An impressive boom in sunbelt soullessness. Quite the contrast with your previous post or the one before that. So fortunate St. Louis boomed when it did and has the building stock it does. Any future construction booms - as we've seen/are seeing in the CWE - will make for a better mix of pre-war, modern and contemporary than current the sunbelt darlings.
Looks like things are still buzzing.
I wonder how long until the Titans start clamoring for a new stadium.
I wonder how long until the Titans start clamoring for a new stadium.
Yea. While I think it's cool seeing all the construction projects, it really is a shame that most buildings being built have no real architectural detailing. It's all simple glass and parking garage screens. The Vanderbilt Central Tower and Dorms are a nice mix-in to the modern high-rises.wabash wrote: ↑Jan 14, 2021An impressive boom in sunbelt soullessness. Quite the contrast with your previous post or the one before that. So fortunate St. Louis boomed when it did and has the building stock it does. Any future construction booms - as we've seen/are seeing in the CWE - will make for a better mix of pre-war, modern and contemporary than current the sunbelt darlings.
St. Louis has wonderful architecture. So if we ever boomed like Nashville, we wouldn't lose our character much or at all. And as you said, the mix of pre-war, modern and contemporary mix in the CWE is a prime example of this.
Their Stadium didn't look too bad or out of date, but all NFL teams seem to want to have the newest and best stadium.framer wrote: ↑Jan 14, 2021Looks like things are still buzzing.
I wonder how long until the Titans start clamoring for a new stadium.
As promised, here are the Port St. Joe pictures. As I said, I spent many summers here from when I was 5 until I turned 18. The tradition of coming down would've continued if the condo we stayed at want blown away by Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Regardless of that though, the community is rebuilding but doing so very slowly. Many buildings were demolished, some collapsed and their shells remain, and some houses still have tarps on their roofs because they're vacant. On the other hand though, new homes have been built to specific standards, the Marina is being rebuilt by the St. Joe Company into a mixed-use facility. And the "Village at Marina Cove" is picking up some steam with a few new commercial/condo buildings planned. Nothing over 4-stories can be built in Port St. Joe, or the whole of Gulf County Florida due to ordinances prohibiting it. They don't want to morph into a Panama City Beach or Destin. They, like myself, like the town small. It adds to the experience and is why my family kept coming back for 13 years and I will continue to return going forward as I move out on my own.
The town was spared from the worst of the hurricane (the Category 5 winds that tore into Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base) but flooding happened here. The Bay is buffered from the ocean by Cape San Blas which, and here's a fun fact, the Lighthouse and Two houses that are with it were moved from Cape San Blas to the park in Port St. Joe due to erosion (which has been an ongoing documented issue for, I think, close to a century. They were at risk of falling into the Gulf of Mexico, so an effort was made to transport them. There are videos on YouTube of how they moved the 3 structures 12.3 miles. The move was done in 2014. I walked on the beach where the lighthouse once was and the piers that once held the lighthouse up are now exposed in the sand and are only 5-6ft away from where the waves roll up. During high tide, they're touching the water. The houses would've been lost if not moved. You can walk up the lighthouse if you'd like, but I haven't gotten the chance to do so yet.
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Also on this trip, we went to Apalachicola, which is a small town 23 miles East of Port St. Joe on US Highway 98. This is a fishing town and are known for their oysters, but they also bring in Shrimp, Scallops, and other fish. I ate in this town and had the best Shrimp and Scallops I've been able to find. Really fresh. The business I ate at is called, "The Half Shell - Dockside".
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Lighthouse Move Video:
Regardless of that though, the community is rebuilding but doing so very slowly. Many buildings were demolished, some collapsed and their shells remain, and some houses still have tarps on their roofs because they're vacant. On the other hand though, new homes have been built to specific standards, the Marina is being rebuilt by the St. Joe Company into a mixed-use facility. And the "Village at Marina Cove" is picking up some steam with a few new commercial/condo buildings planned. Nothing over 4-stories can be built in Port St. Joe, or the whole of Gulf County Florida due to ordinances prohibiting it. They don't want to morph into a Panama City Beach or Destin. They, like myself, like the town small. It adds to the experience and is why my family kept coming back for 13 years and I will continue to return going forward as I move out on my own.
The town was spared from the worst of the hurricane (the Category 5 winds that tore into Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base) but flooding happened here. The Bay is buffered from the ocean by Cape San Blas which, and here's a fun fact, the Lighthouse and Two houses that are with it were moved from Cape San Blas to the park in Port St. Joe due to erosion (which has been an ongoing documented issue for, I think, close to a century. They were at risk of falling into the Gulf of Mexico, so an effort was made to transport them. There are videos on YouTube of how they moved the 3 structures 12.3 miles. The move was done in 2014. I walked on the beach where the lighthouse once was and the piers that once held the lighthouse up are now exposed in the sand and are only 5-6ft away from where the waves roll up. During high tide, they're touching the water. The houses would've been lost if not moved. You can walk up the lighthouse if you'd like, but I haven't gotten the chance to do so yet.
Also on this trip, we went to Apalachicola, which is a small town 23 miles East of Port St. Joe on US Highway 98. This is a fishing town and are known for their oysters, but they also bring in Shrimp, Scallops, and other fish. I ate in this town and had the best Shrimp and Scallops I've been able to find. Really fresh. The business I ate at is called, "The Half Shell - Dockside".
Lighthouse Move Video:
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Chris - any plans to make it up to the NGA site anytime soon? 
I have plans to go up and take photos of the Natural Bridge Street Calming Project and the NGA. However, the NGA can only be done around the perimeter due to a Geofence being in place that prohibits any drones from flying within the boundaries for the NGA Campus. This same thing applies to the Downtown Justice Center, Workhouse, Metro Area Halfway houses, current NGA, County Justice Center and other jails and government air force bases.pattimagee wrote:Chris - any plans to make it up to the NGA site anytime soon?
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I was wondering if that was going to be a thing - its so big it'd be nice just to see it from a few blocks away. As always, thanks!
With the warmer weather means the return of the drone. It's been a month since it was last up. Here are some photos that don't fit into all threads, but are nice.
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Changing Debalviere...
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Changing Debalviere...
New Debalivere photos.
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*checks calendar*chriss752 wrote: ↑Jan 25, 2021I have plans to go up and take photos of the Natural Bridge Street Calming Project and the NGA. However, the NGA can only be done around the perimeter due to a Geofence being in place that prohibits any drones from flying within the boundaries for the NGA Campus. This same thing applies to the Downtown Justice Center, Workhouse, Metro Area Halfway houses, current NGA, County Justice Center and other jails and government air force bases.pattimagee wrote:Chris - any plans to make it up to the NGA site anytime soon?
How close can you fly to the NGA perimeter? Obviously, you wouldn't need to be that close if your drone is high enough, unless we're talking a half-mile or more...? Or is it an issue with the combination of proximity and elevation restrictions?
And thanks for the new images! The magnitude of all of the DeBaliviere development is becoming more apparent.
Yea, sorry about that promise. I promised it back before it remained below freezing for basically an entire month, which DJI says it's bad to do and I've learned the hard way that my hands freeze and dry up in the cold wind. I want to take the drone up to NGA, Natural Bridge and Pruitt Igoe soon.urbanitas wrote: ↑Apr 06, 2021*checks calendar*
How close can you fly to the NGA perimeter? Obviously, you wouldn't need to be that close if your drone is high enough, unless we're talking a half-mile or more...? Or is it an issue with the combination of proximity and elevation restrictions?
And thanks for the new images! The magnitude of all of the DeBaliviere development is becoming more apparent.
Flight is permitted around the perimeter of the site. I just can't fly past the fences they have up around the site. It's a geofence, so the drone will just stop at the edge of the geofence and will not go into that airspace.
While on the subject of geofences, I'd like to share the "Fly Safe" map in St. Louis. Flight altitude, in the gray areas, normally has a height limit the closer you get to the major airports. Normally, the furthest way gray box from the airport is maxed out at 150 meters (492ft). As you get closer, it drops to 60 meters (196ft). Red zones are where you cannot fly and the drone will not enter the zone (NGA, over airfields, the arch grounds, over jails, and other things).
Blue zones are authorization zones, which are where you can fly, but need prior authorization from the airport that you're by. Yellow and orange zones you are allowed to fly in without prior authorization, but you just have to be aware of your surroundings (mostly because these are in between flight paths or near a helipad for a hospital).
I've only taken my drone, in St. Louis, in the Central Corridor area, so I'm dealing with gray, yellow, and orange zones all the time.
The website explains these things pretty well and the app on your phone, when you're flying, will notify you if you enter one of these areas while flying, or are in one when you begin flying.
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Blue zones are authorization zones, which are where you can fly, but need prior authorization from the airport that you're by. Yellow and orange zones you are allowed to fly in without prior authorization, but you just have to be aware of your surroundings (mostly because these are in between flight paths or near a helipad for a hospital).
I've only taken my drone, in St. Louis, in the Central Corridor area, so I'm dealing with gray, yellow, and orange zones all the time.
The website explains these things pretty well and the app on your phone, when you're flying, will notify you if you enter one of these areas while flying, or are in one when you begin flying.
Last post and this is about the Debaliviere TOD, I flew the drone up and down the street today and do this whenever I go down there. At the end of construction, I'll do this and try to merge all videos I've taken into one that shows the transformation over time. Normally with these updates, I stand on Debaliviere at Waterman since no buildings are in my way, which can effect the signal. I have a full, uncut video of flying from South of Forest Park Parkway all the way up to Delmar and back, but it's slow so I won't upload it.
Good stuff! Thanks for sharing your work with us, and for keeping us up to date on things.
NGA drone photos posted on the correct thread. Moving on to the items for this thread from today.
Now that all the trees are coming in along with other plans, the true colors and beauty of St. Louis in the Spring and Summer can be seen from above. When I got my drone, everything was changing colors due to it being the fall. So it's a nice change to get some greenery in these photos now. In my opinion, it enhances the photos.
First, some photos around the Central West End, including the 4545 Laclede crane.
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And my favorite picture of the day...
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Here is a video of flying the drone down Laclede Avenue a bit before cutting over to near Euclid and West Pine...
Now that all the trees are coming in along with other plans, the true colors and beauty of St. Louis in the Spring and Summer can be seen from above. When I got my drone, everything was changing colors due to it being the fall. So it's a nice change to get some greenery in these photos now. In my opinion, it enhances the photos.
First, some photos around the Central West End, including the 4545 Laclede crane.
And my favorite picture of the day...
Here is a video of flying the drone down Laclede Avenue a bit before cutting over to near Euclid and West Pine...
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blarg! i can't get enough of Chris Stritzel's drone!
Nice day today, a bit windy, but the drone was able to work fine. I sent the drone up to 1640ft in Clayton, as you'll see in the shots below. Now that all the trees are full of leaves, it has become a bit harder to launch the drone and know exactly where it is because of signal interference and blockage by the leaves. So it's all about patience now. The first picture is cool because it shows the Residence Inn and Forest Point sites with the Chase Park Plaza peeking out in the middle of Forsyth.
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Clayton skyline...
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Up at about 700ft...
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1000ft above Forsyth and Brentwood...
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1640ft...
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I also took some videos today. The first video is flying north on Debaliviere. Second is the Neuroscience Building. This video is flying over Forsyth Point and down Forsyth a bit. The fourth, and final video, are views from 1640ft up.
Clayton skyline...
Up at about 700ft...
1000ft above Forsyth and Brentwood...
1640ft...
I also took some videos today. The first video is flying north on Debaliviere. Second is the Neuroscience Building. This video is flying over Forsyth Point and down Forsyth a bit. The fourth, and final video, are views from 1640ft up.
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awesoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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So much fun seeing that Debaliviere video - I sent that link to like 10 people. 
Thanks Chris!
Thanks Chris!The other day when flying my drone, it lost control (remote control signal went out) when I was taking pictures of the Post Dispatch-Square building. I was on 13th Street (on the other side of that parking lot) and had a clear view. The drone lost control and flew full speed ahead into the building falling from the 5th floor and tumbling snd scraping as it went down. It fell hard onto the sidewalk and broke (camera, housing, everything). My dad and I figured we could fix it, but to buy the pieces to fix it, it would cost about $70 less than what the newest version of the drone would cost.
So I plan on getting the DJI Mini 2, which supposedly takes better photos and video (4K). I'll also be able to digitally zoom in on things. I haven't decided when I'll go out and get out (most likely this week), so there will be no project update photos for a while.
Sad that my current one busted, but it has had controller issues before which resulted in a lost signal or runaway drone.
So I plan on getting the DJI Mini 2, which supposedly takes better photos and video (4K). I'll also be able to digitally zoom in on things. I haven't decided when I'll go out and get out (most likely this week), so there will be no project update photos for a while.
Sad that my current one busted, but it has had controller issues before which resulted in a lost signal or runaway drone.
You need to get one of these, and just strap the camera on your helmet...chriss752 wrote: ↑May 13, 2021The other day when flying my drone, it lost control (remote control signal went out) when I was taking pictures of the Post Dispatch-Square building. I was on 13th Street (on the other side of that parking lot) and had a clear view. The drone lost control and flew full speed ahead into the building falling from the 5th floor and tumbling snd scraping as it went down. It fell hard onto the sidewalk and broke (camera, housing, everything). My dad and I figured we could fix it, but to buy the pieces to fix it, it would cost about $70 less than what the newest version of the drone would cost.
So I plan on getting the DJI Mini 2, which supposedly takes better photos and video (4K). I'll also be able to digitally zoom in on things. I haven't decided when I'll go out and get out (most likely this week), so there will be no project update photos for a while.
Sad that my current one busted, but it has had controller issues before which resulted in a lost signal or runaway drone.
lol. I’d die. Too fat and have no balance. Hell, I even trip when there’s nothing to trip on.urbanitas wrote:You need to get one of these, and just strap the camera on your helmet...chriss752 wrote: ↑May 13, 2021The other day when flying my drone, it lost control (remote control signal went out) when I was taking pictures of the Post Dispatch-Square building. I was on 13th Street (on the other side of that parking lot) and had a clear view. The drone lost control and flew full speed ahead into the building falling from the 5th floor and tumbling snd scraping as it went down. It fell hard onto the sidewalk and broke (camera, housing, everything). My dad and I figured we could fix it, but to buy the pieces to fix it, it would cost about $70 less than what the newest version of the drone would cost.
So I plan on getting the DJI Mini 2, which supposedly takes better photos and video (4K). I'll also be able to digitally zoom in on things. I haven't decided when I'll go out and get out (most likely this week), so there will be no project update photos for a while.
Sad that my current one busted, but it has had controller issues before which resulted in a lost signal or runaway drone.