urbanSTL

^Love the idea but not gonna happen... they own like a million acres out there and have 20/50 yr expansions already planned. They would need many many times the space available at US to house all the trains, cars, boats, planes etc.



Now it they converted the mall into the museum. Now that would be cool. Keep the outside restaurants and the hotel of course, but I think i'd be cool to transform the rest into The National Museum of Transpotation. And still add a few midrise apts/condo blds to the west.

What is most sad is the disconnect between vision and reality.



Why can't the richest nation on earth support the development of rail?

Why can't the Museum of Transportation be moved to US? etc...



Why can't we take back control of public policy and the future direction of our community?



US is privately owned but serves a huge public purpose.



The Hyatt is an incredible hotel - a real hidden asset in downtown. But I think it is undervalued by the owners also.

bpe235 wrote:^Love the idea but not gonna happen... they own like a million acres out there and have 20/50 yr expansions already planned. They would need many many times the space available at US to house all the trains, cars, boats, planes etc.



Now it they converted the mall into the museum. Now that would be cool. Keep the outside restaurants and the hotel of course, but I think i'd be cool to transform the rest into The National Museum of Transpotation. And still add a few midrise apts/condo blds to the west.

Do a Google aerial and look to see how much land out there is actually used for the current museum.



Then consider this: Residential (and retail land out there is in incredibly high demand. The profit they'd make from selling it to a developer would be huge. Plus it makes much more sense to build houses in an already-residential (and retail) area and put a national museum where people could actually find it.



But, as you said, ain't gonna happen -- 'cause connecting the dots is not a skill well-taught in area high schools.

And moving a facility operated by the county parks dept. to the city has got to be nearly impossible!

^ That would be awesome. Is the museum part of the County Parks system or is it just located on park land? They have 150 and could rake in some $$$, but if it's a county park I doubt they would sell anything. This would be an AWESOME additon to US. If we could get this and the Barriger Railroad collection at the UMSL Mercantile Library (or the entire mercantile library) to move as well we'd really have something.

How ironic would it be if they had to bring all those trains from the museum to the TRAIN STATION on trucks. drawing circle on wall..........banging head.

^^The Musée Transport is owned & operated by the County Parks Dept. Since its one of the more visited park sites in the county system, they would probably never sell it. But given their, and the county govt as a whole, present financial situation, closing or cutting back are always sad possibilities.



My father use to work out at MoT and I think this is where my love for trains started. I believe they use to have a mini musée at Union Station a few years ago that MoT put up. Haven't been down in a while so I'm not sure if its still there.

I remember reading somewhere that the MoT actually looked into moving into Union Station during the time when it was vacant. If I remember right, they decided against it due to the amount of work needed on the station. At that time, the MoT wasn't part of the county park system.



I personally thought that it would make sense to use the garden tracks on the west side for Amtrak, and also bring Greyhound in. Then all the tourist that get off the buses and trains step right into a dining/hotel/retail environment. I think the whole argument about backing trains up doesn't really apply anymore, since most of the trains that terminate here still have to be turned by a back up maneuver anyway.

but making it a major transportation hub makes perfect sense to me.

A transportation hub for What?



Amtrak? their entire 4 trains a day? AND, STL is busy for Amtrak! The rest of the country (besides the east coast) is dead on rail transit.



I'm glad that METRO at least uses the Union Station tunnel and has a station at Union Station. That is utilizing it somewhat as a transportation "hub" and that's about all Union Station will ever have in it.



Overall, reality is, most cities have bulldozed or shuttered their wonderful stations. I am just happy that STL Union Station didn't come to know the giant demolition ball in the 80's. Regardless, huge passenger rail station around the country (w/ the exception of Chicago and a few east coast cities) are never going to serve the purpose of "rail" transit again to the extent they did in the early 20th century. Air travel and the American craze of the automobiled killed rail transportation in America. Period.



Recreating Union Station is the key and I think that it will do so in time. It has withstood the tests of 27 years (or longer now) or recreating itself and has had it's ups and downs. The station will survive. It will remain and it will evolve again.

Another idea for US - a giant indoor waterpark. Families with younger kids travel all over searching out hotels with these. As far as I can see, St. Louis doesn't have any.

^

I'd take a driving range too.

I have heard rumors for a few years now about some kind of waterpark component in the works for the city museum. Is that true?

^I've heard that rumor too. In the version I heard it was supposedly going to be on the roof of the building

A driving range would be interesting. You'd think they'd get some lunchtime/afterwork business from DT professionals. Tourists perhaps as well. I'd use it as I have been going to Tower Tee because a buddy lives close by. Is there a range at AAA in the park? If not, where's the closest from DT?

Would putting a driving range in Union Station take up too much space to be practical? I mean, would it be economically viable to use the amount of space (I would think) a range requires for a business that generates the amount of income (that I imagine) a driving range takes in?

Wouldn't have to be a full range, just big enough to stand out really. Nets could be put up, kind of like they had at Oshmans at NW Plaza back in the day. Maybe they could make it a bit longer than the "normal" Sports Authority/d*cks, so you could get a better idea where your ball is going. just a thought.

Although I think a driving range is bad use of union station, an indoor/outdoor multi-sport venue would be a great addition to downtown. I could totally see climbing walls, gym, raquetball indoors, and tennis courts, sand volleyball in the outer area where the parking is. Maybe model it after Chelsea Piers in New York-which by the way, is also in an out of the way area in relation to where people live/work, but has enough cool stuff to bring people there...



http://www.chelseapiers.com/

I was at Chelsea Piers about a month ago, interesting place, great re-use of old shipping piers which are no longer used, includinga driving range on one of them...



I don't know if this is the answer for Union Station or not, I would rather see a major overhaul with fewer retail spots, but targeting certain retailers and I think a residential component needs to be included here as well...



I am intrigued by the chelsea piers suggestion though after having seen it in person

St. Louis Union Station MAY 2007 Photo Thread:



http://www.urbanstl.com/viewtopic.php?p=72403#72403

Whoever is in charge of Union Station should hand over half of it to IKEA and let them do what they will. It's only large scale store that people would make it a point to visit. They should shoot for fewer shops but make them destinations. Make a list of what is NOT here and put it there. One IKEA is better than 15 places to get an airbrushed shirt with the Arch on it. It would take some configuring but it would be great. How about a Diesel store? I know this is crazy talk.

Sad to see... Discovery closing stores, slashing 1,000 jobs

janit0r wrote:Sad to see... Discovery closing stores, slashing 1,000 jobs

The sale has started: right now it's 20% most stuff but 40% off books.

As the renovation/restoration of the building continues at great expense, I wonder if the owners don't have some bigs plans up their sleeves to reconsitute the place? Didn't Mayor Slay said something about this nearly two years ago?