Did you know 60% of guns used in crime in Chicago come from out of state? a short drive to Gary Indiana accounts for 20% alone.KansasCitian wrote: ↑Oct 22, 2021Just a few posts above, we have an article slamming Chicago for a slew of gun-related issues in the heart of downtown.
Does Illinois have lax gun laws? Are their police banned from cooperating with federal agencies?
This is an American problem.
Ironically this is a really good time to buy. We are thinking about getting a few units in the 120-180k range as Airbnb/investment and still trying to find a building we can have an office on first floor and live aboveJJ Taino wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2021Walking down SoHo in NYC it looks kinda like Downtown Saint Louis (Washington Ave is actually bigger)So much potential wasted it gets me mad!
Just imagined a road diet in the middle of the avenue with trees and a bunch of local restaurants mixed with brand stores would be awesome!
T-Mobile store looks cool.
I don’t mind local businesses opening but we can’t have 20,000 cafe shops we need to diversify.
What I would love to see on Washington Avenue:
1. Irish Pub.
2. Old school diner.
3. Brazilian or Peruvian.
4. Venezuelan or Colombian.
5. Amazon 4 Stars store.
6. Apple Store.
7. Wine tasting shop.
8. Microsoft Store.
9. Urban BK/Taco Bell/White Castle.
10. Lounges not nightclubs.
11. Italian.
Last but the most important a lot of residential conversions or new developments and more hotels to cover the Convention Center expansion if it ever happens (county is just playing games).
I hear all these new developments happening and none are downtown and its kinda sad! You’ll think the core of the region would be in full swing but is not. Even the planned projects like 1801 Wash Ave and 1014 Spruce are quiet and I’m just giving up and might sell. It was probably a bad idea to buy Downtown. Giving Downtown 6-12 months after year end to see what happens.
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I hear you, bro. Despite its problems, I've been seeing the potential of DTSTL for years. Still do. It could be just an amazing urban jewel with some more activity.JJ Taino wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2021Walking down SoHo in NYC it looks kinda like Downtown Saint Louis (Washington Ave is actually bigger)So much potential wasted
It's interesting reading this list and remembering the places that have been and now gone in my time downtown. Respectively:JJ Taino wrote:1. Irish Pub.
2. Old school diner.
3. Brazilian or Peruvian.
4. Venezuelan or Colombian.
5. Amazon 4 Stars store.
6. Apple Store.
7. Wine tasting shop.
8. Microsoft Store.
9. Urban BK/Taco Bell/White Castle.
10. Lounges not nightclubs.
11. Italian.
Wash Ave is certainly much longer, but SoHo is an entire neighborhood of about 40 city blocks and nearly 20,000 residents.JJ Taino wrote: ↑Oct 25, 2021Walking down SoHo in NYC it looks kinda like Downtown Saint Louis (Washington Ave is actually bigger)So much potential wasted it gets me mad!
It's always been amazing to me that the most expensive housing city in America also has one of the largest per capita homeless populations in the country. You would think that it would drive property values down, but good look getting a 600sf shanty in that city for less than a million dollars (I'm being hyperbolic).dredger wrote: ↑Oct 19, 2021The homeless is not nearly as common as when you get away from San Fran itself and some select areas of Oakland & Berkeley. In other words, my family visiting from Minnesota over Turkey day & attending 49er/Viking game will not see it as strikingly as say a tourist going into San Fran for the weekend to check out Fisherman's Wharf, etc. I assume that is is the case in most metro areas where you have concentration is urban centers for resources, places to stay warm and corners to duck into.
When it closed, Craft claimed it was due to lose of convention business in 2018 and I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Specifically, “disconnection from surrounding neighborhoods, aging infrastructure” are two of Downtown’s biggest problems.metzgda wrote: ↑Oct 18, 2021Just took a walk downtown on my lunch break, and I have to say, it's just at historic depressing levels. Even for downtown St. Louis. COVID-19 has just sucked whatever daytime life there was out of downtown on a weekday.
Retail businesses that I used to frequent are almost all gone and include: Panera, Jimmy Johns, Met Square food court, Starbucks on Olive, Kaldi's in City Garden, Crazy Bowls, ... I'm sure there are many more.
COVID challenges are not unique to STL or the fault of anyone. However, it magnifies how fragile of a framework our region has allowed downtown to work within. A fraction of the pre-COVID employment (and might not jump back much), minimal residents, disconnection from surrounding neighborhoods, aging infrastructure, and inability to keep a pleasurable walking experience.
One thought I had, was for the city to formalize one or two retail / pedestrian alleys through downtown. This has been talked about before on 7th Street I think? But put tax incentives in place to encourage businesses to open or relocate along one or two corridors (thinking 7th Street and Washington Avenue), and focus on the pedestrian experience. STL downtown as it is has too many blocks, and too many breaks. If we could do something like this, it would encourage density which in turn should create a safer and more pleasurable environment for tourists and locals alike.
Amos Harris lead the effort to push the City to apply for the 7th Street, than couldnt get the 20% local match, thats when the Cardinals stepped in to close the local match gap so that the $3m in fed $ didnt get lost.Downtown1999 wrote: ↑Oct 26, 2021Specifically, “disconnection from surrounding neighborhoods, aging infrastructure” are two of Downtown’s biggest problems.metzgda wrote: ↑Oct 18, 2021Just took a walk downtown on my lunch break, and I have to say, it's just at historic depressing levels. Even for downtown St. Louis. COVID-19 has just sucked whatever daytime life there was out of downtown on a weekday.
Retail businesses that I used to frequent are almost all gone and include: Panera, Jimmy Johns, Met Square food court, Starbucks on Olive, Kaldi's in City Garden, Crazy Bowls, ... I'm sure there are many more.
COVID challenges are not unique to STL or the fault of anyone. However, it magnifies how fragile of a framework our region has allowed downtown to work within. A fraction of the pre-COVID employment (and might not jump back much), minimal residents, disconnection from surrounding neighborhoods, aging infrastructure, and inability to keep a pleasurable walking experience.
One thought I had, was for the city to formalize one or two retail / pedestrian alleys through downtown. This has been talked about before on 7th Street I think? But put tax incentives in place to encourage businesses to open or relocate along one or two corridors (thinking 7th Street and Washington Avenue), and focus on the pedestrian experience. STL downtown as it is has too many blocks, and too many breaks. If we could do something like this, it would encourage density which in turn should create a safer and more pleasurable environment for tourists and locals alike.
Several years ago the City completed a multimodal study. It showed an 8th ST bike/ped connector running between America’s Center, along two MetroLink stations, past BPV/Busch and down to Soulard Market etc. This is a well thought out connector.
But for some reason the Cardinals are involved in building a connector between America’s Center and BPV on 7th ST. Seems very self-interested to me: let’s see, how do we get convention center customers from Washington Avenue to Bud Light Village?
Downtown’s infrastructure needs a complete overhaul that would embrace bike/ped protected routes & intersections, including within Downtown and connecting Downtown to nearby neighborhoods. That would help reduce drag racing and other motor vehicle chaos while putting more people on the street.
I’m sure the CID, SLDC & Jack Coatar are all over this stuff, since, after all the Cardinals support the old CID, as does Jack, the casino, the surface parking lot owners etc.
The status quo has to go. They ignore the City’s own studies to make Downtown better pedestrian, bike & transit wise.
I parked in the Locust/Tucker garage and one day went to pull in and was turned away due to structural issues. I then moved over to the 9th St garage. I just searched my email and I made the switch in August of 2014. So it's been 7+ years.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑Oct 26, 2021^ its been less than 10 years since it closed, i am thinking 2017 when papa johns from there to the garage across the street at Park Pacific.
