Metro riders will now have something else to look at in that 2 mile stretch besides the backs of parking garages and surface lots...at least for a few months.
I do hope they build it fast considering the way they've closed off Newstead and the sidewalk along Duncan. As a CWE resident, my excitement about new development is tempered by the frustration of how each development involves closing sidewalks if not entire streets. Not that I'd go NIMBY over it but like the AC hotel for example is done but it's taking them 2 months to replace 1 block of sidewalks along York st - what's up with that?!
With the speed at which these developments are built, it's amazing that the Empire State Building was finished in 13 months.
I do hope they build it fast considering the way they've closed off Newstead and the sidewalk along Duncan. As a CWE resident, my excitement about new development is tempered by the frustration of how each development involves closing sidewalks if not entire streets. Not that I'd go NIMBY over it but like the AC hotel for example is done but it's taking them 2 months to replace 1 block of sidewalks along York st - what's up with that?!
With the speed at which these developments are built, it's amazing that the Empire State Building was finished in 13 months.
What's up with it is they can get away with it facing no consequences whatsoever.
The year is 2050, St. Louisans who are Premier Chase Safire holders can now walk in a climate controlled hallway between Downtown and Central West End.
addxb2 wrote:The year is 2050, St. Louisans who are Premier Chase Safire holders can now walk in a climate controlled hallway between Downtown and Central West End.
Don’t give them any ideas for the Brickline Greenway
The year is 2050, St. Louisans who are Premier Chase Safire holders can now walk in a climate controlled hallway between Downtown and Central West End.
Minneapolis has skyway system that connects all downtown buildings. It is pretty convenient.
Question - do the folks on this thread consider this project a part of Cortex?
I know it's technically within the boundary of the Cortex Innovation District. But does the orientation of this project (elevated walkway connection, huge internal garage, driveway between its front door and Cortex) take it out of the scope of Cortex to some extent? Maybe we'll have to wait until it opens. But I'd be interested to see what people think.
Until dirt starts moving on Cortex K, Sandcrawler, the defunct Duncan apartment project, or any other non-hospital somewhat mixed-use project, I worry about Cortex becoming a parking lot and land bank for BJC, and simply an extension of BJC's campus, and not fulfilling its clear potential to be a unique neighborhood with its own energy and identify.
I would have to agree with your assessment. It's more of an extension of the medical campus, imo. Not sure if it makes a difference, but Wash U medical billing had employees in the @4240 building, and still might. I haven't worked in Cortex since 2019, and I'm not sure how Covid impacted the office.
Since so many businesses allow remote work, and many employees in tech look specifically for companies that offer that benefit, I'm really wondering how viable neighborhoods like these are today. Even though I get bored at times working from home, I don't see the benefit of going into an office that only a small fraction of coworkers choose to work in.
I can definitely see that concern, but I’m not worried.
On the other hand…if BJC and WU Med are going to continue to grow (something I think we’d all like to see) it’s basically going to have to be within Cortex. They can’t go west, and north and south aren’t exactly convenient to the existing hospital. They’ve done a good job at replacing and reusing sites on the primary campus but there’s only so much they’re gonna be able to squeeze in there. Especially with all this new activity. Wouldn’t mind seeing a project replace the Laclede garage tho.
It doesn’t look like Wexford is giving up on the Sandcrawler yet. Cortex MX seems to be held up due to issues with the alderperson more than anything. Westway has plans for SCIF space in Cortex as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if WU/BJC has some other stuff in the pipeline. Provided they keep future stuff closer to the research and development side of things (like Neuroscience) I don’t have much of a problem with them continuing to build up in Cortex.
Two quick points:
1. Yes, I see the Neuroscience Building being fully a part of Cortex, even with the human hamster tube that'll affix to it.
2. Yes, I see Cortex remaining a fully viable business community as intended pre-pandemic. I also believe we'll see renewed growth in and of Cortex once the pandemic truly concludes (as in, we're going back to baseball games without fear of inhaling viruses while sitting in the stands).
Meanwhile, as we wait for office space demand to grow again, I'm very glad Cortex is able to have such a giant institutional investment being made - that we have an impetus for major new construction while so much of the economy remains dormant, and especially when considering how the Neuroscience Building is being proactively designed and designated to be the impetus for new business growth related to neuro-related biosciences. I'd say that, with a long enough time horizon, Cortex benefits more in the near term from the Neuroscience Building's construction than it is hurt by the Sandcrawler's delays.
Agreed^ I think it's a pretty good bridge between the Med Campus and the rest of Cortex.
Also, the pedestrian walkway doesn't bother me one bit. Any future med campus expansion will have connected elevated walkways to allow for patient transport without having to wheel people outside onto the sidewalk or into ambulances to get around campus.
