first learned about Land of Giants in October I thought it sounded like it would be a wonderful thing for the neighborhood. 
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PostJan 28, 2021#2

I started a thread about it a few months ago, but it didn't generate much interest:

christman-sculpture-park-union-and-cabanne-t11907.html
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PostJan 29, 2021#3

Wow that is so sad, I was really looking forward to this. People just hate anything unique i guess. 
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PostJan 29, 2021#4

There's also been some friction between the neighborhood and the urban farm on the same block.
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PostJan 29, 2021#5

It looks....unimpressive?
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PostJan 29, 2021#6

^I think it is/was a work in progress and is nowhere near completion.

Christman has done a lot of the iconic work at City Museum. I believe he'd be able to create something iconic if he were given more time to complete it. It just doesn't look like that is going to happen.

I think it's pretty lame that the neighborhood is about to possibly permanently kill this plan.

I hope he's able to make some sort of compromise with the neighborhood and get it done.


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PostJan 29, 2021#7

They’re condemning it because he gave Willie McGee the wrong number, huh?


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PostJan 29, 2021#8

When I stopped by 5315 Cabanne to take a few pictures for a story I was writing, this place caught me off guard. I found it strange and felt like it was a roadside attraction that you would see driving down some backroad in the South. In other words, it looks cool on the outside but up close, reminds me of some person's personal junk yard.
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PostJan 30, 2021#9

Perhaps, with Delmar Divine and the Maker District nearby, and with several nearby West End projects taking place, the space can be cleared and eventually redeveloped. It seems like a realistic hope at this point. 

I think a residential building makes a lot of sense where the Land of Giants is currently, if the artist is unable to win his legal fights with the city. 

I fully expect the city is going to shut him out. 
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PostAug 21, 2022#10

I know cross-promotion is not a norm on this site, but I'll  beg for forgiveness and link my own stuff to share with folks who cared about these sculptures. The city destroyed it today, here's how it looked: http://www.stlouiscitytalk.com/posts/2022/8/20/land-of-the-giants-unceremoniously-destroyed-by-city
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PostAug 21, 2022#11

We knew that the property had been condemned by the city back in late 2020.

As much as I thought it was a neat concept, I think there were plenty of neighbors that considered Land of Giants an unwelcome eyesore. I believe he became the target of the Alderman, sure, but I don't know that I totally believe his version of things where she maliciously wanted to kill his pet project because she opposed him personally. 

I know because I've also spoken with Christman, though it would have been back around when I started this thread. He made it very clear to me that he received tons of complaints from his neighbors about the appearance of the property. And to be fair, the site was a mess and clearly nowhere near completion. He gave me a small tour. 

Things were slow-going with Land of Giants. Health issues kept him from developing it quickly, but he was still at one point hosting small concerts at Land of Giants, something that infuriated his neighbors. They also found a body on his property one day. 
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PostAug 21, 2022#12

Have you walked along Cabanne, west of Union lately? Please do and ask why sculptures were destroyed when some residents are clearly more of a nuisance. There are properties with 5, 6, 7 abandoned vehicles and totally trashed. Food containers in the street, go check it out. It is a mess. I presume the alderperson will go after them next.
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PostAug 22, 2022#13

I will admit that it has been a little while since I've gone over there and looked at the Land of Giants (or the future apartments across the street). 

I'll make a point to do that in the next week or so, so I can see what you're talking about. 

I like his work, this concept, and the location; but for whatever reason, the neighborhood was staunchly against his Land of Giants. 

When I visited back in late 2020, the place looked like the cross between a hoarder's yard, a work site, and ... sure, an amusement area. Nothing was fenced off and progress was slow even by his own account. It stinks, but this outcome felt inevitable once the site was condemned (over a year and a half ago). 

The guy's heart was in the right place and I hate to see this happening to him, especially with his current health issues. 
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PostAug 22, 2022#14

I hope this discussion inspires someone to dig into the roots of this story.  The city could have a legit point regarding it being a nuisance property but there is so much disrepair in the neighborhood it seems odd to single this one out.  And does the city have a better plan for it or will it just grow up with weeds soon anyway.

I'm not sure this is a project St. louis really needed.  City Museum is becoming a true national landmark to this sort of interactive sculptural  art.  A lot of these works would have fit just as well incorporating into that.  But you would like to see more respect given to this group of influential local artists around Bob Cassilly.

I wish Bill Christman well.
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PostAug 22, 2022#15

My guess is that the city received a larger concentration of calls concerning this single property than they did about any other single property in the neighborhood. 

It's no secret that the neighborhood was passionately against the Land of Giants project.
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PostJan 09, 2024#16

Not sure if there is a Joe's Cafe thread, but it sounds like there is a benefit to help raise money for legal funds to get a zoning permit for Joe's Cafe. 
Okay, okay. Curiosity killed the cat, but no dead cat is going to stop folks from wanting to know what is going on at Joe's Cafe (within Christman Studios). So, here it is, in all of its glory. Joe's Cafe (within Christman Studios) has applied for a zoning permit! (splashing cymbals!) I know, I know, we expect all of the major news outlets to descend on us any day now. They may use helicopters and bats! A zoning permit is pretty big news, and we are sorry to deny anyone from their God-given right to know about the zoning permit applications. Please know that the zoning department has updated all of their records, and you have the benefit of sunshine laws working in your favor. You have the right, as a citizen of this planet, to go on the city zoning website, and read about all of the details of the zoning application. Bring popcorn, because this will be better than a Hitchcock film on acid. Zoning regulations in the city have caused massive disruptions in ecosystems all over the planet, and created lava flows on distant islands! Parrots were speaking in Latin, and butterflies migrated to Minnesota in January. (You can see them flying North now!)
 
But worry not. We have top notch people on the case! Concert benefits are happening on Tuesdays to pay for legal expenses and needed repairs for the ZONING PERMIT. That's right, you can help this humble venue by going to see a rock concert on any Tuesday in January, including tomorrow! And don't forget to write that letter! And be courteous in both cases! Okay, if you lived thru reading this portion of the newsletter without completely stroking out, we commend you. The editor of this newspaper ran from the building screaming, so we hope you did better than him. (Watch for a man dressed in an orange, pinstriped suit eating a lollipop and flailing his arms about).
 
Alright, alright, we couldn't resist. It really is just a boring zoning issue that deals with city employees just doing their jobs. Sorry for the "Save Joe's" verbiage. Getting those letters out is important, but we should be fine so long as we do things as we should in accordance with normal city protocol. But hey, we are Joe's, so we had to be a bit weird about it, ya know? Now can we focus on the music?! Please? What else really matters, right?
Where?
The main stage at Christman Studios!
 
When?
Irene Allen, Sharon & Eric play on Thursday, January 11.
Doors 7pm, show 8pm. $15 in advance, all life at the door.
 
The Old Souls Revival play on Thursday, January 18.
Doors 7pm, show 8pm. $15 in advance, $66.60 at the door.
 
John McVey & Tom Ray play on Thursday, January 25.
Doors 7pm, show 8pm. $15 in advance, peyote at the door.
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