urbanSTL

I wonder where a garage would go - on the lots by the Drury perhaps?

"Terrace event lawn?" I don't really understand the need for that. At all. There is one long stretch of event lawn called the Gateway Mall nearby.



As far as parking, does Union Station need more? I mean, really! Maybe if it is free, but somehow I doubt this. I am tired of parking as the excuse for failure of any downtown retail/office/living concept. Will a new parking garage (that will not likely place folks any closer to the action) really pull in more folks to this? Unlikely, imho.



I am very supportive of new plans for Union Station, though. Solid anchor tenants and a theater are good ideas. I just wish we could get more creative than the suburban mall--historic festival marketplace idea. That template seems to fail so often.



The inclusion of residential would've been super, considering so much of downtown redevelopment points in that direction (and a base for non-tourist consumers at Union Station shops + restaurants + entertainment venues would be established).

Yes, i would agree that the ideas are a bit disapointing. I think it could help union station to have more retail and more resutrants to compete with other new developments, but really, to be a great atractive venue, i think it is a waisted opertunity if US is not changed.

As far as the even lawn and garage, i would guess maybe the garage is back near the edge of the parking lot near the highway and the even lawn is inbetween the end of the sheed and the garage?

This place has been crowded big time all summer.

Went there today and the place was packed again. Asked the guy at a counter at the food court and he said the business has been way above this entire year.



Take in Union Station!



Sounds of the Station

Join Red@104.1 for the St. Louis Union Station Sounds of the Summer Concerts Series, presented by Bud Select. This summer, Red and St. Louis Union Station would like to encourage business workers to come out and celebrate, kick back on one the many patios and enjoy a cold Bud Select at the Union Station South Plaza Lake Stage.



St. Louis Union Station is inviting St. Louisans to come out before their weekends on Thursday evenings from 5:00pm-8:30pm for live music and drinks.



Print this page: http://red1041.com/home/event05.aspx to receive $2 off parking for the night of the concert. You must take the printed page to the Union Station customer service desk to receive a special $2 off parking ticket.



St. Louis Union Station is the place to Meet, Shop, Drink, Dine, Laugh, Learn, Play and Stay!



Sounds of the Station Upcoming Performances

7/28 - Fairchild

8/25 - Red104.1 presents: Erin Bode

9/22 - Joe Dirt



http://stlouisunionstation.com/

I wish they didnt feel the need to mention parking at all. It's sad that parking gets used as a sales point too often. Wasnt there an ad for Mike Shannons restaurant that made a big deal about the parking? I like that Union Station is busy though. just a pet peeve of mine I guess.

Dierdorf & Hart's advertises free parking, but they do it in attempt to bring in more business before Cards games - if you go and have a few drinks or a meal before the game, your parking is paid for, which is not bad.

I prefer to take Metrolink whenever I goto Union Station with my date, unless I have 2 or 3 other ppl to go with me then we park there. Parking does get expensive if you stay for just 4 and a half hours. Its $2 for just a half hour.

I noticed that some stores or restaurants in Union Station now offer parking validation. Don't know the details, just recall seeing the sign (Hooters maybe).

Does anyone have details on the new Union Station development mentioned on MayorSlay.com?



(Jones Lang LaSalle publishes a fact sheet but nothing about improvements.)

phobia wrote:Does anyone have details on the new Union Station development

They are simply capital improvements: tuck-pointing, stone stucco repair and improvements to the exterior installation and finishing systems. According to the Downtown St. Louis Partnership, these are the first in a series of restorations at Union Station.

urbanstlouis wrote:They are simply capital improvements...these are the first in a series of restorations at Union Station.

Were the plans for "development of new retail and other elements" they showed Slay in May just naval gazing, then?

I received a phone call this week that turned into a 35 minuet poll seeking public opinion about Union Station. Many of the questions centered upon what type of retail would be a draw to get me to visit more often. Some of the suggestions they gave were stores like Old Navy, Pottery Barn, Office Max and Target. Would love to know who was doing the polling, the city or the mall owners.

It's too bad that H&M store that opened up in the Galleria/West County could not have considered a Union Station exclusive store. That would have been a boon to the mall.

It's too bad that H&M store that opened up in the Galleria/West County could not have considered a Union Station exclusive store. That would have been a boon to the mall.

I agree. I think that Union Station needs a couple of things. First, an exclusive store like H&M that has name recognition and would draw people downtown. Residential there would be great, and it would add foot traffic... something that psychologically would draw people in. Awhile ago there was talk about a movie theatre where you could sit down at tables and order dinner; innovative ideas like that would really help.

Downtown Chicago has two H&M stores, one on State Street in the Loop and one on the Mag-Mile North Michigan on the city's near north. True Chicagoans would say the latter isn't truly downtown.



Similarly, I would think St. Louis City could support an H&M in the CWE (Koplar's Maryland Plaza or the base of Park East) first and then with the increasing downtown, eventually one near Old Post Office or the Loft District, but NOT union station.



Folks living in Chicago don't really go to Navy Pier either, where there isn't an H&M. They might take their friends there from out of town or go there for the annual air show, but like Union Station, Navy Pier is mostly for tourists. Ironically, St. Louis Centre would be better than Union Station, but I think like Chicago, the urban shopper that H&M attracts would be happier with a sidewalk-abutting store.



Myself a potential H&M shopper, I dread the thought of having to go through the Galleria, or even worse West County, mall-mess to get to the only store I'm seeking to access for low-price high-style clothes. Remember that Urban Outfitters was originally planning a Delmar Loop location, before going into the Galleria. And look at the success of Crate & Barrell in The Boulevard, where you can go without visiting any of the Galleria. As they've successfully done in Chicago, H&M should really find sidewalk-fronting spaces for future St. Louis area lcoations.

Southslider, you're going to be stuck going to the West County location for now. The Galleria location only has women's clothing. I learned that the hard way today when I went by there today

Thanks mcarril for saving me the trip. Given that more metrosexual and gay adult men with income to burn would be better served by the Galleria than West County, I think it would have been better the other way around. I guess H&M corporate is going after Parkway boys with allowances to burn.



Anyway, with the holiday season approaching, I think I'll pretty much be avoiding all malls until next year. And as I get closer to 30, maybe H&M is reminding me I'm getting too old to still be trying to dress youthfully trendy on the cheap.

No problem. I was surprised by the decision also. Its a really large store too at the Galleria. I'm surprised they couldn't fit mens clothing there as well. The space at West County doesn't seem to be any larger than the Galleria space, (I haven't been there since it opened) so maybe they just carry less stuff.

I have only one word for a Union Station store..IKEA!!!!!!!!!!

Amazingly, I think that Union Station is too small for an Ikea. They're stores average around 350,000 sq ft. (Which as it happens is the amount of leaseable space at The St Louis Centre.)

Union Station is not the place for big box retailers untill there is alot more residental nearby. Its fine for tourists and St. Louis should invest the money to see that happen.

I was surprised to find out that Union Station is second (obviously behind the Arch) in tourist destinations. St. Louis has 16.9 million visitors that come to our city every year (business travels and tourists). It is a shame they have such a poor tenant mix in Union Station - it could be a great destination. When Union Station provided more entertainment it was well visited (live concerts at the lake). It just seems like their tenant mix is all wrong (look at the crowds that gather around The Fudgery - closest thing to live entertainment provided at Union Station now). I wish there was an appropriate plan to truly revitalize this architectural gem for our city.

Agreed...and I think any appropriate plan must include trains. I've said this before but it's always amazing to hear IMHO: Union Station was at one time, the largest and busiest passenger rail station in the entire world.

Yeah, it is too bad they couldn't design the MetroLink to come right in to Union Station like the old trains used to.

The problem is that Union Station is set up for trains to pull into the station, not merely stop along the way. That setup worked when St. Louis was a major rail destination itself, but not now, when we're simply on Amtrak routes from Chicago to KC and Texas, it's not as practical.



Granted, a future high-speed rail line to Chicago may mean transfers in St. Louis to standard diesel trains to KC and Texas. And even today, most Amtrak passengers travel only intercity, not cross-country. Still, a financially strapped Amtrak is looking to significantly share, if not completely hand over, station costs to others. Thus, the planned multi-modal station site pushed by the City provides multiple tenants (shared with intercity bus lines) and mixed financing (capital grants, local agency bonds, tenant leases).



I've wondered too if the movie theatre portion of Union Station under 40, since closer to the through-tracks could be adapted to a passenger rail station, but the planned multi-modal station site is likely better. The 15th/Poplar site is next to Metro's Civic Center Transit Center. Plus, this preferred site can more easily accommodate intercity bus services, like Greyhound.