"Beardy McGreen" is the name of the peace guy, and someone at least salvaged it (albeit after it was somewhat damaged during demo). Peat posted a picture of it on Instagram back on 01/14/14 and tweeted that it's "coming soon to school of rock!" (School of Rock STL).johnnyqnola wrote:^The one with the owl and the peace guy...
http://vanishingstl.blogspot.com/2013/1 ... nding.html
-RBB
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The story behind the demo of the building with the hippie mural. What a shame.
http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-a ... touch=true
http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-a ... touch=true
I don't think I've ever driven through Chouteau's Landing, but obviously have seen it from the highway. I just did some Google streetviewing and wow, it has a pretty impressive collection of old warehouses. I love the intermingling of the old rail lines and elevated tracks. This really would make a really cool arts/loft district. Throw in a few modern buildings on vacant lots and it would be pretty solid. Are many of the buildings still used by businesses or are most of them vacant now? There seems to be quite a few cars on streetview, so I assume there are some workers down there.
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I agree it has a lot of potential.
That section of Google Streetview is several years old now, however. The Powell Square building (the one without windows) has been demolished. And a ServPro building had a fire, IIRC. Am I correct that all buildings north of Cedar St. are now gone?
That section of Google Streetview is several years old now, however. The Powell Square building (the one without windows) has been demolished. And a ServPro building had a fire, IIRC. Am I correct that all buildings north of Cedar St. are now gone?
That's too bad, but that still leaves a lot. I love those Crunden Martin buildings with the four story connector over the street! That gritty feel with the bridges and tracks going every which way adds a special atmosphere too!
I can't think of another city (except perhaps Detroit) that wouldn't have already capitalized on such a unique district in such a cool location. Granted, there are still some operating industries there, but Powell Square was a shining opportunity and it was squandered. Cities that get it wouldn't have let that go. Sometimes I lament not going into the urban development field.
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Is there still any possible way that they can get some sort of development going there in P Square?? Whenever i drive by on 55 i so wish those buildings were all occupied that entire area will certainly compliment the southern half of the arch grounds... I wish they would have incorporated P Square into the arch grounds development to give it a jump start .
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Chouteau's Landing should have been marketed as an entertainment destination just as much as Laclede's Landing to begin with. I think we could still do something with it. The sites of destroyed buildings create unique opportunities for interesting new infill to complement the old. There are about a million things that could be done with the area.
It is of utmost importance to retain as many jobs within the city as possible, so obviously any companies that remain there are important. That said, it does seem ripe for some kind of improvement. It looks a lot like the Art's District in downtown LA, which has provided reasonable rents to artists for quite a while now. Now, other development is starting to catch up and fill in a bit here and there and funky bars and shops are sprouting.
There is nothing like that view with the elevated tracks and bridges in the background and the outstanding Crunden Martin Bldg though. This place has character and I'd love to see it preserved.
There is nothing like that view with the elevated tracks and bridges in the background and the outstanding Crunden Martin Bldg though. This place has character and I'd love to see it preserved.
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I still like the idea of a St. Louis City College of some sort with the campus encompassing everything from Chouteau to the Arch grounds. Make it the four year Campus for St. Louis Community College. Unless I 55 is taken down at some point there is no way to connect it with the city which means whatever is there has to be a destination to draw people in and downtown doesn't need another entertainment district right now. Its already pretty saturated.
Also I think Entertainment North of the arch, Business west of the arch and Education south of the arch, kind of feels balanced somehow.
Also I think Entertainment North of the arch, Business west of the arch and Education south of the arch, kind of feels balanced somehow.
^ While in many cases the highways to cut off sections of the city and I'm in no way in favor of such a thing; I-70 and the Arch being a classic example, I don't think 55 has to be an impediment here. I think it kind of adds to the gritty, industrial feel. I LOVE the way 3rd street kind of goes under 55 in a parallel manner for a ways.
Here are few images of the Arts district in LA, which reminds me a lot of the area, but St. Louis' is better IMO: https://www.google.com/search?q=LA+arts ... 77&dpr=0.9
The area would never attract your standard suburban type or someone who enjoys an urban tree lined street for example, but would provide another choice for those hard-core urban pioneers and gritty/industrial/loft/arts community.
Here are few images of the Arts district in LA, which reminds me a lot of the area, but St. Louis' is better IMO: https://www.google.com/search?q=LA+arts ... 77&dpr=0.9
The area would never attract your standard suburban type or someone who enjoys an urban tree lined street for example, but would provide another choice for those hard-core urban pioneers and gritty/industrial/loft/arts community.
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I-55 is definitely an impediment. The trestle have a style but they don't obstruct movement as they are completely elevated. The highway on the other hand blocks pedestrian movement into and out of downtown. Not saying someone with millions couldn't just decide to develop it, but it won't happen organically because of I-55.
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The owner of the eastern (larger--500,000 s.f.) Crunden Martin building will happily sell and vacate the premises for $5million neg. That's only $10/s.f. That's low for residential lofts, and you get 15 foot ceilings. Were I in the business, I'd target the property for entry-level lofts. And you could use state and federal tax credits.
The challenge is you'd have to sell/rent 400 or 500 of them.
The challenge is you'd have to sell/rent 400 or 500 of them.
That complex is beautiful. I hope the company stays in there a long while, otherwise, I can't see anything coming in there.
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Notice how there is now a nice perfect parking lot with no pesky buildings in the way where the "clerical error" happened?downtown2007 wrote:The story behind the demo of the building with the hippie mural. What a shame.
http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-a ... touch=true
See how easy it is to pop off a lie like as a "clerical error" when what really happened was collusion between some rat who wanted 8 more parking spaces and somebody at City Hall who was happy to entertain some offers.
At least now there are some people around to point these things out whereas for years and years City Hall did whatever they wanted.
Of course, it's impossible to get fired. Ever walk into the records department? Sixteen people pretend to not notice that you walked in. It's comical. When they get around to maybe helping you then I guess it's adequate but that sh*t wouldn't fly in the real world.
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rbb had a great photo of CL from 2008 shot from atop the now dormant Millennium Hotel restaurant:
What an amazing district that could have been. Still some potential but the loss was huge.
What an amazing district that could have been. Still some potential but the loss was huge.
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Any word on the Cruden Martin buildings recently? Last time I went by the one with that had the fire was looking pretty rough.
I hear CBRE is marketing the Chouteau Landing now for prime redevelopment space. There is a story on it (linked) but since the Post Dispatch implemented their paywall, I can't read the full story. It would be nice to haver redevelopment here but the fact that developers would have to deal with the train bridge and the highways just makes it difficult. To get to Downtown, you have to cross under two highway bridges (55 and 64) and a train bridge while passing tons of parking lots
.
https://www.stltoday.com/news/special-r ... user-share
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https://www.stltoday.com/news/special-r ... user-share
And south of the Arch grounds, others see opportunity for Chouteau’s Landing, the semi-neglected patch of industrial and underused buildings north of the MacArthur railroad bridge.
Commercial real estate firm CBRE is marketing a package of 19 properties on 12 acres there as a redevelopment opportunity. Retail to serve downtown and Soulard or a mixed-use residential area make sense, said Matt Bukhshtaber, a CBRE executive vice president. Completion of the Arch grounds “definitely helps.”
“To be directly south of the Arch grounds, to have highway visibility … it’s tremendous potential for redeveloping that district,” Bukhshtaber said.
To me, the flood wall is holding it back. It doesn't have the same sort of riverfront frontage that Laclede's Landing has that adds some attraction. It's kind of like sitting at a desk facing a wall to me. I guess Laclede's has the advantage of being on a slow slope instead of flat grade.
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It would be nice to have a high rooftop bar that can see the river over the top of the wall. Also, improve the walk under the freeway from Busch and the Oyster Bar to St Mary of Victories church. (I went to a wedding there once. Beautiful inside.)
I still hope that someday a new bridge will be built just South of AB. Then Route I-44 and I-55 over it instead of Poplar, and remove the Interstate from Soulard to the Arch. Restore the street grid and add a large piazza in front of St Mary’s.
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I still hope that someday a new bridge will be built just South of AB. Then Route I-44 and I-55 over it instead of Poplar, and remove the Interstate from Soulard to the Arch. Restore the street grid and add a large piazza in front of St Mary’s.
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That would be great! I cannot see MoDot ever wanting to reconfigure an entire swath of land, build new bridge, redo the 55/64/70 interchange on the east side, etc. We're having a hard enough time trying to fix the 22nd Street interchange, get a real Jefferson interchange, etc.
I think best solution would be simply deleting 44 from Downtown. Somehow re-fit the MacArthur with a road deck from Chouteau, offering another route over to shift some of the PSB traffic. Both North and South City would have at least two routes over then.
None of that is probably ever going to happen, a man can dream though.
I think best solution would be simply deleting 44 from Downtown. Somehow re-fit the MacArthur with a road deck from Chouteau, offering another route over to shift some of the PSB traffic. Both North and South City would have at least two routes over then.
None of that is probably ever going to happen, a man can dream though.
For the area just south of the Poplar street bridge, is there any reason why you could make the east side of the flood wall into stairs? You could build right up to the flood wall on the west side and you essentially have a staircase on the east side the leaves those buildings.