Ninth Street Garage Construction - Century Garage

gerwitz · PostMay 01, 2007#1512007-05-01T17:15+00:00

stlmike wrote:Honestly I like signage like that and think we need more of it. Both is good. It works for the people across the street.

Except when there's trees. Or the signage is so high as to "fade" into a cornice.

The FedExKinkos and First Bank signs on the garage at 7th and Olive are great examples of poor design.

Alex Ihnen · PostMay 01, 2007#1522007-05-01T17:40+00:00

Honestly I like signage like that and think we need more of it. Both is good. It works for the people across the street.

But how many people will view the sign from across the street? How many people pass down the street on the same side? Or drive by on a perpedicular street? I'm not opposed to the awnings, but it's not easy to see at a glance like a sign facing downt he street. Most people aren't going to walk down a street just to see what there is, but people will walk 2-3 blocks to catch a bite to eat/shop if they know what's there.

downtown stl fan · PostMay 07, 2007#1532007-05-07T03:50+00:00

Has anyone heard anything about Schnuck's occupying the first floor retail space in this building? I heard they were moving in and had already notified City Grocer's, who had planned to move into the Syndicate Building next door.

While speaking of grocery stores, I've also heard Trader Joe's may be moving into the Ely Walker building, but I don't know how reliable that information is. Has anyone else heard anything? If they don't move in there it would be a great place for City Grocer's if the Schnuck's rumor is true.

arch city · PostMay 07, 2007#1542007-05-07T04:14+00:00

Downtown STL Fan wrote:Has anyone heard anything about Schnuck's occupying the first floor retail space in this building? I heard they were moving in and had already notified City Grocer's, who had planned to move into the Syndicate Building next door.

Considering that Desco Group, which is run by the Schnuck family, was developer of the OPO building, it wouldn't surprise me if they did put a market in that garage. I don't know the square footage of the retail portions, but it is plausible.

Years ago, Schnucks had a store on Olive St. across from Famous-Barr - next to the old Boyd's Department Store. It was a cool little store - about the size of Straub's in the CWE. It stayed busy too, but downtown was a lot busier.

trent · PostMay 07, 2007#1552007-05-07T14:30+00:00

I haven't heard anything about Trader Joes. They've got that English Tea Room thing going in the Ely Walker, I know that. Hell, they've got signs up.

There was the report on KMOV (I think) that said Schnucks was moving into the Garage.

janit0r · PostMay 07, 2007#1562007-05-07T14:32+00:00

Downtown STL Fan wrote:I've also heard Trader Joe's may be moving into the Ely Walker building

Probably false. One half is officially the English Living furniture store / tea house, and the other half remains discussed by Orchard (the developer) as a restaurant to share a new outdoor seating area with Red Moon in Terra Cotta.

doug · PostMay 08, 2007#1572007-05-08T15:37+00:00

They look so happy in their ignorance. We should too.

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 08, 2007#1582007-05-08T17:19+00:00

Doug wrote:They look so happy in their ignorance. We should too.

Ignorance of what?

Alex Ihnen · PostMay 08, 2007#1592007-05-08T22:10+00:00

^ Ignorance of how client politics is keeping us down and how the poverty programs of the last 50 years have only institutionalized an underclass in American society . . . just joking - I'm guessing he means ignorance of what was there before the garage - The Century.

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 09, 2007#1602007-05-09T03:58+00:00

Grover wrote:^ Ignorance of how client politics is keeping us down and how the poverty programs of the last 50 years have only institutionalized an underclass in American society . . . just joking - I'm guessing he means ignorance of what was there before the garage - The Century.

Would that include ignorance of what was there before The Century?

Alex Ihnen · PostMay 09, 2007#1612007-05-09T04:14+00:00

^ The modern Urbanist seems only able to demonstrate nostalgia for buildings that existed during their lifetime or within the immediate previous generation and/or were depicted in any black and white photos, often postcards. Few demonstrate any interest in "what was there before what was there." Oh, and the building has to have been big and pretty.

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 09, 2007#1622007-05-09T12:13+00:00

Grover wrote:^ The modern Urbanist seems only able to demonstrate nostalgia for buildings that existed during their lifetime or within the immediate previous generation and/or were depicted in any black and white photos, often postcards. Few demonstrate any interest in "what was there before what was there." Oh, and the building has to have been big and pretty.

That's what I thought.

So they would consider someone who admires, for example, the Seagram Building to be ignorant?

jlblues · PostMay 10, 2007#1632007-05-10T00:32+00:00

Arch City wrote:Street level rendering.

This also seems deceptive in the surface material of the garage. The rendering quite clearly depicts a light-colored, brick surface, at least above street level (look at the shaded portion of the "tower"). I haven't taken a close look at the garage in awhile, but I thought it was all precast concrete.

moorlander · PostMay 10, 2007#1642007-05-10T00:34+00:00

could just be my monitor, but it sure doesn't look brick to me. It looks like a light colored smooth surface.

jlblues · PostMay 10, 2007#1652007-05-10T00:45+00:00

^The lower levels do, but not the upper levels. I don't know how you would achieve that color variation with precast concrete...

framer · PostMay 10, 2007#1662007-05-10T04:28+00:00

Sorry, but I feel you may be picking nits here.

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 10, 2007#1672007-05-10T13:53+00:00

Framer wrote:Sorry, but I feel you may be picking nits here.

If they don't stop picking them they'll never heal.

doug · PostMay 10, 2007#1682007-05-10T15:11+00:00

Whatever guys. It is rather ridiculous that the administration receives awards for revitalization, and cites this as one of their goals, when we have demolition all over our city, with the Century being the most prominent example of corruption and double talk. I feel nothing except disgust when I see this building and contempt for those who make it a reality.

innov8ion · PostMay 10, 2007#1692007-05-10T15:16+00:00

^ When people get old and grey, new people come to take their place. With decay comes rebirth. It's a part of the natural cycle.

That being said, the Century was clearly controversial and seemingly bereft w/ backroom dealings.

However, not all demolition is bad and not all demolition is good. The answer is somewhere in the middle.

doug · PostMay 10, 2007#1702007-05-10T15:20+00:00

The answer is clearly that the Century didn't need to be demolished. McGowan had plans to build parking within yet Stogel wouldn't have that. These guys will cite this parking garage as justification for OPOD's upcoming revitalization. It wouldn't have happened without more parking! This practice will continue throughout our City. It destructive and contradictory.

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 10, 2007#1712007-05-10T15:37+00:00

Doug wrote:Whatever guys. It is rather ridiculous that the administration receives awards for revitalization, and cites this as one of their goals, when we have demolition all over our city, with the Century being the most prominent example of corruption and double talk. I feel nothing except disgust when I see this building and contempt for those who make it a reality.

The Century is gone. It's not coming back. Get over it.

doug · PostMay 10, 2007#1722007-05-10T16:12+00:00

Get over it? Forget the mistakes? That is exactly what we need to stop. This must not be repeated. We have plenty of parking just as UMSL does not need another garage on South Campus! There are two on North which are never at capacity plus North Hanley is free. What is it with the damn parking fetish?

The ability to park is not going to bring residents downtown as this ability has always been there! Has it brought people? No.

thewayofthearch · PostMay 10, 2007#1732007-05-10T16:13+00:00

Auto-erotic parkingfixation?

the central scrutinizer · PostMay 10, 2007#1742007-05-10T18:21+00:00

Doug wrote:Get over it? Forget the mistakes?

Yes. Get over it.

moorlander · PostMay 10, 2007#1752007-05-10T18:38+00:00

from what I recall, the stress test did not allow for the century to be converted into parking. However I wish one of two things would have happened.

- somehow the facade of the century could have been saved and the garage built within.

- Some how the urban urban plaza could have been used instead.

IIRC stogal pushed for the demo of the century, and Pyramid supported it (maybe not in theory) because it was going to be a boon for it's OPOS projects (PB and AW)

Ninth Street Garage Construction - Century Garage

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