http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.com/ar ... h1.ii1.txt



Rumor has it Starbucks is very interested in this location. What happened to Panera? Also heard Ruby Tuesday (boring) might be breaking ground soon. This shopping center really needs a gas station. Any other thoughts?



njenney

One thing this place needs is better traffic flow, I am getting frustrated with the continued congestion in front of Schnucks.

The City received some money to widen the bridge at Loughborough over the railroad tracks. However, it will do little to help with the congestion inside of the shopping center. I don't even shop at that Schnucks anymore because it takes forever to get in and out. The Schnucks on Gravois is much easier to get around IMO.

Just this weekend, Mrs South Compton mentioned she thought they should have switched Lowes and Schnucks around so there wouldn't be the back up.

^That or have a frontage road at the edge of I-55. Of course, I like how slow the traffic moves in front of Schnuck's. Considering what little consideration the developer gave for pedestrians, the jams are the one thing calming traffic for those brave enough to walk down the road from Loughborough.

shadrach wrote:Regarding Panera (St Louis Bread!) I would prefer it go into the derelict Shoppers Cleaners building on the other side of the park.

Good idea! I'd love to see a rejuvenation of that stretch of Grand.

I like the convenience of Lowe's just blocks from home, and I enjoy having a top o' the line Schnucks close to home as well. However, the traffic flow and overall design of this center couldn't possibly be worse.



I've heard talk of Starbucks and Saint Louis BreadCo locating in the next phase of the development. I'll be happy if we just get one of them.



I agree, the corner of Grand and Holly Hills would be ideal for one of these places if they decide not to locate in Loughborough Commons. I had heard some talk about a year ago that there was a push to acquire the apartments on the NE corner of that intersection via eminent domain, redo the upper levels as condos, and attract new, better-quality retail occupants on the main level facing Grand. Any more news, or at least rumors, involving this building? I'd sure like to see something done with it.

shadrach wrote:

ThreeOneFour wrote:It's increasingly obvious that the designers of this were drunk, blindfolded, or both when traffic flow was considered (if it was even thought of at all). What a ridiculous mess.

Must have been the same people that designed Kirkwood Commons fiasco.

Maplewood Commons is only slightly better.



So did the city even look at the development plan for this site before they approved it? I'm very happy to have a shiny new Schnucks and a Lowes in south city, but a little oversight by the city could have made it much better (and safer). I imagine once they build Ruby Tuesdays and Starbucks, things are only going to get more congested.

ThreeOneFour wrote:When I went to Schnucks the other day, I noticed that the handicapped parking spaces by the north entrance to the store have already been blocked off with unattractive yellow concrete poles. My guess is that there were several accidents from people backing out of those spots, into the only through lane that takes one from the shopping center entrance to Lowe's.



It's increasingly obvious that the designers of this were drunk, blindfolded, or both when traffic flow was considered (if it was even thought of at all). What a ridiculous mess.

urban review stl did a story on that the other day. http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/?p=2924

Doug wrote:I will never shop at this satanic place.

Satanic? I'm there!!!

Here is the latest list of potential rumored additions:



Panera

Starbucks

Ruby Tuesday

Qdoba

I tried the Lowe's last weekend for the first time. It is a disaster in planning, yet again. Schnucks was very busy but Lowe's was not at all.



Who's the developer?



I think I'll drive to the Maplewood Lowe's to shop just outta spite.



Can you imagine if this type of sleezy work is planned for Bohemian Hill, ah, Bohemian Commons?

Desco Realty, the commercial developer of many Schnucks-anchored developments.

LOUGHBOROUGH COMMONS UPDATE



Outlot A is scheduled to begin construction very soon, with a July finish

date. It is confirmed that Starbucks will be on one end and Qdoba on the

other with Great Clips and Cingular in between. There are still 4-5 other

openings still not confirmed. There will be ample landscaping and a

stairwell that will enter from Loughborough with a bike rack right at the

bottom. There will be a ten foot wide sidewalk and patio seating at either

end of the building. Office Max is confirmed for the area next to Schnucks and Panera is still being considered (but not confirmed).

^ Well, Starbucks and Qdoba wouldn't be so bad, because they're more convenient for me than their existing South Side locations.



I can't say I'm too excited about the other planned/proposed tenants though.

Bread 'n' brew for city shopping area

By Tim O'Neil

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

05/22/2007



St. Louis Bread Co. and Starbucks will go head-to-head in the expansion of Loughborough Commons, a new shopping center near Carondelet Park in St. Louis.



DESCO Group, the development arm of the Schnuck supermarket family, built the $40 million center with $14 million in city tax subsidies. A Schnuck Markets Inc. store and a Lowe’s hardware store opened there last year.



Part of the 30-acre center along Loughborough Avenue includes spaces for other stores. The company announced Monday it has signed Bread Co., Starbucks, OfficeMax, Qdoba and Great Clips to lease space in 2008.



It also said it was negotiating with a national restaurant chain for other space. DESCO said a few retail parcels remained available.



The center replaces an old Schnucks store, a former furnace factory, 20 homes and the former Carondelet Sunday Morning Athletic Club building.



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