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VA Hospital Should Expand East To Grand Boulevard

Yesterday I explained that John Cochran Veterans Hospital Wants To Expand South Into Grand Center, Raze Historic Palladium Music Hall. This would involve taking an active union hall, a popular restaurant that just rebuilt its building, and the historic Palladium. It would also require the city to vacate a public street: Enright.

Thats's because the thrift store on Delmar is actually the historic Palladium that faces Enright. A group gathered last month for a street party to call attention to the significant musical history of the building.
A group gathered last month for a street party to call attention to the significant musical history of the Palladium.

It would also leave John Cochran Hospital set far back from Grand, in stark contrast to urban buildings to the north and south along Grand Blvd. My solution then, is to look at expanding the hospital out toward Grand Blvd, rather than to the South.

John Cochran VA Hosp as seen from the public sidewalk.
John Cochran VA Hosp as seen from the public sidewalk, that’s valet parking out front.
The green & blue shapes are where the VA & others, respectively, should build to reorganize N. Grand Blvd.
The green & blue shapes are where the VA & others, respectively, should build to reorganize N. Grand Blvd.

Of course, after the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, the front would need to be a blast-resitant design. They’d need less room for surface parking and valet service if they actually embraced public transit.

Directions to the hospital takes you to the driving directions page.  If you look for it you’ll see the on public transportation page which says:

Public transportation is available at both divisions. The Grand Boulevard bus will take you to the John Cochran Divsion [sic]. The Jefferson Barracks Division may be reached by using either the Broadway or Lindbergh bus. For more information on public transportation for the bus lines or for Metrolink rail service please contact Metro St. Louis at (314) 231-2345 or visit their web site at *Metro St. Louis.

* Link will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. The link will open in a new window.

The above should be written as something like:

Both divisions can be reached via public transportation. The John Cochran Division is served by the the following routes:

The Jefferson Barracks Division may be reached by using either the #40 Broadway or #48 Lindbergh MetroBus routes.

For more information on public transportation for the bus lines or for Metrolink rail service please contact Metro St. Louis at (314) 231-2345 or visit their web site at *Metro St. Louis.

* Link will take you outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs Website. VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of the linked websites. The link will open in a new window.

That little bit of extra information might convince someone to use transit rather than drive.veer

Back to expansion, there might be legitimate reasons why adding to the south makes a lot of sense in terms of internal flow, but it is also possible they never considered adding out front rather than to the side.

— Steve Patterson

 

John Cochran Veterans Hospital Wants To Expand South Into Grand Center, Raze Historic Palladium Music Hall

The Veterans Administration operates two facilities in the St. Louis area:

The VA St. Louis Health Care System provides inpatient and ambulatory care in medicine, surgery, psychiatry, neurology, and rehabilitation, and many other subspecialty areas. It is a two-division facility that serves veterans and their families in east central Missouri and southwestern Illinois.

The John Cochran Division, named after the late Missouri congressman, is located in midtown St. Louis and has all of the medical center’s operative surgical capabilities, the ambulatory care unit, intensive care units, outpatient psychiatry clinics, and expanded laboratory.

The Jefferson Barracks Division is a multi-building complex overlooking the Mississippi River in south St. Louis County. It provides psychiatric treatment, spinal cord injury treatment, a nursing home care unit, geriatric health care, rehabilitation services, and a rehabilitation domiciliary program for homeless veterans. (source)

John Cochran VA Hospital, Grand & Enright
John Cochran VA Hospital, Grand & Enright, click for map

The John Cochran facility, located in midtown, was built in the 1950s, on the site of the once-opulant Vandeventer Place private street:

Founder, Peter Lewis Vandeventer, came to St. Louis in the 1860s with brothers William and Henry Barnum Vandeventer. Peter Lewis Vandeventer and Henry Barnum Vandeventer were Wall Street stockbrokers with a firm located at 6 Wall St., New York City. They made their money from selling stocks and took the train west to St. Louis to invest it in land.

Peter Lewis Vandeventer died in 1879, during the development of Vandeventer Place, a gated, luxurious private place in the neighborhood with stately mansions and a beautiful fountain as its centerpiece. His Missouri estate was managed by several corrupt lawyers, who stole much of the money from the sale of the lots at Vandeventer Place. His family remained in St. Louis for some time after his death, living in Vandeventer Place in a large mansion.

Vandeventer Place met with its demise in 1947, when the eastern half was demolished for the Veterans’ Administration’s new hospital. The western portion was demolished about ten years later, when the City acquired it as the site for a children’s detention home. The fountain and east gates survive in Forest Park. (Wikipedia)

Bird's eye view looking over Vandeventer Place from Grand Avenue. Photograph by unknown,  ca. 1902 Missouri History Museum Archives.
Bird’s eye view looking over Vandeventer Place from Grand Avenue. Photograph by unknown, ca. 1902 Missouri History Museum Archives via STL250, click to view.

The formerly secluded street on the western edge of the city had fallen out of favor among the wealthy, they sought to buy or build mansions even further west in the city or into St. Louis County.  John Cochran Hospital has always remained within its original 11+ acre site of Grand on the East, Enright (formerly Morgan) on the South, Spring on the West, and Bell on the North. Granted, the VA has various surface parking lots beyond this.

Now the VA is looking to expand , funding for a new tower was included in a 2009 spending bill:

A $44 million appropriation included in a new $447 billion spending bill approved by Congress this week will provide seed money for a 262,000-square-foot hospital tower for the midtown facility.

[snip]

The proposed VA medical center expansion will feature a larger emergency room, wings for spinal cord injury and mental health patients needing immediate medical treatment, more private bedrooms and better room structures for medical equipment and records. (stltoday.com)

Why hasn’t this moved forward in the last four years? If you’ll recall, John Cochran VA soon had some very bad PR issues:

Then in June 2012 an expansion story ran once again:

An expansion is planned for the John Cochran VA Medical Center, but it could affect a new, widely popular soul food restaurant. The expansion would increase the facility by 60 percent. The “Sweetie Pies Upper Crust Eatery” sits on land that is being looked at for the expansion project. (Fox2: Could VA Hospital Expansion Force Sweetie Pies Upper Crust Out?)

So they want to expand South to Delmar, closing Enright and razing some buildings. What impact would this have on Grand Center? What buildings would need to be razed? Is there a better option for expansion?

Only four buildings are on the thin block bounded by Enright, Grand, Delmar, and Spring:

  1. a vacant former gas station already owned by the VA,
  2. Laborer’ Local 42 union hall,
  3. Sweetie Pie’s Upper Crust,
  4. Vacant former HHV Thrift Plus (aka The Palladium, Club Plantation)

Here’s a look at these four:

3738 Enright was built in 1950, seen here from Delmar.
3738 Enright was built in 1950, seen here from Delmar. The VA owns this building and adjacent lot.
The entrance to Laborer's Local 42 at 3710 Enight
The entrance to Laborer’s Local 42 at 3710 Enright, built in 1978
Sweetie Pie's completely rebuilt an existing building in 2011
Sweetie Pie’s completely rebuilt an existing building, photo taken during construction on November 24, 2011, with John Cochran Hospital in the background.
Sweetie Pie's Upper Crust is very popular with locals and tourists
Sweetie Pie’s Upper Crust is oriented facing Delmar (South) rather than Enright.
Yesterday just before 2pm the line extended the length of the building!
The last building on the block doesn't look like much from this view
The last building on the block doesn’t look like much from this view
Closed thrift store HHV at 3617 Delmar
Another view of 3617 Delmar, doesn’t look very special
Thats's because the thrift store on Delmar is actually the historic Palladium that faces Enright. A group gathered last month for a street party to call attention to the significant musical history of the building.
Thats’s because the thrift store on Delmar is actually the historic Palladium that faces Enright. A group gathered last month for a street party to call attention to the significant musical history of the building.
Newspaper article from 1947 shows VA wanted to raze the club before building the hospital
Newspaper article from 1947 shows VA wanted to raze the club before building the hospital

Interesting, 66 years ago the VA wanted a hotel and a club razed or they wouldn’t build and “the VA itself is prohibited by law from buying the block because it is not contiguous to its hospital site.” Not sure when the hotel was razed, but the club remains — for now.

So we have a newly built & popular restaurant that faces Delmar, a 1970s union hall and a historic 1912-13 musical hall facing Enright, all in the path of the Veterans Administration.  The VA owns the tiny 1950 gas station, the other three are privately owned.

Tomorrow I’ll suggest how to expand the VA hospital while also improving, not hurting, Grand Center.

— Steve Patterson

 

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 6: Compton to Vandeventer

As I’ve done for the last month, this is another post on potential development sites along the proposed initial route of the St. Louis Streetcar.  The sections already reviewed are as follows:

  1. Olive 15th-16th
  2. Olive 16th-18th
  3. 14th & Olive To North Florissant & St. Louis Ave.
  4. Olive 18th to Jefferson
  5. Jefferson to Compton

This post will cover the section from Olive & Compton to Lindell & Vandeventer (map). For those unfamiliar with the area, Olive splits off to the north but to motorists Olive becomes Lindell (pronounced Lindle). The entire south side of this stretch of Olive/Lindell is the campus of Saint Louis University (SLU). The north is a mix of SLU, private, and institutional properties.

We’ll start at Compton and head west.

ccc
Massive SLU parking garage could be fronted with a shallow “liner building” to create a relationship with the sidewalk.

The buildings & land on the other side of Lindell from SLU’s Compton Garage are ripe for development, I’m just lacking images of them.

ABOVE:
The intersection where Olive splits off to the right was redone a few years ago.
ABOVE:
gLooking the opposite direction
ABOVE: Looking south at a planned, but unmarked, crosswalk
It shouldn’t take a streetcar to make it safe
hotel.ignacio
Hotel Ignacio is just part of the development activity that has taken place here.
The Field House Pub & Grill is an example of positive things already underway in Midtown
The Field House Pub & Grill at 510 N. Theresa is an example of positive things already underway in Midtown
The streetcar can help the existing momentum and reduce the need for the excessive amount of surface parking.
The streetcar can help the existing momentum and reduce the need for the excessive amount of surface parking.
SLU could reskin this former state office building at 3545 Lindell, adding storefronts and new floors.
SLU could reskin this former state office building at 3545 Lindell, adding storefronts and new floors.
The SLU campus east of Grand has a prison feel, fences everywhere. SLU could remove the fencing to connect to the street, like the campus west of Grand.
The SLU campus east of Grand has a prison feel, fences everywhere. SLU could remove the fencing to connect to the street, like the campus west of Grand.
With a new building on the right, street trees along Grand would make this a pleasant route to take to reach the streetcar
With a new building on the right, street trees along Grand would make this a pleasant route to take to reach the streetcar
slumidtown2
Ideally SLU will build a new building on the SE corner of Lindell @ Grand
ABOVE: The once vibrant urban street corner is now a passive hole in the city
As well as the NE corner. I’d love to see a Trader Joe’s on the ground floor, with apartments above.

The corner of Lindell & Grand should get major new buildings. There are already substantial buildings in the area, especially to the north & west. These two corners were land banked by SLU so the streetcar is the perfect time to withdraw them and put them to good use activating the intersection.

I'd love to see the ground floor of Jesuit Hall activated with a cafe or bakery
I’d love to see the ground floor of Jesuit Hall activated with a cafe or bakery
The Lindell facade of Jesuit Hall also has opportunities for activity.
The Lindell facade of Jesuit Hall also has opportunities for activity.
The Masonic garage ob Olive is awful
The Masonic garage on Olive is awful, I can’t see this staying long-term
This section of Lindell has some stunning buildings, this is SLU's museum
This section of Lindell has some stunning buildings, this is SLU’s museum
The few gaps can be filled in with massive structures, student housing over retail would be nice at Lindell & Spring
The few gaps can be filled in with massive structures, student housing over retail would be nice at Lindell & Spring
Maybe we can widen the sidewalks along Spring
Maybe we can widen the sidewalks along Spring
3699 Olive
Eventually the owner of the auto repair shop at 3699 Olive @ Spring will retire and sell.
The Coronado was vacant for years until the Gill's renovated.
The Coronado was vacant for years until the Gill’s renovated.
Hopefully someone will find the right formula for the lower level space
Hopefully someone will find the right formula for the lower level space, several places have failed
A few years ago SLU razed two buildings here to make room for expansion of the law school. With the law school opening downtown this land plus the old law school are available
A few years ago SLU razed two buildings here to make room for expansion of the law school. With the law school opening downtown this land plus the old law school are available
The various modifications to the 1914 structure at 3765 Lindell has made it rather odd looking.
The various modifications to the 1914 structure at 3765 Lindell has made it rather odd looking.
The Crazy Bows & Wraps location might be developed. This 1961 structure was extensively remodeled in the 90s.
The Crazy Bows & Wraps location might be developed. This 1961 structure was extensively remodeled in the 90s.
In 1978 it was included as a "contributing structure" in the Midtown Historic District, click image to view district nomination.
In 1978 it was mentioned in the Midtown Historic District nomination as a “unfortunate intrusion which should not have been allowed”, click image to view district nomination.
This building was also part of the 1978 midtown historic district. This building should be saved as it contributes to both Lindell & Vandeventer.
This building, originally built for the Brotherhood of Railway & Airline Clerks, contributes to the 1978 midtown historic district. This building should be saved as it contributes to both Lindell & Vandeventer.

An interesting paragraph from the 1978 midtown nomination:

Unfortunately, Midtown is still perceived by many as a dangerous area riddled with street crime and all manner of urban ills, the most prominent of which is the current “black sploitation” fare served at the Fabulous Fox. In spite of this onus, a 1977 walking tour sponsored by the St. Louis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and New Town/St. Louis, Inc. drew hundreds of curious and concerned

St. Louisans to Midtown. The solution for the revitalization of existing structures and the continuing education of the general public will not be easy, but to abandon Midtown is to dismiss one of the strongest concentrations of architecturally significant buildings in St. Louis.

There is more developable area north of Lindell and  west of Spring, both vacant buildings and vacant land.

— Steve Patterson

 

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 5: Jefferson to Compton

This is the fifth post in a series looking at potential development sites along the proposed initial route of the St. Louis Streetcar.  The first four parts were:

  1. Olive 15th-16th
  2. Olive 16th-18th
  3. 14th & Olive To North Florissant & St. Louis Ave.
  4. Olive 18th to Jefferson

This post will cover the 0.6 mile stretch of Olive from Jefferson to Compton (map). Let’s start with the North side of Olive at Jefferson:

2601 Olive, well known as Sam Light Loans, was built in 1924 according to city records.
2601 Olive, well known as Sam Light Loans, was built in 1924, according to city records. I wonder if the building got a makeover in the 40s or 50s, it looks too modern foe the 20s.
2617 Olive
I posted about 2617 Olive in March 2012, it dates to 1883. Click image to see my prior post.
2621 Olive
AT&T recently built an addition on the long-vacant lot at 2621 Olive
AT&T Communications at 2651 Olive
That addition was on the east side of this AT&T Communications building at 2651 Olive
The small insurance office at Locust & Jefferson was built in 1956.
The small insurance office at Locust & Jefferson was built in 1956.
AT&T owns much of the block on both sides of Locust, used for parking.
AT&T owns much of the block on both sides of Locust, used for parking.
Across the street is more AT&T parking on the left. Loft apartments on Washington Ave can be seen in the background.
Across the street is more AT&T parking on the left. Loft apartments on Washington Ave can be seen in the background.
The Wells Fargo lot between Beaumont & Leffingwell could be easily developed if many employees begin riding the streetcar. Perhaps give them the option of a parking pass or a transit pass...
The Wells Fargo lot between Beaumont & Leffingwell could be easily developed if many employees begin riding the streetcar. Perhaps give them the option of a parking pass or a transit pass… More on Wells Fargo when I get to the south side of Olive below.
The building on the left is from 1929, the one on the right from 1913. A vacant 30ft lot is to the right @ Leffingwell.
The building on the left is from 1929, the one on the right from 1913. A vacant 30ft lot is to the right @ Leffingwell.
2823 Olive was built in 1880, though set back from the street it would be an interesting contrast to keep this structure. Parking is on each side, though the parking on the left is owned by the next building's owner.
2823 Olive was built in 1880, though set back from the street it would be an interesting contrast to keep this structure, while filling in on each side. The side on the left belongs to the next property to the west.
This 1925 building at 2831 Olive would look even better with a new glass storefront....and a rooftop restaurant
This 1925 building at 2831 Olive would look even better with a new glass storefront….and a rooftop restaurant
Castle Ballroom
The Castle Ballroom should get renovated with a streetcar right out front. Click image to see my post from 2011.
These buildings in the 29xx block of Olive no longer look like they did 100+ years ago
These buildings in the 29xx block of Olive no longer look like they did 100+ years ago
The Locust Business District recently completed a fenced surface parking lot, this needs to be replaced ASAP
The Locust Business District recently completed a fenced surface parking lot, this needs to be replaced ASAP
The Treasurer's parking lot at 3019 Olive also needs a building, not a garage.
The Treasurer’s parking lot at 3019 Olive also needs a building, not a garage.
At Cardinal Ave we have a one story structure from 1997, too new to replace right away
At Cardinal Ave we have a one story structure from 1997, too new to replace right away
The last buildings on the north side of Olive before Compton
The last buildings on the north side of Olive before Compton

Some existing buildings aren’t as tall as would be nice but their age/height will be a nice contrast to the new construction we should see go up over the twenty years. In short, lots of opportunities for new construction on vacant land.

OK, let’s cross Olive at Compton and return east to Jefferson. It would be impossible to look at this section of the proposed route without discussing the urban renewal clearance of Mill Creek Valley:

By World War II, Mill Creek’s tenements and faded town houses were home to nearly 20,000 people, many of them poor blacks who had migrated north from the cotton fields. More than half the dwellings lacked running water, and 80 percent didn’t have interior bathrooms.

Tucker proposed knocking over nearly everything and starting over. In 1955, city voters overwhelmingly approved a $10 million bond issue for demolition, on the promise that the federal government would reimburse most of it. The local NAACP endorsed the idea. Work began on Feb. 16, 1959, at 3518 Laclede Avenue, where a headache ball smashed a house that dated to the 1870s.

The bulldozers swiftly transformed the city’s “No. 1 Eyesore” into an area derided as “Hiroshima Flats.” Among the few buildings spared was the old Vashon High School, now part of Harris-Stowe State University. When work began in 1961 on University Heights Village apartments, only 20 original families still called Mill Creek home. (stltoday.com – A look back • Clearing of Mill Creek Valley changed the face of the city)

The area from Union Station to Grand was cleared. This area got new construction like the A.G. Edwards HQ, now Wells Fargo Advisors, LaClede Town (razed), Heritage House senior apartments, and the “flying saucer” gas station on Grand at Forest Park, now a Starbucks. n

The block between Cardinal & Compton
The block between Cardinal & Compton
This facade was built after the front of the building was removed when Olive was widened. I'd like to see this endure
This facade was built after the front of the building was removed when Olive was widened. I’d like to see this endure
A pocket park along the route would be nice, if it could be accessed.
A pocket park along the route would be nice, if it could be accessed.
The former Berea Presbyterian Church is now a SLU event space
The former Berea Presbyterian Church is now a SLU event space
The central glass on the front of this church always looked too modern but I never knew the story.
The central glass on the front of this church always looked too modern but I never knew the story.
February 1909 Sanborn Map showed the stone (blue) church at 3015 Pine. Click image to see more.
February 1909 Sanborn Map showed the stone (blue) church at 3015 Pine (vacated), between Garrison (vacated) on the east and Cardinal (dead end) on the west. The end facing Olive today was the back! 
Click image to see more of this map.
I'd like to see Pine St replatted from Jefferson to Compton
I’d like to see Pine St replatted from Jefferson to Compton, it would go right through here.
Sigma-Aldrich owns the land from the old church to Ewing.
Sigma-Aldrich owns the land from the old church to Ewing. Given how the land is platted and fenced it appears they’re leaving a strip along Olive for future development.
Ewing Ave looking south toward Market. Wells Fargo Advisors on the left, Sigma-Aldrich on the right. This street should be lined with storefronts catering to employees of both, as well as students at Harris-Stowe.
Ewing Ave looking south toward Market. Wells Fargo Advisors on the left, Sigma-Aldrich on the right. This too-wide street should be lined with storefronts catering to employees of both businesses, as well as students, faculty, & staff at Harris-Stowe, and residents at Heritage House.
A non-propfit was formed in 1964 to build & operate low-income senior apartments, Heritage House opened in 1967.
A non-propfit was formed in 1964 to build & operate low-income senior apartments, Heritage House opened in 1967.
The building is well maintained but not well connected to Olive
The building is well maintained but not well connected to Olive
I'd like to see an addition between the sidewalk and tower with underground parking and street-level retail.
I’d like to see an addition between the sidewalk and tower with underground parking, street-level retail, 2nd floor apartments.
An alley remains between Olive & Pine. I can imagine both sides being infilled over the coming decades.
An alley remains between Olive & Pine. I can imagine both sides being infilled over the coming decades, see diagram below.
My thought of the order Wells Fargo might instill parking lots and finally raze a parking garage.
My thought of the order Wells Fargo might instill parking lots and finally raze a parking garage. The two orange squares are owned by the Beffa family, the purple by Provident.
A parking garage for Wells Fargo Financial Advisers dominates the intersection of Jefferson & Olive.
A parking garage for Wells Fargo Advisers dominates the intersection of Jefferson & Olive.
Close up
A brick wall sorta hides equipment

I’m excited about the possibly having a modern streetcar line a block away from my loft, but the redevelopment potential in midtown is phenomenal. I’ve been losing sleep for the past week as I picture what this could look like at full build out.  The vision must come before the bricks and mortar.

— Steve Patterson

 

Readers Pick Urban Chestnut As Favorite St. Louis Brew Pub

The votes are in and Urban Chestnut is the favorite St. Louis brew pub among UrbanReviewSTL readers, with a comfortable lead over 2nd place Tap Room. Results at end.

The beer garden at dawn
The beer garden at Urban Chestnut has a wonderful feel
Inside Urban Chestnut
Inside Urban Chestnut
Cheese board at Urban Chestnut pairs nicely with their beers
Cheese board at Urban Chestnut pairs nicely with their beers

Congratulations to everyone at Urban Chestnut!

Here are the results/links:

  1. Urban Chestnut 73 [20.86%]
  2. Tap Room 55 [15.71%]
  3. Civil Life 50 [14.29%]
  4. 4 Hands 31 [8.86%]
  5. Square One 29 [8.29%]
  6. Bottleworks 24 [6.86%]
  7. Six Row 24 [6.86%]
  8. Perennial 20 [5.71%]
  9. Morgan Street 10 [2.86%]
  10. Trailhead Brewing 7 [2%]
  11. Ferguson Brewing 6 [1.71%]
  12. Kirkwood Station 5 [1.43%]
  13. Augusta Brewing 5 [1.43%]
  14. Buffalo Brewing 3 [0.86%]
  15. Cathedral Square 3 [0.86%]
  16. Other: 3 [0.86%]
  17. Alpha Brewing 2 [0.57%]

I was glad to see the newly opened Alpha Brewing received some votes, I was afraid it wouldn’t since it’s so new.  I’ve been to too few of the brew pubs on this list so I need to get out more.

Here are the three “other” answers supplied by those taking the poll:

  1. i dont drink
  2. Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour!
  3. AB

One doesn’t have to drink to enjoy a brew pub, I’ve been to the Tap Room many times without drinking. Sorry, Anheuser-Busch is not a brew pub.

— Steve Patterson

 

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