urbanSTL

Here's one. I know I haven't answered anyone's posting but I thought this would be fun.

The Mayor wrote: ↑

Dec 13, 2018

chriss752 wrote: ↑

Dec 13, 2018

Here's one. I know I haven't answered anyone's posting but I thought this would be fun.

Total shot in the dark, but I'm going to say the old Crestwood Plaza.

That's correct. This was taken the day of the party on the plaza. This was under the parking garage along the back.

^I spent a particularly unpleasant part of my youth in Crestwood, and thus there's not much there I miss. Oddly . . . that parking garage is actually on the list of things I do miss. Loved the spiral ramps as a kid, the little stone walls on the lower level, the odd bit of natural bluff that persisted as a garden for so long . . . Proper shopping centers require underground parking. It's just a fact. And bridges. I almost hate to say it, but I truly miss that place.

Where am I?

Aw, man, I really thought that was 1740 S Brentwood, but . . . it's not.

4533 Clayton Ave
Not sure of the use of the building. Obviously something Barnes or CID related.

Can anyone guess where I'm standing (photo was not taken recently)? Bonus points if you can name which train that is.


IMG_20180613_191920 by Alex Price, on Flickr

Good job, aprice. I thought that was gonna be a tough without more hints. Here's the rest of the building:

aprice wrote: ↑

Dec 20, 2018

4533 Clayton Ave
Not sure of the use of the building. Obviously something Barnes or CID related.

Can anyone guess where I'm standing (photo was not taken recently)? Bonus points if you can name which train that is.


IMG_20180613_191920 by Alex Price, on Flickr

Standing on top of Busch Stadium. That train is the Texas Eagle.

^Beat me to the punch. Further, I'd guess it's the SE corner of Busch Stadium back behind the first base line. I've sat out that direction a couple of times, but I haven't gone exploring, what with there having been baseball to watch. I clearly need to fix that. Great view. And it's the southbound Texas Eagle, but that's pretty well a gimme. Chris has it all nailed down tidy. Must have been actually running on time that day, as it's supposed to arrive in St. Louis at seven twenty in the evening. But . . . baseball season. The shadows look more or less right to be late "afternoon" on a lovely eternal summer day. Apparently sunset that day was nearly 8:30 pm. (Landed on your Flickr page, so I saw the filename, which encodes the date.) Looks like the Cards lost 4-2 to the Padres that day, after a 7:15pm start, so the timing is right. The train would have been rolling in during the opening shenanigans. Sorry the game didn't come out better, though.

chriss752 wrote: Standing on top of Busch Stadium. That train is the Texas Eagle.

Chris got it!
Sorry SP, you don't get extra points for being a total nerd.

Hey, I like my maps and trains. Yes, Chris nailed it down perfectly. Said as much. I just needed to nerd out. I may take more aircraft pictures lately, but it wasn't an airline history group that recently drafted me to play secretary.

This is an old photo and is probably the most vague photo out there. I'll give you all a hint, it is in the two block radius surrounding of Metropolitan Square.

That looks like the old lobby of the Union Trust Bld., or 705 Olive, if you prefer, before it started to undergo its recent conversion to a hotel.

^A renno in which Chris is possibly involved and of which he has posted many pictures. Including of the new elevator clock dials, I believe. Yep. That's what I would say too.

West Cabanne wrote: ↑

Dec 22, 2018

That looks like the old lobby of the Union Trust Bld., or 705 Olive, if you prefer, before it started to undergo its recent conversion to a hotel.

symphonicpoet wrote: ^A renno in which Chris is possibly involved and of which he has posted many pictures. Including of the new elevator clock dials, I believe. Yep. That's what I would say too.

Not 705 Olive Street. That looked like this...




I am involved in this project slightly (and will be posting photos soon). I have gave a hand to the group doing the work sometimes and have taken two tours since. I'll reduce the radius size to one block (so Chestnut, 4th, Locust and 7th).

That doesn't leave many 13 story historic buildings. How about the LaSalle (soon to be Hotel Indigo) @ 501 Olive?

stlexplorer wrote: That doesn't leave many 13 story historic buildings. How about the LaSalle (soon to be Hotel Indigo) @ 501 Olive?

Ding ding ding! You got it right! This is one of only two photos that I know that show the lobby of the LaSalle. The other is in a story on NextSTL about the conversion. From my visit, they are cleaning up the marble walls and putting in a modern floor. Still much work to do but will look great when done!

^The Elevator Channel guys are going to have an absolute blast! Had no idea we had some many really cool old elevator indicators. Shame the historic dials in the Arcade-Wright don't look to be in use.

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑

Dec 24, 2018

^The Elevator Channel guys are going to have an absolute blast! Had no idea we had some many really cool old elevator indicators. Shame the historic dials in the Arcade-Wright don't look to be in use.

I know two of the three and have taken them around to places that they have never seen before. They appreciate it so these two are on the list for the next time they are in town. It's an odd hobby, but they like it and it makes me feel good to help them out. Do know that "The Last Hotel" has old indicators as well and they should be fixed. The Chase Park Plaza and Courtyard on Washington also have the old dial indicators so it's interesting. They are there, just hidden.

Courtyard...


Arcade Building...


Depending on the buildings you go into, the elevator doors are very decorative and deserve photos.

^I follow their channel, actually. And I have my very own pictures of Arcade-Wright's older doors and indicators. I agree with you entirely. The old equipment is particularly lovely. I love old mail chutes and pneumatic delivery systems too. Made me cry when Central Library got rid of theirs. That was a piece of history right there.

I thought the "Elevator Chanel" was a joke, so I had to Google it and discover it's a real thing.

I love the Elevator Channel dearly. Mostly because I highly admire my fellow nerds like SP. The Elevator Channel is the only way I've seen the inside of the Stoufers Riverfront / Millennium, which some of you know I have a bit of an obsession with. I came across their channel back in 2013 or '14, when looking for interior photos of Crowne Plaza. They were even once the subject of a Not My Job question on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me.