urbanSTL

Axi:Ome visions

http://www.axi-ome.net/index.php?/proje ... velopment/

No doubt this project is gonna get a ton of ink in the arts/architecture/design press in the next couple of years.

Small rant on why I'm hesitant on this one:
Mostly it comes down to the fact that this is not the Incremental Urbanism that this neighborhood needs. Obviously there's a lot of stability to the South but there's still windowless warehouses and empty parking lots across the street to the North. I just fear that this will be a flash in the pan for 5-10 years and the homes will face serious maintenance issues following that. I wish this was part of a comprehensive plan with incremental development and scattered sites on both sides of Grand.
I love the idea of a row of Art-Houses, a lot the streets in St. Louis were built block-by-block rather than scattered houses. But in a modernist / post-modernist world, resilient neighborhoods are built over the course of 30 years, not 2-5.

^ i'm hesitant b/c the density is way too low for the location. the city's arts district should be a high-density area.

Looks to me like they're creating a major work of living, contemporary art, featuring the work of internationally renowned designers - perfect for an arts district. And don't forget there will be an apartment building anchoring the development on Vandeventer.

aprice wrote: ↑

Aug 29, 2018

Small rant on why I'm hesitant on this one:
Mostly it comes down to the fact that this is not the Incremental Urbanism that this neighborhood needs. Obviously there's a lot of stability to the South but there's still windowless warehouses and empty parking lots across the street to the North. I just fear that this will be a flash in the pan for 5-10 years and the homes will face serious maintenance issues following that. I wish this was part of a comprehensive plan with incremental development and scattered sites on both sides of Grand.
I love the idea of a row of Art-Houses, a lot the streets in St. Louis were built block-by-block rather than scattered houses. But in a modernist / post-modernist world, resilient neighborhoods are built over the course of 30 years, not 2-5.

I completely get where you're coming from here, but I think in this case it's needed. The Wolfner library is one of only three buildings left on the south side of the block. There's just nothing there to develop incrementally. But it's hardly monopolizing the neighborhood; there are still several vacant or surface parking lots nearby - if this is built and is successful, it could attract other smaller projects to be built on those. And getting national attention from multiple starchitects working the block might be just what the area needs to get more folks interested in working there (not to mention getting the banks to open up their purses for loans on rehabs and/or new construction nearby). And finally it'll likely take a big hitter like this to do something with the Wolfner; everything so far indicates that they want to get the facade fully back to its original glory.

I'm not holding my breath for this to kick off just yet - anyone remember the ArtHouse Townhomes? - but I'm encouraged that it has some heavy financial hitters backing it up. If they can make it work, I'm all for it.

-RBB

framer wrote: ↑

Aug 30, 2018

Looks to me like they're creating a major work of living, contemporary art, featuring the work of internationally renowned designers - perfect for an arts district. And don't forget there will be an apartment building anchoring the development on Vandeventer.

43 units on an entire block in the middle of the city is low density. i'm not saying every part of St. Louis needs to be high density, but if any place makes sense its the central corridor, including Grand Center. i know they said they're aiming for relative affordability (not that $400K homes are affordable to many), but this reminds me a a private street. why can't they build a higher-density, major work of living contemporary art on, say, 1/3 of the block and sell the rest to other developers?

"Scattered throughout the development will be various amenities — a fountain, a playground, a vegetable garden"


I wonder if these amenities will be open to the general public, or if this will be essentially a gated community. Again, I'd really like to get a better look at the site plan.

shadrach wrote: ↑

Aug 30, 2018

Between this and hiring Ando for the Pulitzer/CAM

Just Pulitzer, CAM was built later by a different firm.

rbb wrote: There's just nothing there to develop incrementally. But it's hardly monopolizing the neighborhood; there are still several vacant or surface parking lots nearby - if this is built and is successful, it could attract other smaller projects to be built on those.

That's actually one reason I'm worried. We don't have a very many instances of a site going from Parking Lot -> Building in this city. Especially in such a distressed area. I'm just afraid that the owner of that parking lot across the street will refuse to sell it and be too incompetent to develop it themselves.

^Pulitzer also owns most of the land on the north side of Olive.

This proposal is reminiscent of Menil Park & Neighborhood in Houston - which is a few blocks of bungalows and art installations around the Menil Collection, which itself was designed by famed architect Renzo Piano.

This is just a fantastic idea. Really looking forward to seeing it come into focus and fruition.

I see this as an extension of the Gaslight Square portion of Olive. That developement really kicked off the north eastward expansion of the CWE. I would have preferred the original buildings along Olive had been saved, but the whole stretch is much better off and it still looks good.

The rear half of the Wolfner Building is gone. New street trees have been planted along this block, and there's a large, mysterious mound of dirt on the north side of Olive.

framer wrote: Demo is underway on the last of the empty buildings on the north side of Olive. Wonder when they're gonna show more of their plans? 

Steve Trampe said "very soon" when I contacted him a week ago regarding this. He also said that they were in the final design stages of the homes and that the apartment building at Olive and Vandeventer is still a ways out from final design, but they have a general idea as to how it will look.

Lots of dirt being shoved around on the south side of Olive. 

Went by today. Looks like they're ready to begin rehab on the clubhouse. Lots of dirt moving on site:)

Couple of pics. Remember, they've got plans for both sides of Olive: