I really hope this one is successful. I'd love to see this replicated on a few other lots in that area - the lot next to iTap comes to mind
Before:EssTeeEll wrote:
Maybe the coffee hasn't hit yet, but what changes can you tell are happening at that intersection? That's never been my favorite intersection...
After:
The northbound 7th Blvd. to 7th St. connection and the large striped no-parking zone are gone, and the southbound connection and curb are pushed east.
Maybe, hopefully, if and when that Golden Phoenix building goes away and something is built on that site, they can somehow get rid of that curved 7th St. connection entirely, and extend a new building east over that wasted green space, all the way to the 7th Blvd. sidewalk. That would nearly double the size of that parcel...
The garage is on the north end of the building, so a garage entrance off Marion Street wouldn't work. But more importantly, the Marion facade of the building faces Soulard Market, so it really needs something that will bring activity to that streetscape.EssTeeEll wrote: ↑Nov 24, 2020^^ Thanks for that updated rendering. So they threw some red into the mix. I kind of wish the garage entrance was on Marion instead of 7th, but this will still be welcome.
I was really hoping they would have retail space along the south side of this building, ideally a bar or restaurant with an outdoor patio, but I don't see any sign of it. You could create a nice hub of activity around the Market parking lot, especially if the Social House cleaned up their building and added an outdoor patio in the back...
^ Thanks for pointing out that difference. Agreed about getting rid of that connection entirely...it's just an awkward intersection. But I guess in the meantime a small fix is better than nothing. As for the garage entrance, I get your point. I was thinking more about activity along 7th, but your point is valid. Although now you've reminded me of that surface lot chilling in between that I'll now be wishing for something to be built on...
Social House updated the outside of their building by putting in new large doors/maybe garage doors, and slightly extending the front patio. I agree they should have something out back, but I'm sure due to the ummm...attire of the staff, they'd have to have a privacy fence to avoid too much scrutiny.
Social House updated the outside of their building by putting in new large doors/maybe garage doors, and slightly extending the front patio. I agree they should have something out back, but I'm sure due to the ummm...attire of the staff, they'd have to have a privacy fence to avoid too much scrutiny.
Oh man, having lived in Soulard for just over 3 years, of all the empty lots in St. Louis that was probably the weirdest one. Who owns it? I cannot believe that there are no people interested in that lot.pattimagee wrote: ↑Nov 24, 2020I really hope this one is successful. I'd love to see this replicated on a few other lots in that area - the lot next to iTap comes to mind
There's interest in it and in fact, I have a preliminary plan for the development of the lot at 9th and Soulard. However, I can't share those plans because they're still/were being worked on.kipfilet wrote: ↑Nov 26, 2020Oh man, having lived in Soulard for just over 3 years, of all the empty lots in St. Louis that was probably the weirdest one. Who owns it? I cannot believe that there are no people interested in that lot.pattimagee wrote: ↑Nov 24, 2020I really hope this one is successful. I'd love to see this replicated on a few other lots in that area - the lot next to iTap comes to mind
What I will say though is that it was apartments over retail space. Then corona happened and retail demand went out the window.
^ Is the building just west of the empty lot still part of a plan? I was told that before. It's on the back of the lot by the alley.
Also something that sticks out is that boarded up duplex next to The Sweet Devine. Surprised at how long that's been sitting there vacant.
Also something that sticks out is that boarded up duplex next to The Sweet Devine. Surprised at how long that's been sitting there vacant.
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Chris, can you share the height of the preliminary plan? I feel like this would be a good spot for a 6-story apartment building.
4-storiesurban_dilettante wrote: ↑Nov 26, 2020Chris, can you share the height of the preliminary plan? I feel like this would be a good spot for a 6-story apartment building.
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^ Thanks. I wouldn't kick 4 stories out of bed for eating crackers.
The big red crane is being installed to assemble the precast garage.
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Pfft, looks like a toy compared to the monster at the stadium site...chriss752 wrote: ↑Dec 10, 2020The big red crane is being installed to assemble the precast garage.
Yes. The one at the MLS Stadium site really surprised me at just how tall it really is. This one at SoHo will make an impact though.
On another note, much like Chroma, we will have a parking garage on site first then the apartments will wrap it. By this time next year, framing for the apartments will still be ongoing in some places but at least we will be able to visualize this much better. Personally, I see this project as the spark that gets other things going in the immediate area. The success of this project could lead to us seeing some other proposals on smaller lots in Soulard and in the LaSalle Park neighborhood. Projects are in the early planning phase for the area North of 44/55. The connection to Downtown will be made much stronger over the next 5 years or so. I feel like it all depends on the success of the SoHo though.
Well, the first thing they are going to have to do is to get the owner of Golden Phoenix to give a f*ck about their neighborhood...chriss752 wrote: ↑Dec 10, 2020Personally, I see this project as the spark that gets other things going in the immediate area. The success of this project could lead to us seeing some other proposals on smaller lots in Soulard and in the LaSalle Park neighborhood. Projects are in the early planning phase for the area North of 44/55. The connection to Downtown will be made much stronger over the next 5 years or so. I feel like it all depends on the success of the SoHo though.
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^What's wrong with Golden Phoenix and when has a wholesale kitchen ever really cared about the neighborhood? It's basically light industry. I expect they'd be willing to move for the right price, so long as a reasonable location can be had. They don't even have a commercial outlet there, do they? Strictly wholesale?
How hard is it to spend 20 mins. with a weed wacker and a Sawzall once every couple weeks, or just hire a kid to do it? And I'm not sure what that 2-story black sh*t streak is, but a $50 rented power washer and an hour or so would probably take care of it.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Dec 10, 2020^What's wrong with Golden Phoenix and when has a wholesale kitchen ever really cared about the neighborhood? It's basically light industry. I expect they'd be willing to move for the right price, so long as a reasonable location can be had. They don't even have a commercial outlet there, do they? Strictly wholesale?
The truck dealer, to their credit, seems to have taken care of their lawn, and I'm sure their customers cared a whole lot less how it looked than folks ordering bulk shrimp tempura and crab rangoon.
As for their willingness to move, I would bet a pair of Chakravertys that they were offered a nice premium for that corner lot. The left side of that image that I posted will be directly adjacent to the SoHo building's retail entrance...
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I doubt the majority of the folks ordering bulk shrimp tempura even know where Soulard is. Maybe I have a false impression about what the place is, but I'm thinking it's more like a truck assembly plant than a truck dealer: essentially a factory for food, not a place where anything at all is bought or sold. And I if I had the first clue what a Chakraverty is supposed to be I'd consider the bet. I don't doubt a potential buyer offered money, but whether it was a "nice premium" is a bit more of a maybe. At the very least it obviously wasn't "nice" enough. Maybe the owners are being unreasonable. Or maybe a speculative developer tried to lowball them and they said no.Maybe the owners know what they have. Maybe they think more of that corner than even we do. We'd have to actually figure out what we think that corner is actually worth to move forward with this bet. Maybe you're lowballing it. Maybe I'm being stubborn and unreasonable as I stroke my cat and demand "One MILL-y on dollars!" in my best evil genius voice. 
(Or I will blow up the moon [hotel sign] with a giant laser [show]!)
(Or I will blow up the moon [hotel sign] with a giant laser [show]!)Rendering of the North facade. It sure seems like they're planning for a building to be eventually built next door.
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What about that rendering makes you think that?chriss752 wrote: ↑Dec 17, 2020Rendering of the North facade. It sure seems like they're planning for a building to be eventually built next door.
The windows along the northern facade of the building and design features across the entire garage seem to prepare the building for life without a new neighbor to the north.
Mostly blank. There’s just a handful of windows here and there. Whenever projects are designed like this, developers plan ahead in case a neighbor shows up. This way, apartment views aren’t blocked. Plus, decorating the garage now means that if a new building is built next door, and potential apartments have views out that side, there’s at least something visually interesting on the garage instead of just plain concrete.wabash wrote:What about that rendering makes you think that?chriss752 wrote: ↑Dec 17, 2020Rendering of the North facade. It sure seems like they're planning for a building to be eventually built next door.
The windows along the northern facade of the building and design features across the entire garage seem to prepare the building for life without a new neighbor to the north.
I hope you're right. Here's an example of another recent project where the developer was planing for an apartment building to be built next door. No large signage, no floor to ceiling windows, no glass garage doors, no garage beautification efforts.chriss752 wrote: ↑Dec 17, 2020Mostly blank. There’s just a handful of windows here and there. Whenever projects are designed like this, developers plan ahead in case a neighbor shows up. This way, apartment views aren’t blocked. Plus, decorating the garage now means that if a new building is built next door, and potential apartments have views out that side, there’s at least something visually interesting on the garage instead of just plain concrete.wabash wrote:What about that rendering makes you think that?chriss752 wrote: ↑Dec 17, 2020Rendering of the North facade. It sure seems like they're planning for a building to be eventually built next door.
The windows along the northern facade of the building and design features across the entire garage seem to prepare the building for life without a new neighbor to the north.
I can kind of see both your points. The only difference between this and Chroma though is that the land for phase II at Chroma was already cleared and they moved forward pretty quickly after completing phase I.
It’ll take longer than that before the business on the corner here sells and leaves and someone is ready to build anything so why not add a little screening in the meantime.
I do like the screen, btw.
It’ll take longer than that before the business on the corner here sells and leaves and someone is ready to build anything so why not add a little screening in the meantime.
I do like the screen, btw.
