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PostMay 16, 2018#76

I would argue they should eliminate the ramps to grand and instead make Bernard a through street from vandventer to Compton. Make the grand/Bernard intersection at grade (by ramping Bernard up to grand’s level over the block. Build right up to grand, with the first occupied floors at grade with grand, and parking below to at grade with the metro link station, on the four parcels adjacent to grand.

Also rebuild the spring viaduct.

Sad that the goodwill building would get demoed it this concept but I don’t see the armory district as a viable project otherwise. Would have the added benefit to the district that significant traffic wishing to access grand would take the vandeventer exit and take Bernard to grand raising traffic counts to make retail potentially viable.

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PostMay 16, 2018#77

I don't see why the Goodwill, former Macys, building would need to go with that concept. Bernard doesn't need to connect straight to Vandeventer. Just use Market that's in place today.

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PostMay 17, 2018#78

stlnative wrote:
May 16, 2018
I don't see why the Goodwill, former Macys, building would need to go with that concept. Bernard doesn't need to connect straight to Vandeventer. Just use Market that's in place today.
Well it could exist and it might even be leasable, but it seems to me that it would be hard to make it walkable. If Bernard was connected through with buildings on either side blocking the highway it could actually support a walkable environment. To me that is worth the loss of the building.

Note I wouldn’t propose to demo it and hope something comes along. Confirmation of secured financing and approved site plans before demo of course.

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PostMay 17, 2018#79

They constructed new below grade loading docks after the resale place in the basement moved out last winter. I am assuming those to be for expanded Goodwill operations. I'd be surprised if they made that type of investment while anticipating demolition or redevelopment.

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PostMay 17, 2018#80

addxb2 wrote:
May 17, 2018
They constructed new below grade loading docks after the resale place in the basement moved out last winter. I am assuming those to be for expanded Goodwill operations. I'd be surprised if they made that type of investment while anticipating demolition or redevelopment.
Well I didn’t say it was happening. I just said it needed to to make an armory district viable.

Of course everything is for sale for the right price. I don’t know how fundamental that location is to Goodwills local strategy either. Seems to me it’s in an incovienient spot for goodwill as well but maybe it provides an essential hub function.

Also there is self storage there too right? Those are hard to move and could require eminent domain. Ugh.

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PostMay 29, 2018#81

Per biz journal they are seeking a $750k loan from an EPA program administered by SLDC to make up for a lower allocation of brownfield credits than requested. No mention of when work may begin on phase one.

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PostJun 19, 2018#82

It appears Arcturis was dumped as the Architecture firm for this. WUMCRC posted a document of Twitter today detailing the construction in the areas around the WUMC. It said, "Architects: Studio Gang". If true, this will be huge! Second Studio Gang development in St. Louis. The funny thing is that the rendering shows Arcturis but it is the older one from whenever.

Page 25 in this document: http://wumcrc.com/multi-year-development/

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PostJun 19, 2018#83

chriss752 wrote:
Jun 19, 2018
It appears Arcturis was dumped as the Architecture firm for this. WUMCRC posted a document of Twitter today detailing the construction in the areas around the WUMC. It said, "Architects: Studio Gang". If true, this will be huge! Second Studio Gang development in St. Louis. The funny thing is that the rendering shows Arcturis but it is the older one from whenever.

Page 25 in this document: http://wumcrc.com/multi-year-development/
My guess is that this is a typo on this one (specifically they copied and pasted the slide from 100 and never changed the Architect line). Would be cool if I'm wrong.

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PostJul 26, 2018#84

Now that the Foundry project seems poised for take off I wonder where the Armory stands. Anyone have insight?

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PostJul 27, 2018#85

Honestly I thought the two projects were the same thing.

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PostJul 27, 2018#86

aprice wrote:
Jun 19, 2018
chriss752 wrote:
Jun 19, 2018
It appears Arcturis was dumped as the Architecture firm for this. WUMCRC posted a document of Twitter today detailing the construction in the areas around the WUMC. It said, "Architects: Studio Gang". If true, this will be huge! Second Studio Gang development in St. Louis. The funny thing is that the rendering shows Arcturis but it is the older one from whenever.

Page 25 in this document: http://wumcrc.com/multi-year-development/
My guess is that this is a typo on this one (specifically they copied and pasted the slide from 100 and never changed the Architect line). Would be cool if I'm wrong.
Im guessing the document was updated since Arcturis is listed as architect on page 25.

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PostJul 27, 2018#87

STLrainbow wrote:
Jul 26, 2018
Now that the Foundry project seems poised for take off I wonder where the Armory stands. Anyone have insight?
Don't have any insight but didn't Armory get passed up on Brownfield tax credits just as the Jeff Arms? Not sure if timing issue related w former Governor, or state going all stop on some tax credits after passing a tax cut, or just plain coincidence but seems odd that a couple of decent projects with opportunity for some legitimate occupancy get passed on. Especially near CORTEX with one of the best commercial/office occupancy rates going in the region.

The other part of it, I believe Midas was the hotel developer originally named for phase II and you wonder if they are still interested & and if so how realistic is it for another hotel in the area in the near tem with Midas going full speed ahead on two hotels not too far away as well as a legit investor/brand behind York Ave hotel proposal.

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PostJul 27, 2018#88

Ebsy wrote:
Jul 27, 2018
Honestly I thought the two projects were the same thing.
I think of the Foundry as the ambitious plan with a good chance of success (at least for awhile) and the Armory as the ambitious plan across the highway that I just don't quite get largely because of access issues.

But seriously, these are both kind of big deals and if they get done as envisioned they'll have a big impact on that part of the Central Corridor.... I think along with the Koman project, we're looking at over 1m square feet in a mix of rehab and new construction with those three proposals on top of what's going on with the core of Cortex. (And of course the hotel directly across from the Foundry is already underway.) Pretty dramatic change if it all comes together.

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PostJul 29, 2018#89

dredger wrote:
Jul 27, 2018
Don't have any insight but didn't Armory get passed up on Brownfield tax credits just as the Jeff Arms? Not sure if timing issue related w former Governor, or state going all stop on some tax credits after passing a tax cut, or just plain coincidence but seems odd that a couple of decent projects with opportunity for some legitimate occupancy get passed on. Especially near CORTEX with one of the best commercial/office occupancy rates going in the region.
Majority, if not all of the projects, that were announced over the last 12-24 months, got denied Brownfield tax credits.

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PostAug 01, 2018#90

A building permit application is in finally... for roof replacement.

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PostAug 02, 2018#91

STLrainbow wrote:
Aug 01, 2018
A building permit application is in finally... for roof replacement.
I'll take it! At least it will preserve the building. How much was it for?

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PostAug 02, 2018#92

^ almost $4M

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PostAug 19, 2018#93

Found some new renderings and drawings. These first two I came across in a January 9th video on the Armory.




Then there are these beauties. Whether or not these are still in the plan or never made it off of the concept board remains a mystery but the taller rectangular building by the Metro Station appears to be a update to the one from the drawings from January 9th. I hope that this is for Phase 2 since the buildings look nice but I can't see GreenStreet spending an outrageous amount of money on two new towers here. Maybe it is just a concept, so I'm sharing them anyway. Also, there is new signage declaring that the hotel lobby is in the main Armory building. That is a change from earlier but the design looks the same.






SOURCE FOR RENDERINGS: http://www.arcturis.com/armory-mix/

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PostAug 19, 2018#94

Intriguing. Nice find.

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PostAug 19, 2018#95

The tower on the left reminds me of the Millennium hotel.

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PostAug 19, 2018#96

stlien wrote:
Aug 19, 2018
The tower on the left reminds me of the Millennium hotel.
I was thinking Lewis and Clark Tower in Moline Acres.

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PostAug 20, 2018#97

I wonder if a good strategic project for STL would be to bury or at least lower and bridge the train tracks between Spring Ave and Theresa Ave to reconnect those N/S streets in the area. It seems that almost every quadrant of the intersection of the train tracks is in the beginning process of some huge development. Between the Steelcote neighborhood to the SE, to the massive mixed use project hinted by SLU to the SW, and the Armory District to the NW, we have ourselves a huge area primed for some serious density. Connecting these areas together will make the area a lot more attractive to developers in the long run.

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PostAug 21, 2018#98

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote:
Aug 20, 2018
I wonder if a good strategic project for STL would be to bury or at least lower and bridge the train tracks between Spring Ave and Theresa Ave to reconnect those N/S streets in the area. It seems that almost every quadrant of the intersection of the train tracks is in the beginning process of some huge development. Between the Steelcote neighborhood to the SE, to the massive mixed use project hinted by SLU to the SW, and the Armory District to the NW, we have ourselves a huge area primed for some serious density. Connecting these areas together will make the area a lot more attractive to developers in the long run.
Definitely can see the vision in your thoughts just not sure how practical it is to pursue in a city with all sorts of room for more dense infill that would require the lot less costly investment of simply improving the zoning & repairing streets/replacing pavement and sidewalks.

You also have less costly investment of putting back west downtown street grid after removing the old 22nd street parkway/interchange that will happen Just getting the city go forward and the region to agree with knocking down a short section of raised freeway to replace with a Blvd for connecting downtown with north riverfront development seems doable before going into the process of dealing with railroad tracks and getting the state/region to help foot that bill.

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PostAug 21, 2018#99

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote:
Aug 20, 2018
I wonder if a good strategic project for STL would be to bury or at least lower and bridge the train tracks between Spring Ave and Theresa Ave to reconnect those N/S streets in the area. It seems that almost every quadrant of the intersection of the train tracks is in the beginning process of some huge development. Between the Steelcote neighborhood to the SE, to the massive mixed use project hinted by SLU to the SW, and the Armory District to the NW, we have ourselves a huge area primed for some serious density. Connecting these areas together will make the area a lot more attractive to developers in the long run.
I think it would be beneficial to at least reconstruct some of the street grid. The Elevated 564 bridge in the neighborhood is a mess and needs to be lowered/eliminated. The Market Street-Forest Park-64 Interchange also needs to be redesigned to restore a street grid on the East side of midtown by Harris Stowe. Some train tracks could be removed. Taking my brother down here to rail-fan makes me think that not all of these tracks are needed. Rarely will I see tons of trains parked and waiting. Most of the time, only three of four are occupied. The Steelcote area is ripe for development but I only see the Steelcote Loft Building staying with the other buildings going away if any more development is to take place here. I never heard of the massive mixed use project that SLU hinted at Grand and Chouteau (if I am getting my directions correct). If that project is real, then some of the streets over by the Armory need to be connected to Chouteau somehow for the sake of pedestrians being able to move around without having to walk to the Grand bridge, cross and have a hell of a time getting to the Armory and City Foundry.

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PostAug 21, 2018#100

^I think he's talking about this. Not so much a specific project, as a general outline for future development in the general area between SLU's medical and main campuses.

https://urbanstl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=11117

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