25 Year Old Gateway Parking Facility To Be Razed
The multi-level parking garage at the north end of the Gateway National Expansion Memorial site will be razed as part of the City+Arch+River work to better connect the Arch to it’s surroundings.
While I agree the structure needs to be razed, it never should have been constructed in the first place. Â More shocking is the structure is only 25 years old.
I guess I knew the garage dated to 1986 but I forgot until I saw the above plaque last week. The garage was a joint effort of the city, National Park Service and Bi-State Development (now Metro).
The garage is a major barrier between the Arch and the Eads Bridge, MetroLink and Laclede’s Landing.
But isn’t it sad that we are having to undo decisions made just 25 years ago?
– Steve Patterson
Good/damn.
Good/damn.
Glad to see it go, but I’m worried about what will happen next. As originally conceived, the garage would have been removed and rebuilt as an entirely (or almost) below-grade garage, with the Archgrounds themselves extending over the top of it making it a) look better and b) connect better to Wash. Ave./Laclede’s Landing pedestrians and motorists, right?
Now it seems they’ll be removing it and instead grading the Archgrounds across Washington Avenue, up to the Eads Bridge and the Landing. Seems silly, especially when you consider that somebody’s sure to try building a new garage on Laclede’s Landing itself – a historic district that has lost many of its buildings already and is inundated with lots and garages (okay, one garage). I just don’t want to see an ugly multi-story garage on the Switzer lot or – possibly worse – at the southwest corner of Laclede’s Landing. This would create yet another barrier to the Landing from downtown and be a visual eyesore.
Glad to see it go, but I’m worried about what will happen next. As originally conceived, the garage would have been removed and rebuilt as an entirely (or almost) below-grade garage, with the Archgrounds themselves extending over the top of it making it a) look better and b) connect better to Wash. Ave./Laclede’s Landing pedestrians and motorists, right?
Now it seems they’ll be removing it and instead grading the Archgrounds across Washington Avenue, up to the Eads Bridge and the Landing. Seems silly, especially when you consider that somebody’s sure to try building a new garage on Laclede’s Landing itself – a historic district that has lost many of its buildings already and is inundated with lots and garages (okay, one garage). I just don’t want to see an ugly multi-story garage on the Switzer lot or – possibly worse – at the southwest corner of Laclede’s Landing. This would create yet another barrier to the Landing from downtown and be a visual eyesore.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
I think razing this garage is a mistake. I have parked there many times to go to the arch grounds or Laclede’s landing for dinner and then jump on the train to a hockey game. What they should do is reconfigure the ramp on the West side so that there is a path that extends 2nd street into the park for a path to the arch.
I think razing this garage is a mistake. I have parked there many times to go to the arch grounds or Laclede’s landing for dinner and then jump on the train to a hockey game. What they should do is reconfigure the ramp on the West side so that there is a path that extends 2nd street into the park for a path to the arch.