urbanSTL

I realize that everybody loves to harp on the independent retailer. And yes, we're all supposed to hate places like Borders and Starbucks, but those places are cash cows. Even with Amazon, and other online sources for music and books, Borders makes a lot of money. They're doing something right. It would be nice to have a retailer like that downtown because it would speak to the vitality of the neighborhood.



Just as it speaks to the vitality of the loop that places like Qdoba and other chains are starting to go in.

ArchMadness wrote:Looking at that site plan all I can think about is the Ambassador bldg. Does this make me an emo kid if I have a tear running down my face.



http://www.builtstlouis.net/ambassador02.html

Cry me a friggin river....

TimeForGuinness wrote:

MattnSTL wrote:Public Parking on Washington, what a genius idea.

Isn't that already a parking garage?

He's talking about street parking on Washington. On the map it's the teal spaces.



But like I said they'll probably be usurped by the valet parking companies.

Any chance Macy's will open their 6th and 7th street entrances back up? Seems like this will be the perfect opportunity with increased foot traffic. It would be nice to walk in the ground floor and have it feel like an urban, old-school department store again!

Tysalpha wrote:Any chance Macy's will open their 6th and 7th street entrances back up? Seems like this will be the perfect opportunity with increased foot traffic. It would be nice to walk in the ground floor and have it feel like an urban, old-school department store again!

As Jeff pointed out, the Sixth Street entrance is open. The Seventh Street entrance was sealed several years ago, and if what I heard from multiple sources is true, it was closed by Famous-Barr for security purposes. I don't see how closing one entrance in a store that still has five remaining entraces would make that much of a difference. It would be nice, especially now that Mercantile Exchange has been announced, for Macy's to reopen that entrance.



Speaking of Macy's, not much has been made of this yet, but I would suspect that the MX announcement is a good sign for the store's long-term future. Macy's will effectively become the anchor of MX- hopefully an upturn in business there would bring even more lines to the downtown store and encourage Macy's to make it a true flagship, not one in name and tradition only.

^ I had forgotten the 6th street entrance was open. Seemed like last time I was there it wasn't, but my memory of it was vague.



The obvious "security" reason to close an entrance would be to reduce grab-and-run shoplifting. My guess is that the 7th street side had the least foot traffic, so if you were going to seal an entrance, that would be the one. But with all of the redevelopment in the area, presumably the entrance would be useful again.

Cry me a friggin river....

Man, I will. I would like to personally punch in the face the guy who pushed for the demolition of downtown's "Fox Theater". What a COMPLETE joke. for a driveway?! un-F-ing believable, only in ST. Louis... at least the city should push for this lots redevelopment.





This would look pretty cool in a newly revived urban retail district....is that New York or St. Louis???

That theatre was also designed by Rapp and Rapp, the famed movie palace designers of such all time greats as (in Chicago) the Chicago Theatre, the Oriental Theatre and the Cadillac Palace, and (in New York) the Paramount Theatre in Times Square. But hey, I consider Detroit to have it worse. They destroyed much of their Rapp and Rapp "Michigan" Theatre and turned its lobby into a parking garage. Talk about a slap in the face:

stlmike wrote:That theatre was also designed by Rapp and Rapp, the famed movie palace designers of such all time greats as (in Chicago) the Chicago Theatre, the Oriental Theatre and the Cadillac Palace, and (in New York) the Paramount Theatre in Times Square. But hey, I consider Detroit to have it worse. They destroyed much of their Rapp and Rapp "Michigan" Theatre and turned its lobby into a parking garage. Talk about a slap in the face...

It would have been better to shutter this theater until someone wanted to restore it, rather than have it serve this indignity. How could you park your car here, look up, and feel good about it?



Thankfully we saved the St. Louis and the Fox -- too bad the Ambassador didn't make it, too.

Theres a cool scene in 8mile when theyre free-stylin in a parking garage with a cool ceiling like that. Kinda depressing, but great acoustics!

yes, sometimes it may just be better to wipe the slate clean

Please stay on the topic friends. Thanks.

Pyramid has put up a nice sign for The Concord on the western side of St. Louis Centre. Now I think people will finally understand this development a little better.

Pyramid and their signs. They like to put them up.



Although, I'm very happy with the design they chose for the Centre.

I like signs. The more the better IMO. As long as the project actually starts, of course.

I didn't say I didn't like signs, but Pyramid REALLY likes signs.



So much that they keep that stupid skybridge up.

trent wrote:I didn't say I didn't like signs, but Pyramid REALLY likes signs.



So much that they keep that stupid skybridge up.

At the Laurel opening they said the skybridge will come down as soon as Laurel construction begins and construction will begin when they hit their pre-sales target (I didn't ask how many they have to sell)...so if all Skybridge Haters would just PLEASE go buy a Laurel unit the nasty skybridge will come down sooner!

Not sure if people have seen this already, but the West End Word has a rendering on its web site.

Title of the paper's article:

St. Louis Centre is Dead - Long Live St. Louis Centre

Long live STL Centre?



No way - I have buried it and cannot wait to see the first dirt thrown on top of it.

I remember being younger and going downtown to STL Centre thinking how cool it was to be downtown. I would go with friends, family, and alone. I love it. It was really sad to see it go downhill. I still to this day go to the downtown Macy's because even if it is a new name there is history there. I have gone to eat in Macy's and even took my best friend down there to eat. We had a good time. Do I think it is sad to see it go? Not anymore. The place really went down hill and I look forward to checking out MX when it opens and I really excited about it. Also can't wait to see the Skybridge go and open up the street again to some wonderful views.

Not just the skybridge on Wash Ave, but think of how great it will be to see the other bridges gone, along with that hideous white and green siding.