urbanSTL

sda wrote:

TheWayoftheArch wrote: Compared to new york and chicago streets ours are euro-esque, and our blocks are at best ~1/3 the length of one in those cities.

If you use the distance key on Google Maps, you'll see that city blocks in NYC are just a bit longer than downtown STL blocks. Though not by much. Chicago's are considerably longer.



Streets are blocked off in St. Louis because the city lets developers get away with it. It's not done in other cities, it is quite disruptive for people who live in the area, and it is entirely unnecessary.

This is kind of silly isn't it? I was in Boston again this week and indeed sidewalks are kept open for construction, but you know what? There are 10's of thousands of people who live adjacent to said sidewalks and dozens of businesses require access. If that was the case here the sidewalks would remain open. To be honest, the city isn't going to require a developer to pay thousands upon thousands more to bring in different equipment to save the inconvenience of a few hundred people. I think we should keep downtown St. Louis in perspective.

Grover wrote:

sda wrote:

TheWayoftheArch wrote: Compared to new york and chicago streets ours are euro-esque, and our blocks are at best ~1/3 the length of one in those cities.

If you use the distance key on Google Maps, you'll see that city blocks in NYC are just a bit longer than downtown STL blocks. Though not by much. Chicago's are considerably longer.



Streets are blocked off in St. Louis because the city lets developers get away with it. It's not done in other cities, it is quite disruptive for people who live in the area, and it is entirely unnecessary.

This is kind of silly isn't it? I was in Boston again this week and indeed sidewalks are kept open for construction, but you know what? There are 10's of thousands of people who live adjacent to said sidewalks and dozens of businesses require access. If that was the case here the sidewalks would remain open. To be honest, the city isn't going to require a developer to pay thousands upon thousands more to bring in different equipment to save the inconvenience of a few hundred people. I think we should keep downtown St. Louis in perspective.

frankly, i think your assumption that it costs "thousands upon thousands" to keep the street or sidewalk open is kind of silly. exactly how was that estimate derived?



your estimate that only a few hundred people are inconveninced by this street closing is also kind of silly. as someone who's spent considerable time near that particular block, i can tell you that traffic -- both vehicle and pedestrian -- flows at a fairly healthy clip. like in boston (or nyc or chicago, where only one lane is generally taken for projects such as this), further, there are thousands of people who live, stay, and work within a 2-3 block radius of this closure, not to mention several business that will be affected.



i'm all about accomodating developers; it's the right thing to do. but there is simply no need -- financial, practical, or otherwise -- to have such a large staging area. period.

Just as a note, when the Executive Building (old name...don't know the current name of the building) was under construction, I remember there was a canopy over the sidewalk. That was early 60's. I seem to remember other canopies over the sidewalk for other construction...probably the Famous-Barr garage, Laclede Gas Building, and Mercanitle Bank. My hunch would be that construction companies don't want the added expense and can get away withouth constructing them because the city is letting them. After all, downtown is not yet nearly as crowded as it was in those days.

Marmar wrote:Just as a note, when the Executive Building (old name...don't know the current name of the building) was under construction, I remember there was a canopy over the sidewalk. That was early 60's. I seem to remember other canopies over the sidewalk for other construction...probably the Famous-Barr garage, Laclede Gas Building, and Mercanitle Bank. My hunch would be that construction companies don't want the added expense and can get away withouth constructing them because the city is letting them. After all, downtown is not yet nearly as crowded as it was in those days.

Right. These canopies are de rigueur in other cities. They've also been used in STL recently, e.g., with the Meredian rehab on Wash Ave.

I doubt businesses in the area will be complaining about the street closing...once this is completed with the plaza this will arguably be one of the hottest areas in the city. I would trade a bit of inconvenience for a year for that kind of a location. And I apologize but for clearity's sake, is the street allready closed off?

Currently, all the construction is for the park being built. I see no movement over at Roberts Tower.

keef227 wrote:Though it will be a slight inconvenience, I don't think it will be too hard to find and alternative rout to get to where you have to go. But as for the businesses this construction could have a bigger negative impact, even though I still don't think it will be that big of a deal.

I don't think it's about being a "big deal" but more about the precedent that this sets. Streets shouldn't be closed to accommodate construction. I guess we are STL though...



I walked by this staging area this past week and there was not one bit of construction equipment or material inside the entire huge gated area. But at least we're getting a plaza we don't need out of it...oh yeah, and a tall building that I doubt we'll see by 2009.

But at least we're getting a plaza we don't need out of it...oh yeah, and a tall building that I doubt we'll see by 2009.

Thank you typical Debbie Downer St. Louisan...

^Plus there's crime there and the schools are bad. Hopefully they start building new vinyl sided houses West of Wentzville, so I can get even farther away from the city.

MattnSTL wrote:Robert's Tower is the official name. It's had a couple of other names, but they have all contained Roberts Tower.



I drove by about an hour ago and 8th St. is now officially closed.

Wouldn't that be Roberts' Tower? Or is it Roberts's Tower?

JCity wrote:

But at least we're getting a plaza we don't need out of it...oh yeah, and a tall building that I doubt we'll see by 2009.

Thank you typical Debbie Downer St. Louisan...

2009 is just around the corner! The DD's will have to start throwing out 2010 and 11!

jlblues wrote:

MattnSTL wrote:Robert's Tower is the official name. It's had a couple of other names, but they have all contained Roberts Tower.



I drove by about an hour ago and 8th St. is now officially closed.

Wouldn't that be Roberts' Tower? Or is it Roberts's Tower?

I got it right on the thread title at least.

^ Like "Trump Tower". It may in fact be Trump's Tower, but that's not its name.

Not really related, but kind of...



Last year at Webster, we had the basketball floor of Roberts Gym redone, with new paint and everything. They painted 'Robert's Gymnasium' on the floor. It stayed that way until this past summer, when we had the same company comeback and fix it. We all realized it as soon as we looked at the floor, but it would have taken 2 weeks to finish, and the gym was needed.

Bastiat wrote:

trent wrote:Not really related, but kind of...



Last year at Webster, we had the basketball floor of Roberts Gym redone, with new paint and everything. They painted 'Robert's Gymnasium' on the floor. It stayed that way until this past summer, when we had the same company comeback and fix it. We all realized it as soon as we looked at the floor, but it would have taken 2 weeks to finish, and the gym was needed.

So it just says Gymnasium now?



Seriously though, these guys like naming stuff after themselves more than Senator Robert Byrd.

Something tells me the Robert's have read Donald Trump's books a few too many times.

trent wrote:Not really related, but kind of...



Last year at Webster, we had the basketball floor of Roberts Gym redone, with new paint and everything. They painted 'Robert's Gymnasium' on the floor. It stayed that way until this past summer, when we had the same company comeback and fix it. We all realized it as soon as we looked at the floor, but it would have taken 2 weeks to finish, and the gym was needed.

That's a different Roberts, right (Roberts Realty?)?

I'm reminded of Springfield, Mo., where developer John Q. Hammons has built office buildings and many of the city's cultural assets (the ballpark where the AA Cardinals play, the current and future MSU arenas, and the performing arts center) and named them for himself.



Springfieldians should be grateful for his generosity and his commitment to the community, but obviously, not for his modesty.

Actually, Roberts Gym was named after the first head basketball coach in Statesmen history. He was highly successful, and later became a school administrator, I believe.



And now it says correctly: "Roberts Gymnasium"

Did anyone see this article in the DowntownSTL.org monthly newsletter? I rode past the sight earlier today and it did look like they'd torn up the parking lot now. Hopefully we'll see more soon! Here's the article:



Roberts Tower Breaks Ground





Immediately next to the new Old Post Office Plaza, SMR Tower Investments, LLC (Steve and Mike Roberts), will be breaking ground at 411 North 8th Street for a new construction project called Roberts Tower.



The 24-story, new construction tower will be attached to the Roberts Mayfair Hotel and be designed to achieve Gold-LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The property will feature commercial/retail space, space for additional hotel rooms, 69 Luxury Units, a full-range of design options consisting of sustainable materials and energy savings appliances, personal concierge services, valet parking, a doorman and 24-hour security. The expected date of completion is Winter 2009. For more information contact Aliah Baker, 314.256.4604.

Downtown STL Fan wrote:
Roberts Tower Breaks Ground

Immediately next to the new Old Post Office Plaza, SMR Tower Investments, LLC (Steve and Mike Roberts), will be breaking ground at 411 North 8th Street for a new construction project called Roberts Tower.

So has it broken ground or has it yet to break ground?

DeBaliviere wrote:

Downtown STL Fan wrote:
Roberts Tower Breaks Ground

Immediately next to the new Old Post Office Plaza, SMR Tower Investments, LLC (Steve and Mike Roberts), will be breaking ground at 411 North 8th Street for a new construction project called Roberts Tower.

So has it broken ground or has it yet to break ground?

Yeah, I noticed that too, DB. If it weren't for the fact that it looked like they'd removed the parking lot, I wouldn't have posted the blurb. That's why I said "Hopefully" we'd see some more action soon. Can you imagine, though, how difficult it will be for them to build this structure with the City project going on right next door? It should be interesting to see how they go about building this.

Just to fan the flames...the groundbreaking is for a model of the Roberts Tower to be built on the site. It will be named the Robert Model. Completion is expected in summer '09,

I know there was a rendering of what the groundbreaking would look like around here somewhere . . .