Downtown Streetscape Improvements

debaliviere · PostOct 06, 2006#12006-10-06T18:51+00:00

The LCRA has an RFP out right now for architects/engineers to design streetscape improvements for the CBD. The area for improvements is bordered by 4th Street to the east, 14th Street to the west, Pine to the south and St. Charles and part of Washington to the north - it appears to include most of Tucker as well.

Details: RFP

moorlander · PostOct 06, 2006#22006-10-06T21:11+00:00

wow... that should be great... thats a much larger area than just wash ave. can't wait

steve · PostOct 06, 2006#32006-10-06T21:16+00:00

This would be great. The sidewalks and streets in that area are just awful.

Does anyone know how that would affect those grates in the sidewalk?

(OT: I really hate the PDF format. Not sure why so many people insist on using that p.o.s.).

crbswiss · PostOct 06, 2006#42006-10-06T21:24+00:00

I hope lots of trees will be incorporated into the sidewalk design. Don't know how true this is 'cause I heard it about 8-10 years ago, but supposedly STL has more trees per capita than any other city in the US.

markofucity · PostOct 06, 2006#52006-10-06T21:34+00:00

its about time - our streets and sidewalks are pitiful

brickandmortar · PostOct 06, 2006#62006-10-06T21:48+00:00

This RFP is for design work of a downtown streetscape. Basically it will wrap up work done previously from another planning study that ran low on money. There is no money slated to actually do the work. Money for the actual streetscape work needs to be allocated at a later time, perhaps from federal sources or the new Missouri Downtown Economic Stimulus Act (MoDESA).

jax · PostOct 06, 2006#72006-10-06T22:39+00:00

A couple months ago, I was downtown with a group of people after their show at Cummel's Cafe. We went to Red Moon around 11. One person is paralyzed and was in an electric wheelchair. We had to constantly go out or our way for him to get around downtown partly because of construction taking up sidewalk space but mostly because the sidewalks were so poor.

I can't wait for these sidewalks and streets to be redone. The area will look much better and be much more accessible.

dweebe · PostOct 06, 2006#82006-10-06T23:06+00:00

Does anyone remember the disaster that Washington Ave was for the 13 or 14 months it took to redo the street? Can you imagine the same cluster-f on a large scale?

irocktheparty2000 · PostOct 07, 2006#92006-10-07T01:27+00:00

dweebe wrote:Does anyone remember the disaster that Washington Ave was for the 13 or 14 months it took to redo the street? Can you imagine the same cluster-f on a large scale?

Yea, but look at it now. And you would think they would learn from the challenges of that project and apply that to the next.

jeff · PostOct 08, 2006#102006-10-08T01:28+00:00

irocktheparty2000 wrote:
dweebe wrote:Does anyone remember the disaster that Washington Ave was for the 13 or 14 months it took to redo the street? Can you imagine the same cluster-f on a large scale?

Yea, but look at it now. And you would think they would learn from the challenges of that project and apply that to the next.

Yes, one would think it would be the case, but if history is any guide...

Dweebe has a good point. The streetscape needs improvement, but this just needs to be planned very well to avoid a downtown disaster zone for 1-2 years.

It's kind of funny how the problems facing downtown change over time. I was just thinking to myself how it's a pain in the @ss with all the never-ending construction, blocked off roads/sidewalks, demolition, etc downtown. But it's certainly better than nothing happening at all! I guess this is the definition of growing pains.

thewayofthearch · PostOct 09, 2006#112006-10-09T03:53+00:00

Also realize these will not be any where near as elaborate and complex as Wash ave. They Redid the whole STREET. This will be a less glamourous sidewalk renewal, nothing in scope or of the intricate nature that the Washington Avenue Streetscape Project was.

debaliviere · PostOct 09, 2006#122006-10-09T13:33+00:00

TheWayoftheArch wrote:Also realize these will not be any where near as elaborate and complex as Wash ave. They Redid the whole STREET. This will be a less glamourous sidewalk renewal, nothing in scope or of the intricate nature that the Washington Avenue Streetscape Project was.

And that's fine. If Broadway and Fourth Street were to receive the improvements depicted on page 9 of this PDF from 2000: Link, it would be a vast improvement.

I'd like to see more cross-street banners and strands of lights as well. There's so many things that could make our streetscape livelier that we're not doing right now.

dweebe · PostOct 09, 2006#132006-10-09T15:44+00:00

Jeff wrote:
irocktheparty2000 wrote:
dweebe wrote:Does anyone remember the disaster that Washington Ave was for the 13 or 14 months it took to redo the street? Can you imagine the same cluster-f on a large scale?

Yea, but look at it now. And you would think they would learn from the challenges of that project and apply that to the next.

Yes, one would think it would be the case, but if history is any guide...

Dweebe has a good point. The streetscape needs improvement, but this just needs to be planned very well to avoid a downtown disaster zone for 1-2 years.

It's kind of funny how the problems facing downtown change over time. I was just thinking to myself how it's a pain in the @ss with all the never-ending construction, blocked off roads/sidewalks, demolition, etc downtown. But it's certainly better than nothing happening at all! I guess this is the definition of growing pains.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be done: I would love to see streetscape improvements. Just a lot better planning than what happened 5 years ago should occur.

thewayofthearch · PostOct 09, 2006#142006-10-09T15:52+00:00

Its nto even going to be close to a "disaster." Look, Wash Avenue was a Wasteland, they tore up EVERYTHING. Streets, Sidewalks, lights, all utilities, sewers, water, electric...the whole kaboodle. Then they replaced it with intricate ligthing systems, pavererd roadway with intricate pattern, expanded sidewalks and all updated sewer lines and other utilitites.

This is really going to be more of simple sidewalk replacement, with various, but simple aesthetic aspects, like the red sloped corners, and perhaps the Bollards. But nothing along the lines of tearing up 16 blocks simultaneously (which was necessary for the utility improvements) in order to set in place a pavered zipper with runway lights.

Still, you would hope, and imagine, they will take a block by block approach. Its not like they'll rip out all the sidewalks in the CBD at once, and then go back to put in new ones. It'll be done in smaller, more manageable sections...by city block or street block.

Still, this is great news, and the fact its coming from the state is even better (MoDESA super TIF).

markofucity · PostOct 09, 2006#152006-10-09T16:18+00:00

so do we know when they'll start on this ... will they start on this or is this another "plan." DT REALLY needs this. Our streets are awful.

matt · PostOct 09, 2006#162006-10-09T17:30+00:00

It'd be good to see a plan to get property owners to take a more active role in the appearance of the street and sidewalk including financing and maintenance.

framer · PostOct 11, 2006#172006-10-11T03:07+00:00

TheWayoftheArch wrote:Look, Wash Avenue was a Wasteland, they tore up EVERYTHING. Streets, Sidewalks, lights, all utilities, sewers, water, electric...the whole kaboodle.

And when they tore it up, they discovered that some of the basements actually extended out under the sidewalks, causing unexpected delays...

jlblues · PostOct 13, 2006#182006-10-13T05:28+00:00

Framer wrote:
TheWayoftheArch wrote:Look, Wash Avenue was a Wasteland, they tore up EVERYTHING. Streets, Sidewalks, lights, all utilities, sewers, water, electric...the whole kaboodle.

And when they tore it up, they discovered that some of the basements actually extended out under the sidewalks, causing unexpected delays...

And it is absolutely unbelievable to me that they had to "discover" that. Helllooo, that is the way buildings were built back then.

Many, if not most, of the large, pre-40s buildings have vaults under the sidewalks.

moforgov · PostOct 13, 2006#192006-10-13T14:08+00:00

I was walking by the Marquette the other day and noticed a bobcat and dump trucks, it looked like they were tearing up the street and sidewalk. Is this part of this project or a piece of the Marquette renovation? Also I couldnt tell by the link but will there be trees placed on Broadway in front of the Marquette?

debaliviere · PostOct 13, 2006#202006-10-13T14:32+00:00

I hope that rebuilding the sidewalks is part of the work they're doing, but right now they haven't torn them up yet - the work so far has only been done to the street.

doug · PostOct 13, 2006#212006-10-13T15:37+00:00

This could affect business if this happens to coincide with the 64 reconstruction.

Who would travel downtown from the County if the Highway is screwed up and the sidewalks are not walkable?

Maybe something to consider.

irocktheparty2000 · PostOct 13, 2006#222006-10-13T16:50+00:00

Doug wrote:This could affect business if this happens to coincide with the 64 reconstruction.

Who would travel downtown from the County if the Highway is screwed up and the sidewalks are not walkable?

Maybe something to consider.

I don't think anyone would give some sidewalks being torn up a second thought. As long as an alternate pathway is provided, which I bet it would be, people will be fine. The highway under constrution is a different story.

brickandmortar · PostNov 01, 2006#232006-11-01T17:01+00:00

From mayorslay.com

MoDESA Update

I first told you about this in August.

Tomorrow, the Board of Aldermen’s Housing, Urban Development and Zoning Committee is scheduled to hear a Board Bill approving the development plan for the City’s first MoDESA project and authorizing me to apply for state funding.

Our first MoDESA application includes a total of eight projects — six private developments and two public works projects.

The private projects — St. Louis Center, Dillard’s, the Arcade Building, the Mercantile Library Complex, and the Jefferson Arms by The Pyramid Companies; and the Park Pacific Development by the Lawrence Group — will generate state MoDESA funding to pay for the public projects — street improvements in the downtown core and improvements to the parks that flank Park Pacific.

The cost will be somewhere between $26 -34 million. The specific streets to be improved will be identified after the amount of state MoDESA funding is established.

http://www.mayorslay.com/desk/display.asp?deskID=568

debaliviere · PostNov 01, 2006#242006-11-01T17:15+00:00

I love it. All of the projects mentioned will benefit greatly from this, but in particular, I am really excited about the prospects of streetscape improvements around the Mercantile Library. I walk by that building just about every day, and the sidewalks are in deplorable condition, the street lights are awful, and there are no street trees - when combined with the vacant Merc Library building, it makes for a very desolate block.

arch city · PostNov 01, 2006#252006-11-01T17:35+00:00

I think this is good news too. I enjoy hearing about all of the projects that will benefit.

However, I hate to go there, but why is St. Louis just applying for Modesa funding? Kansas City has been on Modesa like white on rice since it has been established. I guess better late than never.

Perhaps assembling all projects listed was time consuming?