CORTEX: St. Louis' Life Sciences and Technology District

urbanitas · PostJun 30, 2020#19512020-06-30T04:26+00:00

wabash wrote: ↑
Jun 29, 2020
urbanitas wrote: ↑
Jun 29, 2020
$2-4 million / mile seems pretty reasonable given the negative impression it creates.
What is the negative impression it creates?

What impression would be created by cobra-headed incandescent street lights from the '70s throughout a city's tech hub?

That impression.

Cortex wants to create an impression of a fresh, state-of-the-art, high-tech district with modern, pricey new lab buildings like 4210 Duncan (Sandcrawler). The view in front of, and across the street from, 4210 Duncan doesn't exactly scream any of those things:

Google Streetview

Maybe some like the quaintness of uneven wooden poles, who knows, but for most visitors, it's more likely: neglected, antiquated, obsolete, or insert-your-favorite-antonym-for-"state-of-the-art"...

framer · PostJun 30, 2020#19522020-06-30T04:42+00:00

BellaVilla · PostJun 30, 2020#19532020-06-30T04:53+00:00

I agree re the street lights urbanitas. More modern lighting would be welcome

urbanitas · PostJun 30, 2020#19542020-06-30T05:05+00:00

BellaVilla wrote: ↑
Jun 30, 2020
I agree re the street lights urbanitas. More modern lighting would be welcome

Cortex doled out the cash for that at least.

On the plus side for the poles, if Cortex ever floods:

Who needs those fancy skywalks over at BJC/WUMC...?

shadrach · PostJun 30, 2020#19552020-06-30T14:35+00:00

I have so many thoughts, comments, questions about this image but words fail me right now.

urbanitas · PostJul 01, 2020#19562020-07-01T01:49+00:00

^^^^

Cables gone wild

SeattleNative · PostJul 01, 2020#19572020-07-01T02:00+00:00

urbanitas wrote:
wabash wrote: ↑
Jun 29, 2020
urbanitas wrote: ↑
Jun 29, 2020
$2-4 million / mile seems pretty reasonable given the negative impression it creates.
What is the negative impression it creates?
What impression would be created by cobra-headed incandescent street lights from the '70s throughout a city's tech hub?

That impression.

Cortex wants to create an impression of a fresh, state-of-the-art, high-tech district with modern, pricey new lab buildings like 4210 Duncan (Sandcrawler). The view in front of, and across the street from, 4210 Duncan doesn't exactly scream any of those things:

Google Streetview

Maybe some like the quaintness of uneven wooden poles, who knows, but for most visitors, it's more likely: neglected, antiquated, obsolete, or insert-your-favorite-antonym-for-"state-of-the-art"...

Seattle’s South Lake Union, home to Amazon, has its share of above ground utility poles and power lines. If that district doesn’t find it necessary to bury the lines, I don’t think Cortex should prioritize it either.

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urbanitas · PostJul 01, 2020#19582020-07-01T06:48+00:00

SeattleNative wrote: ↑
Jul 01, 2020
Seattle’s South Lake Union, home to Amazon, has its share of above ground utility poles and power lines. If that district doesn’t find it necessary to bury the lines, I don’t think Cortex should prioritize it either.

They are burying them.

It will take a long time to bury them all, but at least they seem to have removed utility poles from the main arteries (like Duncan is for Cortex).

Seattle is prone to earthquakes, and much of that South Lake area is built on fill. That's not a good combination for underground utilities. No idea what the numbers are, but I am sure it is much more expensive than it is here.

SeattleNative · PostJul 01, 2020#19592020-07-01T11:55+00:00

urbanitas wrote:
SeattleNative wrote: ↑
Jul 01, 2020
Seattle’s South Lake Union, home to Amazon, has its share of above ground utility poles and power lines. If that district doesn’t find it necessary to bury the lines, I don’t think Cortex should prioritize it either.
They are burying them.

It will take a long time to bury them all, but at least they seem to have removed utility poles from the main arteries (like Duncan is for Cortex).

Seattle is prone to earthquakes, and much of that South Lake area is built on fill. That's not a good combination for underground utilities. No idea what the numbers are, but I am sure it is much more expensive than it is here.

I stand corrected then. Just noticed them being around when I was walking down there this summer.

Side note: I guess I never realized SLU was infill. From the Denny regrade, though, I’d guess?

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quincunx · PostJul 02, 2020#19602020-07-02T15:14+00:00

B.B. #84 – Roddy - An ordinance renewing the previous determinations made by Ordinance Number 66847 and Ordinance Number 66985, and as renewed by Ordinance Number 68754 and Ordinance Number 70119 for the Redevelopment Area (defined below); finding that the redevelopment of such area is necessary and in the public interest under Chapter 353 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri 2016, as amended, and under Chapter 11.06 of the Revised Code of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, and is in the interest of the peace, public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the people of the City of St. Louis; and renewing the certificate of public convenience and necessity granted by the City of St. Louis to CORTEX West Redevelopment Corporation (“CORTEX”) to exercise the power of eminent domain within the Redevelopment Area

urbanitas · PostJul 02, 2020#19612020-07-02T23:08+00:00

^Is this related to some particular parcel(s) that CORTEX is trying to acquire?

chaifetz10 · PostJul 03, 2020#19622020-07-03T03:59+00:00

I don't believe so. I think it's simply a standard renewal of the ordinance to avoid to CORTEX losing future ability to use eminent domain.

chriss752 · PostJul 27, 2020#19632020-07-27T20:24+00:00

The apartment complex at 4343 Duncan is out to bid. The SLDC Planroom features the blueprints and a timeline among other things.

https://www.sldcplanroom.com/jobs/2826/ ... apartments

framer · PostJul 28, 2020#19642020-07-28T04:31+00:00

Jeez. . . twenty five days between Cortex posts. Gotta be a record.

OnTheEdge · PostJul 29, 2020#19652020-07-29T00:28+00:00

framer wrote: ↑
Jul 28, 2020
Jeez. . . twenty five days between Cortex posts. Gotta be a record.

Yeah, understandably, it's mostly been a ghost town over there since early March. I haven't wandered over to the buildings on Duncan near the Metrolink stop recently, but last time I did, in the middle of the day on a weekday, mid-to-late June, it was totally dead. Can't imagine any of the Venture Cafe or other usual pre-covid tech meetups are happening in person, not sure how much of that has moved online.

As far as restaurants, I believe Vicia has been trying to do curbside. AFAIK, Park Ave Coffee has been closed and not even trying to do curbside. Not sure about Lion's Choice.

On a positive note, construction on the WashU Nueroscience building seems to be full steam ahead for months now. Seems construction is working OT too as I've seen the site frequently busy at 5 or 6 pm on weekdays. The depth of the hole in the ground is impressive, can't even see the bottom of it while standing at the fence looking at the site from street level.

addxb2 · PostJul 29, 2020#19662020-07-29T03:23+00:00

chriss752 · PostJul 29, 2020#19672020-07-29T03:26+00:00

^ Yea. That's what was planned there on that corner.

Remiger Design also features the concept for the Forsyth MetroLink TOD (a partnership between WashU and Centene/Clayco CRG) along with some other views of Cortex K, although that's still planned.

2020STL · PostJul 29, 2020#19682020-07-29T03:35+00:00

What's this?! is it a concept or is this actually happening cause I am all for this!

gone corporate · PostJul 29, 2020#19692020-07-29T21:45+00:00

addxb2 wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020

Hell yeah! Framer, I'd say that's worth 25 days of radio silence...

Can anyone give a summary of what this all is and will be? Chris, are you planning a write-up on your site for this?

chriss752 · PostJul 29, 2020#19702020-07-29T21:54+00:00

gone corporate wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020
addxb2 wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020

Hell yeah! Framer, I'd say that's worth 25 days of radio silence...

Can anyone give a summary of what this all is and will be? Chris, are you planning a write-up on your site for this?

KDG has Cortex K to get built out first before this, so we are still a little ways off on this project from actually being a legit proposal. Beyond Cortex K, KDG would have to work with BJC as they own the parking lot this would be built on. So while I'm not writing it off yet, I'm just saying it's probably going to be a while before this project starts (if it ever does).

I'll reach out to KDG about it though.

thestlguy · PostJul 29, 2020#19712020-07-29T22:05+00:00

chriss752 wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020
gone corporate wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020
addxb2 wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020

Hell yeah! Framer, I'd say that's worth 25 days of radio silence...

Can anyone give a summary of what this all is and will be? Chris, are you planning a write-up on your site for this?
KDG has Cortex K to get built out first before this, so we are still a little ways off on this project from actually being a legit proposal. Beyond Cortex K, KDG would have to work with BJC as they own the parking lot this would be built on. So while I'm not writing it off yet, I'm just saying it's probably going to be a while before this project starts (if it ever does).

I'll reach out to KDG about it though.

Whats up with Cortex K? Is that happening?

chriss752 · PostJul 29, 2020#19722020-07-29T22:57+00:00

^Expect construction to start sometime in the winter or 1st Quarter. They want to have it available sometime in 2022.

chaifetz10 · PostJul 29, 2020#19732020-07-29T22:58+00:00

The project website still has a January 2022 move-in ready date listed, but there hasn't been any activity regarding permits. So just like everything else these days, it's probably still in the works / potentially temporarily paused until until there's more certainty. Short of KDG releasing any official update, it's all just speculation as to the status.

dbInSouthCity · PostJul 30, 2020#19742020-07-30T00:05+00:00

addxb2 wrote: ↑
Jul 29, 2020

As late as winter of 2017 when I was doing planning at WUSTL, this site was talked about as BJC commons 2.0, is that was this is or did they go another way? 2.0 wasnt really something BJC was considering until 2025 at earliest

chriss752 · PostJul 31, 2020#19752020-07-31T00:58+00:00

4210 Duncan interactive renderings...
https://irisvr.com/library/shared?code=D6HGW8

CORTEX: St. Louis' Life Sciences and Technology District

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