urbanSTL

Arch City, thanks for the pics. It is very helpful to see the surrounding area. I think the fullness of the building might be a positive thing. Also, thanks for the Fountain Place posting. I am glad these proposals are going in the City, and not just Clayton. It points out that a renaissance is indeed spreading across the City of St. Louis.

Okay, How many of you here post on SSP Forums?



Check out the City Compilations Forum for some of the other kinds of projects going on around the country. I mean, I got excited over the Bottle District Residential Towers, and Park East. But this building is boring. It doesn't push the envelope. I don't want it to emulate other buildings going up in other places, I want it to stand out. This building is a cookie cutter project. I'm not talking about plunking some modernist wacked out building in the heart of this historic district, but there are really some great things going on around the country that look unique, but would still fit in with the landscape of the CWE.



In Las Vegas:





Chicago:













Minneapolis:





There's stuff like this going on all over the country. I think the 'Renaissance' looks tired, and boring. Let's push the design to reflect our rRenaissance instead of some developer looking to cash in on a building boom.

trent wrote:Okay, How many of you here post on SSP Forums?



This building is a cookie cutter project. I'm not talking about plunking some modernist wacked out building in the heart of this historic district, but there are really some great things going on around the country that look unique, but would still fit in with the landscape of the CWE.



Chicago:





Minneapolis:





There's stuff like this going on all over the country. I think the 'Renaissance' looks tired, and boring. Let's push the design to reflect our Renaissance instead of some developer looking to cash in on a building boom.

All of those are okay to me trent, but in my opinion, the first one out of Chicago and the Minny one look like they could be better modern additions to the CWE than the others. There are projects similar to Renaissance on Euclid that are proposed for other cities or have been constructed. I haven't seen one that looks exactly like ROE though.



By the way, the CWE Historic District is Boyle (East), Lindell (South), DeBaliviere (West), and Delmar (North). ROE would not be in the CWE's historic district.

The design isn't all that bad but the developer is probably in over their heads with this one.

All of those buildings that you posted, trent, I think look pretty good.

Trent, I like those buildings, too. I wonder how the 4th one or (3rd Chicago?) would look. That would put the townhouses on Euclid with the tower set back a bit. But, I imagine they want to put the restaurant on Euclid. I wish they would fill in the parking lot behind the Doctor's Building. That is horrible.

Atlanta (not all Atlantains of course, but those who speak up) is afraid of density and high rises when discussing developing a "emerald necklace" inspired by St. Louis's Greenways project.



http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... planetizen

In June, a real estate firm submitted a rezoning application for two high-rise condo towers ? 38 and 39 stories tall ? to be built above Piedmont Park, Atlanta's largest green space.



Nearby residents were aghast. "Can you imagine a tower throwing your house into shadows for the rest of its life?" Coyle asked.



Dense urban development is a tricky proposition in Atlanta, where landscaped bungalows dating as far back as the late 1800s sit within walking distance of the urban core.

It makes sense to build highrises along or near large and regional parks like Forest Park and Piedmont Park.

I wasn't advocating those specific buildings, rather that these are the kinds of designs we should be looking at for inspiration for something better. We're talking about a 30 story building, something that will be seen from all around the CWE, don't you want it to stand out?



And it can be beautiful, exciting, different, and still look like it belongs in the CWE. AC made a good point, in that these are all semi-modern looking buildings, all that would look good (read: fit in) in the CWE.

Bulky but nice, because so many of the St. Louis buildings are bulky. It will be a good addition and more people is always good.

I like it!

Move over, Patti Teper. This just showed up in the West End Word:

To the editor:



I am very concerned at the possibility of another high-rise apartment building [in place of the Doctor?s Building at Euclid and West Pine] in the CWE area, which is known for its attractive homes and well-cared-for lawns and avenues.



If apartment hoppers want a Chicago or New York environment, they can move there.



Marian Bachmann Hasenbein,

Central West End

She forgot to note that the CWE is also known for its well cared for & stylish high-rise apartment buildings. Not to mention office buildings.



I think she is trying to imply that the CWE is a neighborhood of single family homes. Its true that the CWE has some of the finest single family houses in the city. In fact, some of the finest houses in the nation. But, Euclid & West Pine is a neigborhood of commercial & multi-family buildings.



And one more thing, most people in St. Louis are eager to keep people from fleeing to Chicago & New York. Her invitation to leave defies everything the city is trying to do.

What do well cared-for lawns and avenues have to do with high-rises? I didn't know they were mutually exclusive. The woman who wrote that letter makes George Bush sound intelligent.

If she doesn't like it why doesn't she move to Chesterfield.

giovanni wrote:If she doesn't like it why doesn't she move to Chesterfield.

I dunno giovanni, I've heard that they build multi-story buildings there as well. Tell her to move to North Dakota. Imagine the size of the green lawn she could have there, away from the threat of buildings, those horrible tall buildings.

I am very concerned at the possibility of another high-rise apartment building [in place of the Doctor?s Building at Euclid and West Pine] in the CWE area, which is known for its attractive homes and well-cared-for lawns and avenues.

Wow she made a horrible argument. From her words, you would assume they were tearing down an attractive house with a well-cared-for-lawn. Instead, they are tearing down a 60s-era 12-story building, for something that will be better used. There was already a mid-rise building on the site lady!



Sounds like this woman needs to move to sticksville.

That woman should be shot. St. Louis is competing with Chicago for population and jobs. We need progress, not some dumb b**** who thinks she lives in Herman.

The CWE is clealy THE highrise area of St. Louis. Buildings like this aren't built on a whim. There is a lot of research that goes into this kind of thing before money is spent securing an architect, etc. If the lady doesn't like living in a high rise neighborhood, what in blazes is she doing living there? Surely anyone who would move to the CWE must ask themselves the question "will it bother me if a highrise goes up close to me?" If the answer is yes, then look elsewhere. If someone is so lacking in foresight that they haven't asked themselves this question, then they must suffer the consequences or move. The excuse that no highrises have been built in 30 years be lamely used, but I have wondered since the mid 70's when a new high rise would go up. Selfishness is not an acceptable consideration in this or any other endeavor.

Is anyone else a little concerned about what all these new towers will do to traffic on Euclid? It's just a little skinny two lane street, and there are pleny of cars already. I have no problem with the Renaissance, but it just seems out of place where it would be. Something like that built on the Chase parking lot at Lindell and Kingshighway would be perfect though. It seems like something good for the Doctor's building spot would be a 6-10 story building that would complement the Forest Park Hotel across the street.

Actually Marmar, I think a high rise was built less than 30 years ago. Didn't they build one midblock on West Pine west of Euclid? Can't remember the name, something like The Del Coronado? I don't know how many floors, but I think it was built about 20 years ago, maybe less than that. I was living in the neighborhood when they built it. A friend of mine was one of the first people to move in.

^ It will be great for increasing pedestrian traffic. Being near Metro & good bus lines will make it handy for people that don't want to drive all the time.

Expat...yes, you're right about the highrise (12 stories) being built in the late 70's or early '80's. I'd forgotten about it, I guess cause it was such an ugly building. And I think you're right about the name. Anyway, the structure was compared, in looks, to public housing structures and as I said, it was and is an ugly structure, IMO.