I voted for green as well. One would think that if they can fund a 20-hour-per-day security office, they could manage some public restrooms...in the same building no less.imran wrote: ↑Nov 06, 2019Filled out the survey. I thought the green building option was the least garish, suggested a small kiosk to sell snacks, water , ?ice cream
And wondered out loud why decent, clean restrooms are such an impossibility.
^ wow, who would have thought you can just use a projector on those and make it look immediately better? Cheap solution for an endlessly grotesque building. Let's make it year round now.
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St. Louis could be doing a lot more to beautify downtown and other ugly structures across the city.
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What’s your suggestions for the other 12 hours a day when it’s light out or 16 in the summer
I would just commission some artists to do some murals. Then again, I didn't think the city owned them. Throw some exterior uplighting on them for when it's dark. Same as what we should be encouraging for every new development or rehab to illuminate the rest of the streetscape a little more. “¯\_(ツ)_/¯“
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At this point I would be fine with covering it all with high quality billboards. At least it would look fresh.
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You mean like giant video screens? Along with advertising, they could show live sports, art, movies, or something designed by a video artist specifically for that location. I compute the side of one of those two garages to be about 280 feet long and 72 feet high -- about the size of the NFL video screen in Houston's NRG stadium installed in 2013. In fact, maybe we could buy their's used. After 6 years, they are probably ready for an upgrade.GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑Nov 30, 2019At this point I would be fine with covering it all with high quality billboards. At least it would look fresh.
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The ice rink, igloos to rent, Sugarfire bbq truck and all that jazz at Kiener Plaza is a great idea to bring people downtown but it’s poorly promoted by GatewayArchSTL and why open only weekend & just til 8?!? Why not 4pm to 10pm during week and noon to midnight on weekend?
Did any know that yesterday was “One Nation Day” event at the rink with Blues, Cardinals, MLS team and battle hawks? I only did because the sign at Kiener said it was. Didn’t say if it was all day thing or specific time. All around just very poorly promoted and ran
Did any know that yesterday was “One Nation Day” event at the rink with Blues, Cardinals, MLS team and battle hawks? I only did because the sign at Kiener said it was. Didn’t say if it was all day thing or specific time. All around just very poorly promoted and ran
Programming downtown is lacking. We heard the Arch Grounds were going to be active with programming and little has been accomplished. Same with areas of the Gateway Mall. Activation components and promotion both need to be addressed. Who exactly handles these efforts?
Those things tend to be custom made for the facilities they are built for, so... I doubt they're going to replace them after just 6 years of use, given that they're still the third largest videoboards in the entire league. And they cost $16 million in taxpayer money.gary kreie wrote: ↑Dec 01, 2019You mean like giant video screens? Along with advertising, they could show live sports, art, movies, or something designed by a video artist specifically for that location. I compute the side of one of those two garages to be about 280 feet long and 72 feet high -- about the size of the NFL video screen in Houston's NRG stadium installed in 2013. In fact, maybe we could buy their's used. After 6 years, they are probably ready for an upgrade.GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑Nov 30, 2019At this point I would be fine with covering it all with high quality billboards. At least it would look fresh.
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But I really like the idea. I was thinking something along the lines of what's in Times Square in NYC, maybe even a wraparound design like this one:

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... I#cxrecs_sIn addition to serving as a visitor services and maintenance building, the 860-square-foot building will include retail space for St. Louis-themed gifts, a workspace for on-site security at Kiener Plaza and a storage and support space for events. The new structure is an upgrade from the existing security station in place at Kiener Plaza, officials said.
But no public restrooms...sc4mayor wrote: ↑May 03, 2021https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... I#cxrecs_sIn addition to serving as a visitor services and maintenance building, the 860-square-foot building will include retail space for St. Louis-themed gifts, a workspace for on-site security at Kiener Plaza and a storage and support space for events. The new structure is an upgrade from the existing security station in place at Kiener Plaza, officials said.
Wow. If they’re not ready to address the elephant in the room, why build this at all?
Even a pay as you use restroom would work.
Even a pay as you use restroom would work.
Meh, just go in the fountain like all the kids...imran wrote: ↑May 03, 2021Wow. If they’re not ready to address the elephant in the room, why build this at all?
Even a pay as you use restroom would work.
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^Not that this is an excuse, but there are restrooms at the courthouse, are there not? Which should still be freely accessible, right? Given that the Gateway Mall is a city park there should really be city restrooms in it. (Mind you, it shames me to no end just how often those restrooms are chained shut. Except in one or two particularly well endowed parks.)
The Old Courthouse will be closed for renovations until 2024 (realistically, 2025).symphonicpoet wrote: ↑May 04, 2021^Not that this is an excuse, but there are restrooms at the courthouse, are there not? Which should still be freely accessible, right? Given that the Gateway Mall is a city park there should really be city restrooms in it. (Mind you, it shames me to no end just how often those restrooms are chained shut. Except in one or two particularly well endowed parks.)
I am sure they will be updating the restrooms somewhat, but from what I recall they were intended just for visitors to the museum, and barely adequate for that. Plus, I think everyone has to go through security now at all NPS buildings? Either way, the restrooms are not really located or designed for familial herds coming and going to water and relieve themselves and change little Karen's diapers.
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^While this saddens the heck out of me I can believe they've decided to add security to the courthouse, but every NPS building? Surely you just. There have to be tens of thousands of the things, many of which have little traffic. The ranger station on the east rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison? They didn't even have paved roads last time I was there a few years ago. This is sad making stuff. Frustrating. Silly.
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I know this doesn't help the ladies or those who need to go #2, but I would love to see these urban urinals placed strategically throughout the city. IE every Metrolink station, nightlife districts, parks and plazas, and other public urination hotspots.
Why the hell is it going to take so ridiculously long? They build entire stadiums in less time than that, and renovate much, much bigger historic buildings in half the time.urbanitas wrote: ↑May 04, 2021The Old Courthouse will be closed for renovations until 2024 (realistically, 2025).symphonicpoet wrote: ↑May 04, 2021^Not that this is an excuse, but there are restrooms at the courthouse, are there not? Which should still be freely accessible, right? Given that the Gateway Mall is a city park there should really be city restrooms in it. (Mind you, it shames me to no end just how often those restrooms are chained shut. Except in one or two particularly well endowed parks.)
I am sure they will be updating the restrooms somewhat, but from what I recall they were intended just for visitors to the museum, and barely adequate for that. Plus, I think everyone has to go through security now at all NPS buildings? Either way, the restrooms are not really located or designed for familial herds coming and going to water and relieve themselves and change little Karen's diapers.
The building is getting updated to meet seismic code, as well as getting new HVAC systems in a building that was originally designed with none. Doing all of this work, while retaining the strict historic requirements of a building this iconic is a challenge, and has to be done slowly, with care and attention to not changing any of the existing historical elements (including all contributing historical wall planes).DTGstl314 wrote: ↑May 06, 2021Why the hell is it going to take so ridiculously long? They build entire stadiums in less time than that, and renovate much, much bigger historic buildings in half the time.urbanitas wrote: ↑May 04, 2021The Old Courthouse will be closed for renovations until 2024 (realistically, 2025).symphonicpoet wrote: ↑May 04, 2021^Not that this is an excuse, but there are restrooms at the courthouse, are there not? Which should still be freely accessible, right? Given that the Gateway Mall is a city park there should really be city restrooms in it. (Mind you, it shames me to no end just how often those restrooms are chained shut. Except in one or two particularly well endowed parks.)
I am sure they will be updating the restrooms somewhat, but from what I recall they were intended just for visitors to the museum, and barely adequate for that. Plus, I think everyone has to go through security now at all NPS buildings? Either way, the restrooms are not really located or designed for familial herds coming and going to water and relieve themselves and change little Karen's diapers.
Full renovations that are made to look like nothing even happened to the building are tough.










