urbanSTL

I recently attended the 2006 American Planning Association National conference and the LEED seminar for Neighborhood Development was just a butting heads session of LEED officials asking for comments/ questions and debates about their standards so as to improve. They got plenty of responses with not enough time.

It's going to be great for St. Louis. Someday, from SLU's tower, or from the CAM at BJC Wustl, you'll be able to look west/east and see a vibrant strip of similar, albeit, smaller, modern building housing all sorts of biomedical industries, and nearby (if they get off their asses and get a M stop at sarah) the people who staff them.

^Yeah, I'm really watching the biotech developments in the city. It's exciting. I realize that a lot of other cities are trying to get into this game, but if we can capitalize on our advantages and really corner this market, it has the potential to push St. Louis back into the big leagues.

Passed by there last just this past Saturday. Looks like this is going to be quite an impressive structure.

Does anyone on here that has been criticizing SLU actually know or understand what exactly they are doing or planning? Because all the criticism is flying around, yet I have a feeling noone actually understands SLU's future (or current) plans!

Yes, we generally know current published plans. Most of us are not against the research building itself, just the siting of it. The green space is just wasted space where other buildings should be built. Maybe there are future plans for buildings, but none have been published, so we can't comment on anything but what is currently happening. We don't work in facilities management, so we wouldn't know of any other plans.

Whatever wrote:Does anyone on here that has been criticizing SLU actually know or understand what exactly they are doing or planning? Because all the criticism is flying around, yet I have a feeling noone actually understands SLU's future (or current) plans!

Do you know something we don't? If so, feel free to share.

I have a hunch that something will eventually be built between the research building and the current medical school.



The plans show a long open-air (but roofed) walkway connecting the two, which is common sense given that many people will be walking back and forth. The question then is: why did they place the building so far north?



I think it's because the research building is designed to be a landmark, visible from Hwy 40 and the north campus. The put it on the top of the hill for maximum visibility. There's plenty of room between the research building and the med school for another building. Something will be built there, but it won't be a "showcase" building like the current project. It won't need to be, because it will be surrounded by the rest of the campus.



As for the prospects of the plot of land north of the research building: don't count on it being developed, because doing so will block the view of the research building. It may not be the absolute most urban design, but like it or not, it is an improvement over what was there before.

Shadrach, thanks for the pic. Being out-of-town, it really helped me get a sense of where the building is placed on the SLU campus.

You're right, shadrach. The building really is visible from many differant areas. I can't wait until the sleek, modern skin starts to go up. I really like this building.

TIME LAPSE VIDEO: See months of construction work on the SLU Research Building in just a few seconds in this time lapse video (It spans from the summer of 2005 until March of 2006.) Also included in this video is a peak at what the finished building and site will look like.





You can also get a slideshow of construction photos and aerial photos of the project at this link:

http://www.slu.edu/pr/SLU_Video2.wmv



... And you can check out a live web cam at the below address. Watch Friday at 1:30 p.m. as the final steel beam for the structure is secured in place. What this means is that the exterior of the building will really be taking shape during the summer months.

http://www.clayco.oxblue.com/cam1/



I hope readers of this forum finds these links helpful ....

Thanks for the great links, slumed. The renderings/illustrations are great, and I think this is going to be a gem of a building, and at night with the colored lighting it should be spectacular.

Although I am a little bothered by the surface parking lot...and all the green grass--I'd rather see a plaza (if no future structures to be built here) of some sort rather than all that boring, unimaginative sea of grass.

30 MILLION DONATED TO SLU TODAY...for the Research Building by the Doisy family. Wow.



<a href="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... nt">Here's the link</a> to the Post-Disgrace article.

I love the design of the building. I just hope they do more with the surrounding area. That surface lot behind (to the East) the building in the renderings isn't to exciting.

Here's a link to the Saint Louis University website with more information about the $30 million gift and the new name for the building, the Edward A. Doisy Research Center.



http://www.slu.edu/readstory/more/6979

From the above link.

The new building is not the only campus entity named in honor of a member or members of the Doisy family. The Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (so named in 1955) was founded in 1923 by Doisy. Doisy Hall is part of a complex of buildings that comprise the School of Medicine. In 2004, the University renamed its School of Allied Health Professions and School of Nursing as the Edward and Margaret Doisy College of Health Sciences. And in the department of biochemistry, William Sly, M.D., is the Alice A. Doisy Professor and Chairman of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Maybe for $200 million, they'd just name the whole university after the Doisy family.

That's fine with me, just keep the money rolling in!



There's also a Doisy Library, a science library connected to the Pius Library.



I love SLU's focus on science and the role that the university is playing in the St. Louis biotech community, but it sure would be nice if we could get some major gifts to the school of communication, law, business, etc.



Unfortunately my donations are pretty small, but I give what I can!

We really need a combined science education initiative by SLU, WashU, Monsanto, Sigma Aldrich, MO Botanical Gardens, and others to petition and work with area school districts to upgrade their science and math methods and curriculum. We are as a nation trailing China and India and Europe. Maybe Public-Private partnerships could address public education more for science.

Is this the building going in across from the Cardinal Care center on Grand?



It was apparent to me about 3 months ago something was going in, or up as I could obviously see a 12 story high elevator shaft possibly reaching for the heavens...yet, now it seems as of today's visit its turned into quite a unique structure....it'd almost have to be a SLU building.



For more of a specific location, I'm referring to the new structure across from the Pevely building.

^Yes

I was just curious if anyone knew what SLU's eventual plans were for the area around the new bio-med building. As an alumin, I receive the SLU magazine every month. This month featured a pull out map of the "new campus." I noted that the rendering depicted nothgn but green fields around the bio med building .... green plots all the way up grand until you hit the med school. As most of you know, this area curretly supports about a dozen urban storefronts. Is SLU plowing under Grand to make some tacky suburban like office park?