New Life in the Grove....

jstriebel · PostJan 25, 2016#3762016-01-25T04:58+00:00

rheights wrote:Does anyone know when or if the Grove's new light art instillation will take place? In the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood plan it states it funded and should have started in '15.

Page 15 here: http://urbanstl.com/forum/posting.php?m ... =26&t=7176

Not sure if it's the same thing, but I read in a recent article—I think one primarily discussing downtown—that the Grove is planning on lights across the Manchester strip (made me think Wash Ave style, but I could be way off), so if this IS the same thing, it appears to still be planned.

This came from a neighborhood development leader of some kind. I want to say he expected to have them up by summer. If I could remember the source I'd dig it up, but I"m not sure I'd have any luck at the moment.

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 05, 2016#3772016-02-05T16:35+00:00

I see that the Lamb's Bride Church recently bought the Columbia Iron Works. one of my favorite buildings in FPSE. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Anyone know what might be up?

PostFeb 05, 2016#3782016-02-05T18:37+00:00

rheights wrote:Any word on Green Street's Chouteau's Grove? Thought construction was supposed to start late this year.....

While behind schedule the property is now in the hands of Green Street! Hopefully the general plan is still in play and not scaled back. I also see the gas station across the street has now closed, although it doesn't look like Green Street owns it yet... iirc, that was a phase II.

urban_dilettante · PostFeb 05, 2016#3792016-02-05T18:48+00:00

^^ my gut says very not good. that's a large building to be owned by a little church with, presumably, a small congregation. unless they're planning some kind of community center or a homeless shelter or something, this screams parking lot to me. i wonder who owns the vacant lot catty-corner from the church. definitely a worse spot for a parking lot but at least it wouldn't require demolition. is there any preservation review here?

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 05, 2016#3802016-02-05T19:10+00:00

^ It looks like the church owns a lot of property surrounding it, including where the Adams School has its raised beds (but not the portion of that grassy area to the south of the beds. It also owns that beautiful old boarded up building on the SW corner of TGA and Vista and the neighboring two story multi-family. Have no clue what they plan to do with such a large property holding.

urban_dilettante · PostFeb 05, 2016#3812016-02-05T19:44+00:00

ugh... none of that sounds promising. hopefully they're planning some kind of low-income renovation project and not parking lots and community gardens.

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 05, 2016#3822016-02-05T20:00+00:00

^ kind of nervous, I admit.... hopefully they have in mind something like affordable housing, which is needed in the nabe, but I have no idea about either their intent or capacity for such a thing.

That does remind me though that in general I wish more churches in marginal communities would be able to pursue adjacent affordable housing to help anchor marginal neighborhoods. Perhaps a RISE type non-profit specifically focused on helping congregations do that would be neat.

dredger · PostFeb 05, 2016#3832016-02-05T20:16+00:00

^ Private school, pre school and or expanding school/enrollment perhaps? Looking to capitalize on rebound neighborhood near CWE/Cortex with its growing workforce? I'm still amazed as a parent how many options their is when it comes to schooling your kids compared to the fact that I grew up in a farm town with two schools - one for elementary/middle school grades and one high school.

pat · PostFeb 05, 2016#3842016-02-05T20:40+00:00

Are you sure they just bought it? Or do they already own it and are looking to sell it? There's currently a for sale sign on the building.

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 05, 2016#3852016-02-05T23:34+00:00

^ they purchased it in the past month or so... sale sign is no longer up. Apparently they have no solid plans for it but maybe looking at urban ag per Alex Ihnen at nextstl; apparently they objected to prior proposals such as brewery, apartments. etc. for the property.

andrewarkills · PostFeb 07, 2016#3862016-02-07T02:13+00:00

roger wyoming II wrote:^ they purchased it in the past month or so... sale sign is no longer up. Apparently they have no solid plans for it but maybe looking at urban ag per Alex Ihnen at nextstl; apparently they objected to prior proposals such as brewery, apartments. etc. for the property.

I would be incredibly surprised if it is slated to be a community center or school. Adams Elementary (SLPS), and a branch of the Boys & Girls Club sit directly across Tower Grove Ave.

Lamb's Bride does have an apparently always busy 24 hour daycare. Perhaps an expansion is in the wings?

urban_dilettante · PostFeb 07, 2016#3872016-02-07T02:50+00:00

roger wyoming II wrote:...urban ag...

so demo. that's what i'm expecting.

wabash · PostFeb 07, 2016#3882016-02-07T07:13+00:00

Anyone know the details on Rise Coffee's expansion plans?

pat · PostFeb 07, 2016#3892016-02-07T18:48+00:00

^ they purchased it in the past month or so... sale sign is no longer up. Apparently they have no solid plans for it but maybe looking at urban ag per Alex Ihnen at nextstl; apparently they objected to prior proposals such as brewery, apartments. etc. for the property.

Ugh. Who is "they"? The church or the neighborhood?

And does anyone know what happend with WUSTL's RFI for the 85 properties they own in FPSE...
http://nextstl.com/2015/02/forest-west- ... ies-grove/

I was driving around that area this morning, wishing something would happen with all that opportunity.

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 07, 2016#3902016-02-07T20:01+00:00

^ they = the church

I'm not positive, but I think the affordable housing project recently announced (I believe in conjunction with RISE) takes up a fair number of those properties west of Newstead. Not sure about the others.

PostFeb 16, 2016#3912016-02-16T20:41+00:00

Apparently Randy's Cycles is moving out and Fire Cracker Pizza is moving in to that neat little building by the Post Office. Hopefully another good bike shop opens up... not only is it a quality amenity but there is so much space up for lease with all the rehab.

PostFeb 19, 2016#3922016-02-19T18:15+00:00

A kombucha place (Confluence Kombucha) this summer will open in a spot that will be right next to the new UCBC spot. Nice to see more activity towards the west end.

wabash · PostFeb 25, 2016#3932016-02-25T00:36+00:00

4321 must be wrapping up soon. Anyone have any shots of how it's looking?

roger wyoming II · PostFeb 26, 2016#3942016-02-26T15:12+00:00

^ I look of the upper floors is okay but the ground floor is a big "eh" imo.

wabash · PostMar 14, 2016#3952016-03-14T16:57+00:00

Biz Journal is reporting there's some traction on Green Street's 271 apartment project, with them recently closin. On the purchase of the property from Commerce Bank.

quincunx · PostMar 14, 2016#3962016-03-14T17:22+00:00

Looks like they closed Jan 20

stlexplorer · PostMar 16, 2016#3972016-03-16T01:52+00:00

4321 Manchester two weeks ago:

wabash · PostMar 16, 2016#3982016-03-16T02:29+00:00

It's kind of a weird looking building, and for that reason I like it.

I'm wonder how they'll handle the signage for the retail spaces. The renderings don't show much of anything.

urban_dilettante · PostMar 16, 2016#3992016-03-16T02:38+00:00

^^ i realize it's not quite finished but I'm a little disappointed. it doesn't live up to the rendering. my biggest complaints are that the windows are disproportionately small, and that the cladding looks super cheap. the STL Public Radio building on Olive has a similar aesthetic to this building but looks a million times better.

Presbyterian · PostMar 16, 2016#4002016-03-16T15:42+00:00

Should have picked a different brick.

New Life in the Grove....

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