He has told me before he doesn't support it unless Ellendale Neighborhood Association does. But it also affects Lindenwood and to a lesser degree Clifton Heights. Which, there's already one on the doorstep of Clifton Heights.
Anecdotally, Lindenwood Park Facebook page is probably 60/40 for the QuikTrip, and most of those against are all about traffic. Notable, the one remaining house on that wedge is the red roofed "compound", and they are apparently supportive of the project.
Adding: Looking at the map, although this is technically in Ellendale, this area is more connected to Lindenwood Park, so they should have a lot of say here.
^ Sorry, to be more clear... QuikTrip owns all of the other houses at this point and they have been vacant for a while. They have applied for demo permits, but not sure of the status.
^Ah. Well, that's about par for the course. Maybe there's no saving them at this point, and this would be far, far, far from the worst loss we've suffered, but we really need to stop this nonsense at some point. We have positively no need for additional gas stations anywhere in the metro area that I'm aware of. We need a hard limit on the things. And to gradually decrease the number going forward.
That parcel has been near the top of my south city wish list for quite some time.
I do worry that NIMBYs will try to kill larger projects in that area, though.
Kingshighway needs to be transformed in this part of town. I went to the new Dunkin' drive-thru the other day and was appalled at how much space they gave the drive-thru loop.
As someone else told me.. they own the lots, and there isn't a conditional demo permit issued upon granting of zoning variance. It's not in a historic district or anything. But ultimately, they aren't after a zoning change at this point, so it's just senseless demolition without even having a neighborhood approved plan.
Ald. Narayan said the homes were uninhabitable. Less than three years after being purchased (and were occupied) I can't fathom they're uninhabitable outside of the water taps being destroyed prior to this exact demo?
It's clear we need appropriate purview over the land grabs and squatting. QT said they'd taken a pause on this and will return with a new plan. Yet, in the meantime, they're fine to demolish previously occupied homes.
I suggested the gas station medallion idea someone else on here proposed. I think it's a really good idea.. either pay the heck into the city to be here, or you're not going to build a gas station. Do the same with surface lots from Cass to Chouteau, river to Grand.
This site is about the most appropriate place possible for a QuikTrip there could be. Sandwiched between two arterial roads, an interstate and a railroad yard. There are no neighboring homes except those that were sold and the remaining homeowner who is in support. The neighborhoods are generally for the use with some concerns about traffic and as long as it is not a "truck stop" which they have said it will not be.
Gas stations shouldn't be anywhere near residential, parks, schools, hospitals, day cares, etc, etc. Even with their demolitions, there are still a bunch of houses within 1000 ft of this site. It's bad enough they are exposed to the highway and stroads. We need to protect people from the crime, crash deaths and injuries, light, noise, air, and fine particulate pollution that comes with gas stations. Also it's another wealth mine to take money from our community and send it to oil producers elsewhere.
There are worse locations for a gas station, I'll give you that.
Car blight begets car blight.
Jane Jacobs-
Erosion of cities by automobiles entails so familiar a series of events that these hardly need describing. The erosion proceeds as a kind of nibbling, small nibbles at first, but eventually hefty bites. Because of vehicular congestion, a street is widened here, another is straightened there, a wide avenue is converted to one-way flow, staggered-signal systems are installed for faster movement, a bridge is double-decked as its capacity is reached, an expressway is cut through yonder, and finally whole webs of expressways. More and more land goes into parking, to accommodate the ever increasing numbers of vehicles while they are idle. No one step in this process is, in itself, crucial. But cumulatively the effect is enormous. And each step, while not crucial in itself, is crucial in the sense that it not only adds its own bit to the total change, but actually accelerates the process. Erosion of cities by automobiles is thus an example of what is known as “positive feedback.” In cases of positive feedback, an action produces a reaction which in turn intensifies the condition responsible for the first action. This intensifies the need for repeating the first action, which in turn intensifies the reaction, and so on, ad infinitum. It is something like the grip of a habit-forming addiction.
"QuikTrip and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race."
Though yeah this honestly isn't too bad of a spot for a QT. Hell, it's within walking distance of my house so I guess that's a plus, too.
I think the main point of contention is that it has to stop at some point. There's a brand new gas station down the street, another QT one exit down, another two another exit down. It's just stupid use of land and backwards for a city aiming for carbon neutrality in 2030. Which, surprise, I highly doubt we accomplish that because no one thinks about the granular impact of continuing to condemn parcels to a convenience store conglomerate that just siphons money from communities and leaves a mess behind whenever they decide to move two blocks away.
None of the properties ever were on open market to my knowledge.
To be fair, yeah, it's probably the 'best' place for a gas station. Maybe I'd be in for it if they sold off the one on hampton to open it up for something more attractive. But, that's not how business works.
I'm still amazed at what business the Maplewood QT pulls in, especially in the mornings. It really does become a truck stop with all the construction workers and manual labor etc. Spire trucks, Ameren trucks, lawn care trucks, tuckpointing trucks, electricians trucks etc. There are times when there are no parking spaces are available. I'm not saying this as a "woe is them" and justification to build more of these eyesores, but as a observation.
O’Fallon just approved their 6th QuikTrip location, and I’m thrilled to see it happen. There will finally be one north of I-70. It’s also slated to be the company’s first Generation 4 type of store, too.