I believe Lindenwood already has a downtown presence. On Washington; west of 14th (correct me if im wrong).
Lindenwood offers undergraduate and graduate classes for its evening LCIE program at the Wash Ave location...classes meet once a week for four hours in the evening...classes offered on Mon through Thursdays I believe depending on the degree...great program if you're working full time...
- 1,642
A 1000 young people downtown by August? How is this not some of the best news in recent years? It's not on the drawing board or the subject of a 300 page forum thread. It appears to be a done deal. Was anyone expecting this or did this sort of happen out of the blue? This is great news.
- 5,433
leeharveyawesome wrote:A 1000 young people downtown by August? How is this not some of the best news in recent years? It's not on the drawing board or the subject of a 300 page forum thread. It appears to be a done deal. Was anyone expecting this or did this sort of happen out of the blue? This is great news.
I agree, it's the best news I've heard about downtown in quite a while. And perhaps I missed something since this must have been in the works awhile, but it's also pleasantly unexpected.
- 11K
We're mostly focused on the effect on downtown, but I think this is more important for SLU than for downtown. Smart move on their part. IMO - the paradigm may have shifted (and our attitudes should as well). Downtown was the magnate in this case. No special TIF was needed, no free demo. SLU is going to benefit greatly from moving downtown. This isn't entirely dissimilar to the point I've made about SLU Med. The school benefits from being in the city. SLU didn't want to build the new med building out of charity or their love of the city. They want it because being in the city has huge advantages. With those advantages should come a realization that the city demands something in return.
This does explain Summer Bay Resorts moving out...
In general, I think this will be good for SLU, downtown, and the City as a whole. I am most interested to see how this can effect the housing and retail/restaurant market in the surrounding area, and for different reasons, the office market.
In general, I think this will be good for SLU, downtown, and the City as a whole. I am most interested to see how this can effect the housing and retail/restaurant market in the surrounding area, and for different reasons, the office market.
^Great question. A 19 month construction schedule would be a bit more comforting in terms of the quality of the build-out and the magnitude of the investment they're making. Especially considering they need a new law library, court rooms, theater-style classrooms, IT and AV equipment, etc.... not to mention a new skin on the building.
Fair enough. This is obviously a good thing from a land use and economic development standpoint. If it was someone else besides SLU I wouldn't mention anything. But people in St. Louis are far too forgiving and seem to have short memories. If we want policies to change we can't let institutions make ridiculous decisions for decades, only to do one good thing and expect people to forget. Shouldn't we hold people accountable? Maybe that's the nature of St. Louis, where we have so few actors in the game and you simply have to work with them.landmarks wrote:The loss on Lindell was a tragedy and all too typical, but today I would like to focus on another major adaptive reuse project coming to a major building downtown.
In the future if we keep filling up buildings along Tucker then perhaps we could discuss how wide it is and if that size suits the current needs of people in our City. The garages and the excessive road capacity on this street destroy our streetscape, disconnect downtown, and take up valuable space for future density and other forms of transportation. Downtown is one of the few places in the City on a trajectory of growth. So I think these are issues that should be on peoples minds as they are in other cities. We can make logical choices instead of ad hoc decisions. We make a plan and stick to it.
Awesome for Downtown; Timing is perfect as we trend out of a residential development slump; Perhaps a little "give and take" as SLU attempts to develop the Peveley complex?
This is great news. Perhaps the recent library renovation also was a factor in the move.
My biggest worry for future downtown development is the infrastructure. Outside Washington Avenue, downtown has an embarrassing streetscape and public infrastructure. Downtown needs to expand its CID to at least Jefferson and sidewalk and street improvements need to be the next big push. This is a problem I see all over the St. Louis area. So much money given in TIFs and "business" incentives when the public infrastructure is in shambles!
I would also like to see some street trees out front. Some exterior improvements will also be appreciated. Neon signs and lighting should be mandatory. lol
My biggest worry for future downtown development is the infrastructure. Outside Washington Avenue, downtown has an embarrassing streetscape and public infrastructure. Downtown needs to expand its CID to at least Jefferson and sidewalk and street improvements need to be the next big push. This is a problem I see all over the St. Louis area. So much money given in TIFs and "business" incentives when the public infrastructure is in shambles!
I would also like to see some street trees out front. Some exterior improvements will also be appreciated. Neon signs and lighting should be mandatory. lol
- 5,433
I don't want to hijack the thread, but that is a great point. TIF abuse runs rampant, and then people rail against the gub'mint when infrastructure improvements are proposed. Go figure.goat314 wrote: This is a problem I see all over the St. Louis area. So much money given in TIFs and "business" incentives when the public infrastructure is in shambles!
- 11K
Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but TIF is very often for infrastructure improvements - sidewalks, trees, drainage, street paving, etc.
Not often for, TIF can only be used for infrastructure. Well, that's what TIF law says, but money is fungible.Alex Ihnen wrote:Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but TIF is very often for infrastructure improvements - sidewalks, trees, drainage, street paving, etc.
Wasn't there some plan to upgrade the Tucker streetscape a while back? What ever became of it?
Taking the Metrolink from Grand to Civic Center or 8th & Pine needs to be something the Law students are sold on. I know UMSL has received a reduced fair package for faculty and students and SLU should work with Metro to do the same.
Google maps says trips from both 8th & Pine and Civic Center to 100 N. Tucker are .4 miles long. That is an easy walk in any type of weather.
Adding increased bike infrastructure on Lindell and Olive St. connecting downtown should also be a priority.
And a question; has there been an official announcement as to when the Grand Metro stop will reopen?
Google maps says trips from both 8th & Pine and Civic Center to 100 N. Tucker are .4 miles long. That is an easy walk in any type of weather.
Adding increased bike infrastructure on Lindell and Olive St. connecting downtown should also be a priority.
And a question; has there been an official announcement as to when the Grand Metro stop will reopen?
If I remember correctly, that project was hoping for a TIGER grant that the city failed to win.framer wrote:Wasn't there some plan to upgrade the Tucker streetscape a while back? What ever became of it?
I think it would behoove SLU to encourage students to take the 10 Lindell bus as it is much more convenient in that it gets people much closer to the main campus and the downtown law building than MetroLink.rheights wrote:Taking the Metrolink from Grand to Civic Center or 8th & Pine needs to be something the Law students are sold on. I know UMSL has received a reduced fair package for faculty and students and SLU should work with Metro to do the same.
Google maps says trips from both 8th & Pine and Civic Center to 100 N. Tucker are .4 miles long. That is an easy walk in any type of weather.
Adding increased bike infrastructure on Lindell and Olive St. connecting downtown should also be a priority.
^ Probably wouldn't be hard to re-route the 10 bus two blocks east to Tucker... give the new building front door service. Any money SLU would have spent on their own "shuttle" they could put right into METRO to increase frequency from 30 minutes down to 20? 15? minutes during "school hours" (what ever that means for law students??)
- 2,386
^I think a shuttle is a good idea for SLU. Up here in the North St. Thomas runs a shuttle (buses) from it's St. Paul campus to it's downtown Minneapolis campus and they seem to work quite well. They also function as very large moving billboards, which seems to be a nice ancilliary benefit for the school.
^But why have a shuttle when the infrastructure is already there? Metrolink and Metrobus.
A shuttle isn't needed.
A shuttle isn't needed.
- 2,386
^Because it is for the benefit of the students. The St. Thomas line runs along the EXACT city bus line, but they still have dedicated buses for the University students.
Why? Becuase if you are considering spending $160K plus on a law degree, it is nice to have a 100% reliable bus that is new, clean, and serving your needs. No extra stops. Goes from exactly where you are to exactly where you need to go. Convenient for you as a student.
I don't get why they would use city infrastructure. This is an active move by the school to make itself more attractive. It is simple marketing and serving the students. Not that hard to understand.
A shuttle is needed and it is a good decision by SLU.
Why? Becuase if you are considering spending $160K plus on a law degree, it is nice to have a 100% reliable bus that is new, clean, and serving your needs. No extra stops. Goes from exactly where you are to exactly where you need to go. Convenient for you as a student.
I don't get why they would use city infrastructure. This is an active move by the school to make itself more attractive. It is simple marketing and serving the students. Not that hard to understand.
A shuttle is needed and it is a good decision by SLU.
^probably a frequency issue as well? Though I'm a big proponent of SLU encouraging greater use of the public transit system...
And FWIW in my year at Seton Hall Law I never needed to go to the main campus...though the library was housed in the downtown Newark law school campus...also, I along with a number of students utilized trains and busses to get between home and school...law students not losing touch with the society they serve always seemed like a good idea to me...
And FWIW in my year at Seton Hall Law I never needed to go to the main campus...though the library was housed in the downtown Newark law school campus...also, I along with a number of students utilized trains and busses to get between home and school...law students not losing touch with the society they serve always seemed like a good idea to me...
- 11K
^ SLU can have a MetroBus wrapped with the logo, etc. The distance between campuses is exactly 2mi. IMO - existing transit options should be used.
^^I'm sorry that I didn't understand your excellent reasoning.
So the the school providing metro fare cards to students that they could use to travel the entire St. Louis transit system is not a benefit or attractive to a student?
A shuttle takes them to class and what else? Not a lot.
How many law students do you know that live on campus? I don't know many. Most live in private housing around the city.
Have you ever ridden that bus line or the metrolink to know that they are that unreliable?
Are city buses ridiculously dirty? No
The system is just fine and covers a city rather than a campus and a street.
I doubt a potential law student thinks "Hmm, SLU has a shuttle. I guess I'll go there."
So the the school providing metro fare cards to students that they could use to travel the entire St. Louis transit system is not a benefit or attractive to a student?
A shuttle takes them to class and what else? Not a lot.
How many law students do you know that live on campus? I don't know many. Most live in private housing around the city.
Have you ever ridden that bus line or the metrolink to know that they are that unreliable?
Are city buses ridiculously dirty? No
The system is just fine and covers a city rather than a campus and a street.
I doubt a potential law student thinks "Hmm, SLU has a shuttle. I guess I'll go there."