This is big. A huge link between the CWE and SLU/Midtown:
http://nextstl.com/central-corridor/260 ... l-west-end
http://nextstl.com/central-corridor/260 ... l-west-end
^Great news. Looks like a great plan. I hope the article's forecast is correct: That the community board requires the developer to put retail along Sarah. But all-in-all it's another great addition of density to the CWE.
Looks good. I don't know that the additional parking on Laclede is necessary. I would hope that Laclede would draw similar investment.
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While it's not the most exciting design, it's not bad either. Sadly, the Aventura has set the bar so low that anything else looks pretty awesome.
This will be great for West Pine and Sarah - the CWE just keeps getting stronger. Next I'd like to see those sketchy apartments to the east of this project get torn down and replaced by something better.
This will be great for West Pine and Sarah - the CWE just keeps getting stronger. Next I'd like to see those sketchy apartments to the east of this project get torn down and replaced by something better.
This is a really exciting project. I agree that retail facing Sarah is a must. In regard to the parking lot on laclede, I also agree that it is not necessary. There is a parking deck just across West Pine that is chronically underutilized. How about just contracting for a few spots there?
It would add to the car density of the nighborhood and save the lot on laclede for future use such as a mixed use development with residential and having a new post office on the ground floor.
It would add to the car density of the nighborhood and save the lot on laclede for future use such as a mixed use development with residential and having a new post office on the ground floor.
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I saw a tweet from Alex saying that parking for this project is 0.62 spaces per bed. That's actually pretty low for residential in the city. But I agree I'd rather they contract for existing structured spaces. As the neighborhood develops, those surface lots may become more valuable as developable land.
^The lot they on Laclede that they are proposing to make into extra parking is just an empty rubble lot right now, so if they want to pave it, landscape it, maybe even light it, and if that helps make this project happen then I'm completely okay with that.
Though rarely does that happen in this city. I would rather they adhere to the Form Based Code. Don't think it would allow a surface lot facing Laclede. And a variance for this would not be a good precedent for future projects.
Nice article in the Post today about West Pine Lofts and other projects on the western edge of SLU:
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 9e66d.html
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 9e66d.html
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^ yeah, great article.... thanks for sharing. That Laclede's Loft developer seems like he really understands what needs to be done to get the area right to create a truly solid mixed-use area; as he notes, if successful, the sky truly is the limit! Also, it was interesting to see that the West Pine Lofts won't be really targeted to students.
Well of course it does, because nothing is built yet. The point is to shape the area into something from a clean slate. Hope that the city doesn't budge.Cook said that, for now, the neighborhood lacks the foot traffic to support stores at West Pine Lofts
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Actually why couldn't this meet the form based code requirements. Just make street level windows that present the activity inside toward the street. The leasing office is a store that sells apartments and the fitness center is essentially a members only gym. Perhaps make the gym open to non residents to workout there for a fee. If it is appropriately oriented it would, at least to my mind, meet the form based code criteria . Am I wrong?The developer wants zoning variances of some code provisions, including the requirement for street-level stores along Sarah. Hallmark wants to provide a fitness center for tenants and a leasing office instead. Cook said that, for now, the neighborhood lacks the foot traffic to support stores at West Pine Lofts.
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I went for a run by the site on Saturday morning. It's too bad that the developer can't/won't preserve the facades of the two eastern buildings and incorporate them into this project. They're actually pretty cool buildings.
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Building Permit issued.... 206 more units coming to the area! Hopefully the "storefronts" will actually be retail at some point.
Does anybody know whether any improvements to the sidewalks and/or streetscape of West Pine and Sarah will be included as part of this project? In particular, the sidewalks/street of West Pine could use some work here...
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Yes, Hallmark will reconstruct the streetscape immediately adjacent to the project. That will include lighting, sidewalks and street trees. (6 North did the same sort of thing immediately adjacent to the south.)kmurph42 wrote:Does anybody know whether any improvements to the sidewalks and/or streetscape of West Pine and Sarah will be included as part of this project? In particular, the sidewalks/street of West Pine could use some work here...
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I think it would be cool if some street and park trees had fruit on them. We have nuts and flowers, but why not something we can pick right off and eat? Seattle is building a food forest, why don't we just put a few fruit trees somewhere? I would love living somewhere that I can grab some off a tree and eat it whenever I want. If I were looking at moving into this building, such a thing would be attractive to me. It would definitely add a lot of gumption to the area.
Demolition of the existing warehouse and other buildings on West Pine began on Monday. Great to see this project start.
That's like 80 lawsuits waiting to happen.Gateway City wrote:I think it would be cool if some street and park trees had fruit on them. We have nuts and flowers, but why not something we can pick right off and eat? Seattle is building a food forest, why don't we just put a few fruit trees somewhere? I would love living somewhere that I can grab some off a tree and eat it whenever I want. If I were looking at moving into this building, such a thing would be attractive to me. It would definitely add a lot of gumption to the area.
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Why?Ebsy wrote:That's like 80 lawsuits waiting to happen.Gateway City wrote:I think it would be cool if some street and park trees had fruit on them. We have nuts and flowers, but why not something we can pick right off and eat? Seattle is building a food forest, why don't we just put a few fruit trees somewhere? I would love living somewhere that I can grab some off a tree and eat it whenever I want. If I were looking at moving into this building, such a thing would be attractive to me. It would definitely add a lot of gumption to the area.
"Grrr, you can't eat for free! This is AMERICA, you can't be free to do what you want here! I'm the government, and I'm gonna regulate EVERY aspect of your life! Who do you think you are, experiencing nature as you stroll toward your home?! Not on my watch!"
Seattle pulled it off on a much grander scale than this. We could at least try it with a vacant lot.
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I like it and I don't think there is too much of a liability issue. I found a couple pear trees in a Memphis park once and they weren't struggling with lawsuits. One thing to keep in mind is to maximize fruit production and to make to keep the fruit pest free (no worms) ussually requires pruning and sparaying with pesticides. I doubt in the Parks or Streets department is going to take that initiative so hopefully a civic minded volunteer will take it upon themselves.I think it would be cool if some street and park trees had fruit on them. We have nuts and flowers, but why not something we can pick right off and eat? Seattle is building a food forest, why don't we just put a few fruit trees somewhere? I would love living somewhere that I can grab some off a tree and eat it whenever I want. If I were looking at moving into this building, such a thing would be attractive to me. It would definitely add a lot of gumption to the area.
Also... Gateway City had something nice to say about Seattle...?!?!?!?!