Business Journal has a lenghty piece on the Garcias and their Crown DIstrict redevelopment.  Provides some upcoming projects including reno of a vacant split-use building at the corner of Itaska as well as a yoga studio, restaurant and district parking at the old Ackerman Toyota site.  The article also reports that the stalled  "SoGro" apartment plan in the area from Cornerstone may move forward with Phase One this summer.

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... osier.html

Also, repaving of S KIngshighway can't come soon enough; current condition especially NB south of Chippewa is an embarrasment.
 

The city should consider a refresh of the sidewalk infrastructure on the west side of Kingshighway here to bring this stretch to the next level. At least between Tholozon and Chippewa. Perhaps between Pernod and Bancroft if we are feeling ambitious. The stretch is just a few good projects away from becoming a destination level strip of retail, similar to what Maplewood has going.

My wife refuses to drive that stretch of northbound Kingshighway ... and has since we purchased our home in June 2024. 

GoHarvOrGoHome wrote: ↑

Apr 17, 2025

The city should consider a refresh of the sidewalk infrastructure on the west side of Kingshighway here to bring this stretch to the next level. At least between Tholozon and Chippewa. Perhaps between Pernod and Bancroft if we are feeling ambitious. The stretch is just a few good projects away from becoming a destination level strip of retail, similar to what Maplewood has going.

Agreed.  New street tress would also go along way.  

There are so many lots along Kingshighway that are ripe for redevelopment and which could make the entire stretch a pretty booming district.

I fear NIMBYs would come out of the woodworks. 

RockChalkSTL wrote:There are so many lots along Kingshighway that are ripe for redevelopment and which could make the entire stretch a pretty booming district.

I fear NIMBYs would come out of the woodworks. 

I honestly doubt it. Kingshighway Hills is half, if not mostly, apartments. Homeowners are often youngish who probably would welcome some businesses within walking distance. I hope I'm not just speaking for myself.

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STLrainbow wrote: ↑

Apr 17, 2025

Also, repaving of S KIngshighway can't come soon enough; current condition especially NB south of Chippewa is an embarrasment.
 

You're not kidding. I'm constantly worried I'm going to tear off an oil pan if I get stuck in the right lane the thing is so uneven. (Especially in the Miata, which is a bit low to the ground anyway.)

RockChalkSTL wrote: ↑

Apr 17, 2025

My wife refuses to drive that stretch of northbound Kingshighway ... and has since we purchased our home in June 2024. 

Smart woman.

I think this might be the case where people generally agree the area of Kingshighway between Christy and Arsenal is such an eyesore and unpleasant and would not fight things that fix it up. Proposals that show a cleaning up of the streets, sidewalks and lots would probably get support quickly

It helps that one of the only appeasing part of the strip is the couple blocks between Chippewa and Beck Ave now with Buds, Golden Hoosier, and the Garcia work. People I think would rally over wanting more of their neighborhood look like that, than have the businesses and lots that seem to attract trash, unhoused folks, petty criminal behavior and reckless driving. Those things unite people and this is one of the areas of south city that attracts those things more than others because of its development patterns

symphonicpoet wrote:

Miss Shell wrote: ↑

Apr 17, 2025

RockChalkSTL wrote:There are so many lots along Kingshighway that are ripe for redevelopment and which could make the entire stretch a pretty booming district.

I fear NIMBYs would come out of the woodworks. 

I honestly doubt it. Kingshighway Hills is half, if not mostly, apartments. Homeowners are often youngish who probably would welcome some businesses within walking distance. I hope I'm not just speaking for myself.

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The few people I know directly in the area are of a mind with you, I think. I believe you're right. I hope so, anyway.

I enjoy being able to walk to Piper's and work from there for an hour or so. And that place is never empty. I can't imagine much pushback from the neighborhood regarding development.

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delmar2debaliviere2downtown wrote: ↑

Apr 18, 2025

I think this might be the case where people generally agree the area of Kingshighway between Christy and Arsenal is such an eyesore and unpleasant and would not fight things that fix it up. Proposals that show a cleaning up of the streets, sidewalks and lots would probably get support quickly

It helps that one of the only appeasing part of the strip is the couple blocks between Chippewa and Beck Ave now with Buds, Golden Hoosier, and the Garcia work. People I think would rally over wanting more of their neighborhood look like that, than have the businesses and lots that seem to attract trash, unhoused folks, petty criminal behavior and reckless driving. Those things unite people and this is one of the areas of south city that attracts those things more than others because of its development patterns

Really to Magnolia. There needs to be an additional light at Reber and go from 3 lanes to 2 lanes each way at the park so people can get into the park. Although they would repave and a year later there would be a million patches again from random pipe repair. They should just dig everything up and replace utilities. 

In the vein of Kingshighway improvements...the improvements linked below have started in some sections. Forms being poured on the south end. 
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/d ... -Map-2.pdf

Zone.Out wrote: ↑

Apr 18, 2025

In the vein of Kingshighway improvements...the improvements linked below have started in some sections. Forms being poured on the south end. 
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/d ... -Map-2.pdf

Thanks for posting. Looks like they are putting in a median by the park and adding a light and it'll be two lanes south of Southwest. IMO not ideal for pedestrians but it'll be an improvement over what is there now.

^The firm doing the redesign on Kingshighway is someone out of Kansas City. They seemed very auto-minded. They really resisted putting in the median at the open house in the park, but the comments were overwhelmingly that a median there is needed and traffic counts be damned. The firm doing the Grand redesign was much more attentive to community feedback, and generally seemed to take a much more holistic approach to the problem. But the uproar was loud and lovely and the city at least seems to have listened to some of it.

The Christy intersection redo can't come soon enough, although I wish it were a roundabout.

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^Yeah, I hear you there. I would love to drop hundreds of those on our map. And Christy and Kingshighway would make a good candidate.

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑

Apr 19, 2025

^The firm doing the redesign on Kingshighway is someone out of Kansas City. They seemed very auto-minded. They really resisted putting in the median at the open house in the park, but the comments were overwhelmingly that a median there is needed and traffic counts be damned. The firm doing the Grand redesign was much more attentive to community feedback, and generally seemed to take a much more holistic approach to the problem. But the uproar was loud and lovely and the city at least seems to have listened to some of it.

Is that the same company that did the bump-outs on the pedestrian crossings on Arsenal? Thought they did a good job there but didn't do them on Magnolia. 

The Grand Boulevard improvements include mini roundabouts. Nice to see them introduced. Baby steps. Street improvements can be found on the Capital Improvement Projects page.

Good positive story about some of the work being done through this area on KMOV. Ironically, they did point to a drive thru scooters coffee coming in as signs of progress.

But they did talk about the former urban form of the neighborhoods around there and wanting to return to that. Garcia properties do great work. I though this may be a tease for a new development on some of the vacant lots but didn’t pick up on that.

Lots and lots of car blight that has even caused many completely abandoned parcels between delor and arsenal especially on the east side of the highway and we recently lost that warehouse to neglect and fire which would’ve made a good starting point to getting more street facing development. So there’s a ton of work to do, but hopefully there is progress to come. Really need a redo and more bike/person/plant friendly for Kingshighway though to make that progress more feasible

The First Alert Forward series this week was fantastic, we need more of this type of reporting from other local media outlets.