Delmar Loop: "10 Great Streets in America"

stlgasm · PostOct 02, 2007#12007-10-02T17:01+00:00

2007 GREAT STREETS

Bull Street

Savannah, Georgia

Canyon Road

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Delmar Loop

University City and St. Louis, Missouri

Main Street

Northampton, Massachusetts

Monument Avenue

Richmond, Virginia

North Michigan Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

Ocean Drive

Miami Beach, Florida

125th Street

New York, New York

St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans, Louisiana

South Temple Street

Salt Lake City, Utah

2007 GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS

Chatham Village

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Eastern Market

Washington, D.C.

Elmwood Village

Buffalo, New York

First Addition

Lake Oswego, Oregon

Hillcrest

San Diego, California

North Beach

San Francisco, California

Old West Austin

Austin, Texas

Park Slope

Brooklyn, New York

Pike Place Market

Seattle, Washington

West Urbana

Urbana, Illinois

Read all about it here: http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/

Alex Ihnen · PostOct 02, 2007#22007-10-02T17:11+00:00

Very cool - at first I had the quintessential St. Louis reaction - "No, not some place in St. Louis, that's kind of rediculous." But then I realized that the Loop is a sweeta$$ street and it's getting better - going east, adding a hotel . . . I would love to see Soulard, Lafayette Square, or maybe even (gasp) the Grove on the neighborhood list some day.

matt drops the h · PostOct 02, 2007#32007-10-02T17:59+00:00

Awesome!

In the future, I wish the APA would recognize up and coming streets. Those are some of the most exciting stories. While the Delmar Loop fairly well represents a rapidly improving street, it would be great to see a new category next year recognize, say, Manchester between Vandeventer and Kingshighway, or Morganford between Arsenal and Utah.

While both of those streets, especially the former, have a while to go before you'll see the sustained activity of many of the "Great Streets," their remarkable and rapid transition from no-man's lands to destinations is noteworthy.

arch city · PostOct 02, 2007#42007-10-02T18:01+00:00

Cool list. Go Delmar Loop. Kind of surprised Pittsburgh's Carson St. or Philly's South Street aren't on the list.

stlmo314 · PostOct 02, 2007#52007-10-02T18:25+00:00

Cannot believe 125th St. in New York made this list. I guess it was planned well as a major transportation artery, and it does have the Apollo but other than that its not very nice, and some abandoned buildings (hard to find in nyc). The loop is 1,000 times nicer/cooler/more options

arch city · PostOct 02, 2007#62007-10-02T19:04+00:00

STLMO314 wrote:Cannot believe 125th St. in New York made this list. I guess it was planned well as a major transportation artery, and it does have the Apollo but other than that its not very nice, and some abandoned buildings (hard to find in nyc). The loop is 1,000 times nicer/cooler/more options

No offense, but you apparently haven't been on 125th Street in a long time. I was there two years ago and previous years. The transformation has been astounding. Major new stores, restaurants, movie theatres, new and newly renovated buildings, etc. The strip is busy.

stlmo314 · PostOct 02, 2007#72007-10-02T19:45+00:00

I work on 125th St. so am here every day M-F. There are plenty of stores, though most of the restaurants are fast food. There are still plenty of abandoned buildings, a makeshift homeless shelter on the street right next to the Metro North train station. The section between St. Marks and Lenox has gotten pretty nice with H&M but other than that I dont find it very impressive. I would have chosen 42nd St, which is a much larger transportation artery, and has times square, grand central, etc.

stlmike · PostOct 02, 2007#82007-10-02T20:13+00:00

I too was surprised by that selection. It's not a bad street, but I would have thought they would have picked something more predictable and in the same criterion as the other selections. Fifth Avenue?

urban_dilettante · PostOct 03, 2007#92007-10-03T02:15+00:00

anyone been to carey street in richmond? similar to delmar but possibly with better boutique-style stores (and some "fancy" names like need supply and american apparel). i'm suprised it didn't make the list either.

Alex Ihnen · PostOct 03, 2007#102007-10-03T02:28+00:00

STLMO314 wrote:I work on 125th St. so am here every day M-F. There are plenty of stores, though most of the restaurants are fast food. There are still plenty of abandoned buildings, a makeshift homeless shelter on the street right next to the Metro North train station. The section between St. Marks and Lenox has gotten pretty nice with H&M but other than that I dont find it very impressive. I would have chosen 42nd St, which is a much larger transportation artery, and has times square, grand central, etc.

Oh you just gotta love that!

What about Duval in Key West? And the Loop could really be impressive if it ever stretches from U-City City Hall to the History Museum in FP!!!

courtland · PostOct 03, 2007#112007-10-03T02:38+00:00

^ and don't forget about the trolley. when that's up and running the loop will really be unique!

jlblues · PostOct 03, 2007#122007-10-03T05:01+00:00

Umm, yeaah, The Loop is nice and all, and someday when it is filled in and full of activity all the way to Debaliviere, it might deserve a top ten, but all I could think of when I read this article, was HUH?!? Ohhh, Joe Edwards has been on the phone again...

stlgasm · PostOct 03, 2007#132007-10-03T12:07+00:00

jlblues wrote:Umm, yeaah, The Loop is nice and all, and someday when it is filled in and full of activity all the way to Debaliviere, it might deserve a top ten, but all I could think of when I read this article, was HUH?!? Ohhh, Joe Edwards has been on the phone again...

I think the Loop is absolutely one of the best streets in America, as it is. What makes it great is not only the diversity of businesses, but the diversity of people. The Loop is undisputably the most diverse strip in St. Louis, where hippies, yuppies, preppies, Rastas, immigrants from everwhere gays, lesbians, homeless, rich, black, white, young and old all rub shoulders. And it's not just people shopping or eating... The Loop is a true community. The drum circle, the kiosks, the farmers market, street performers, etc. all give The Loop a funky urban vibe that exists in few areas elsewhere (sure, there are many cities with bustling urban districts, but I'm talking about the intangible character of The Loop that makes it feel so special).

jivecitystl · PostOct 03, 2007#142007-10-03T12:48+00:00

The one thing lacking in the Loop is a grocery store or market. I live in Skinker-DeBaliviere, a block south of Delmar and I hate having to drive to the store. I would love it if Loop Center (if that ever gets going) would feature a Trader Joe's. Maybe?

Expat · PostOct 03, 2007#152007-10-03T13:09+00:00

The Loop deserves this rating. It is a great street that continues to improve. Regarding, the grocer, I think stores like Whole Foods & Trader Joes would do very well - no brainer.

bonwich · PostOct 03, 2007#162007-10-03T14:45+00:00

It ain't the Loop, but don't forget that a new boutique-foods store is opening in the old U. City Quality space at Delmar and Midland.

Neither Trader Joe's nor Whole Foods are likely to open in the Loop in the next decade or so. They'd cannibalize the Brentwood locations.

dweebe · PostOct 03, 2007#172007-10-03T15:11+00:00

There's room for improvment:

-the old Midas by 609/U

-the AT&T building and the adjoining parking lots

-the Shell station

-the Church's Fried Chicken

-the repair shop next to what is now Streetside records

At least the area around the Metrolink station is slated for improvement.

debaliviere · PostOct 03, 2007#182007-10-03T15:36+00:00

^

Not to mention the stretch of Delmar east of Union!

threeonefour · PostOct 03, 2007#192007-10-03T15:39+00:00

^ Which, IMHO, is ripe for some modern infill. Maybe someday...

doug · PostOct 03, 2007#202007-10-03T15:44+00:00

More like today. If people would simply buy the property it would happen. It is a 5 minute walk to the freaking Chase Park Plaza. The market is there but the stigma against the "dangerous blacks" apparently makes for a strong barrier.

debaliviere · PostOct 03, 2007#212007-10-03T15:56+00:00

Doug wrote:More like today. If people would simply buy the property it would happen. It is a 5 minute walk to the freaking Chase Park Plaza. The market is there but the stigma against the "dangerous blacks" apparently makes for a strong barrier.

Or if the Roberts Brothers would get started on the project they proposed for the lot at Delmar and Euclid, that would be a nice start. They've got bigger things to worry about right now though.

Alex Ihnen · PostOct 03, 2007#222007-10-03T16:09+00:00

bonwich wrote:It ain't the Loop, but don't forget that a new boutique-foods store is opening in the old U. City Quality space at Delmar and Midland.

Neither Trader Joe's nor Whole Foods are likely to open in the Loop in the next decade or so. They'd cannibalize the Brentwood locations.

A TJ's would make this street more liveable. Whole Foods are generally quite large, but a TJ's could fit a number of places. I don't think that with the thousands of students and gentrifying Skinker/DeB, not to mention the CWE, the TJ's would have a problem succeeding. They may pull some Claytonites away from their current location, but it's insanely busy as is. Either way I'll bet on a TJ's east of Skinker in the next couple years.

bonwich · PostOct 03, 2007#232007-10-03T16:20+00:00

You wanna see an insanely busy TJ's, you should have seen the one near Union Square in Manhattan at 8 p.m. Saturday night. We got in the "express" line -- with 100 other people. (They were so efficient, however, we were out within 10 minutes of getting in line.)

Alex Ihnen · PostOct 03, 2007#242007-10-03T16:30+00:00

^ Sweet - I've had a similar experience in Boston where there's a TJ's literally in a basement in the Back Bay. The lines snake all the way through the store, but it doesn't take long to check out. The store in Boston can't be any more than 4,000 sq ft.

jcity · PostOct 04, 2007#252007-10-04T01:09+00:00

There's room for improvment:

-the old Midas by 609/U THE F THAT OWNS THIS WON'T SELL. WE NEED TO POST HIS NAME EVERYWHERE.

-the AT&T building and the adjoining parking lots AT&T ALLEGEDLY NEEDS THIS BUILDING, CANT MOVE THE SWITCHING ELSEWHERE, OR WHATEVER THEY DO IN IT.

-the Shell station I DON"T THINK THERES A PROBLEM WITH THE SHELL

-the Church's Fried Chicken EVENTUALLY SHOULD BE REDEVELOPED

-the repair shop next to what is now Streetside records EH..ADDS TO THE FLAIR...[/quote]