The Zoological Park Commission has just posted an RFQ for consultants to perform a comprehensive planning study for the 16.5 acre Former Forest Park Hospital site in the context of and consideration of the interplay of the existing 93 acre Zoo site in Forest Park.

Anywho who is interested in existing surveys/maps should jump ahead a few pages - there is a parcel and topographic survey.

Let the planning commence...

http://www.planning.org/uploads/consult ... uiszoo.pdf

It was great. It was basically just a public brain-storming session.

The Zoo is being very transparent and up front about the entire process and seems open to all input. Completely different from how the Arch grounds project was approached. It seems like they understand the importance of how it connects to everything (neighborhood, current Zoo, and streets)

A lot of people seem to want a dog park. Should be easy enough but doesn't necessarily need to be where the hospital is. There were some people that wanted an aquarium. Some that wanted a petting Zoo.

Overall, I think the Zoo is approaching this project in the right way.

pat wrote:It was great. It was basically just a public brain-storming session.

The Zoo is being very transparent and up front about the entire process and seems open to all input. Completely different from how the Arch grounds project was approached. It seems like they understand the importance of how it connects to everything (neighborhood, current Zoo, and streets)

A lot of people seem to want a dog park. Should be easy enough but doesn't necessarily need to be where the hospital is. There were some people that wanted an aquarium. Some that wanted a petting Zoo.

Overall, I think the Zoo is approaching this project in the right way.

I imagine this is due, in large part, to all the recent History Museum troubles. But whatever the reason, I'm very glad to hear it!

How about the zoo reach out to UMSL and add a biological/zoological research center accompanied with student housing.

UMSL has the #16 most productive evolutionary biology program in the nation! (Washu is number 2)
Also it houses the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center

UMSL could partner with the zoo to have a secondary 'zoological/biological' research campus. It would also have student housing options. While not ideal, being pretty far from the main campus, this offshoot housing would still give students the 'traditional' college feel of dorms. UMSL is transitioning from a commuter school and needs housing for its younger students. Seeing UMSL driving down 40, next to the zoo would change the perception for many would be students. "Its not ghetto, its right there by the zoo".

It would be awesome for the area to have more college age kids. This would help bridge the corridor of young, exciting areas from Maplewood through Dogtown into CWE, Grove, and eventually South Grand. Investment in this area is critical and college kids mean $$$, even UMSL.


I know this idea sounds pretty farfetched but I think it could be doable. Have correctly timed busses run from these new dorms to Forest Park station and kids would only be about 20 min from main campus. It would be beneficial for the zoo, UMSL, and the area.

^ I believe Mizzou has a top notch veterinary medicine program. Could be opportunity there too.

The people behind The Highlands have done such a surprisingly good job with the Old Arena site. Maybe they could be brought in to partner on developing a mixed-use/residential component to the Zoo/Forest Park Hospital site.

I love the UMSL student idea. Also, Forest Park Community College is just a few blocks down the road, and could also be a good partner for building/filling dorms. I know the FoPoCoCo is historically a commuter school, but the same was the case for Harris-Stowe before they started building dorms on campus.

Open house this Wednesday displaying and soliciting public input on framework for 13.5-acre Forest Park Hospital site.

http://www.stlzoo.org/about/saint-louis-zoo-expansion/

"Open House

WHEN: Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 4 to 7 p.m.

The Zoo design team will seek public feedback on the framework plan, which will be formally presented at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m."

I can't make it (1000 mile round trip) but I would be interested in what their framework-of-choice is.

The San Diego Zoo is in a stratosphere leaps and bounds ahead of every other zoo in America. STLZoo is at/near the top of "all non-San Diego" zoos and has been making great strides, but this is a rare opportunity to put STLZOO in that TRULY world class category with San Diego. I fear they are going to play this safe.

Presbyterian wrote:we won't get a billion dollar wonderland overnight.

The notion of a "billion dollar wonderland overnight" seems to me to me is another St. Louis Panacea... while I'd bet some people would like that, that's not how you build a world class organization. I am hoping they fundamentally improve the experience AND the change their relationship to the region. The other 'major' improvements to STL cultural attractions have been underwhelming / narrowly focused imho.

Just for fun: What ideas contributed from the nextSTL community made it to the most recent project reveal?

Some thoughts.

Not sold that their planned new attraction, the Earth Experience, will be a big enough draw. I understand their thought process though. They are really trying to create a NEW kind of attraction rather than just another aquarium which was apparently the overwhelming suggestion. Kinda of makes a person realize how challenging it would be to invent totally new attraction concept especially when it is sort of confined to being zoo-like.

Another interesting thing I learned was the zoo was originally against the hotel and residential components simply because they are not in the business of managing these things. This may explain why they are being conservative on the room counts.

Based on what i overheard among the crowd last night I'd say about half the people there were in attendance were local residents many of them living within a block or two of the new site. Most if not all were overwhelmingly positive regarding the new expansion. The primary concern was as always traffic and parking. Traffic flows were barely addressed in the the conceptualization which makes sense as they are just now getting there heads around what the site uses could be.

All that said here are a few predictions:

I will be surprised if Berthold remains open through the site. Most residents will want to limit thew invitation to avoid paying at the zoo lot and park on the street in Dogtown instead. This is also in the best interest to the zoo financially. So I predict thru traffic on Berthold to be sacrificed to maintain a little separation even if its not popular in this forum. Personally I think its reasonable.

Currently they are saying they would like to rework the interchange at Oakland and Oakview as the primary approach for zoo traffic from 40. If this is not sufficient for handling the traffic loads (it is messy to say the least), I think it is likely they will take a hard look at trying to better use Oakland as an approach which is apparently under utilized. A likely option is a new ramp from 40 headed east that diverts zoo traffic to Oakland. Of course the zoo may propose ideas but the city and MoDOT would be the ones to really drive street closures changes etc. The zoo will have enough to handle trying to develop the site.