An Urbanist Look at the Lewis & Clark Branch Library

For quite a while now I’ve seen the posts about saving St. Louis County’s  1963 Lewis & Clark Branch, located at 9909 Lewis & Clark Blvd.

Here are some examples of the posts:

• October 2013
  • 6 Reasons Why to Save the Lewis & Clark Library
• February 2014
  • Why save the Lewis and Clark Branch Library?
  • Take a Second to Support Lewis and Clark Library Patrons By Signing This Petition
• March 2014
  • Support Grows to Save Lewis & Clark Library
  • Controversy Brews Over Plans To Change Lewis & Clark Library Branch

I hadn’t written about this subject before because I’d never been to the Lewis & Clark branch, but that changed Friday. I took the #40 (Broadway) MetroBus to the Riverview Transit Center, then the #27 (No County Shuttle) directly to the library. I spent some time inside both levels, and outside.

Here is an incomplete list of arguments for both sides:

Arguments in support of replacement:

• Over 50 years old, old plumbing & electrical. etc.
• Poor relationship to neighborhood, main street
• Windows are inefficient
• Doesn’t meet ADA guidelines
•  Can remain open while new building is built

Arguments in support of renovating/adding on

• Only branch in St. Louis County considered architecturally significant
• Designed by Frederick Dunn
• Design still looks good, fresh
• Reusing the existing structure more sustainable than dumping it into a landfill
• This part of St. Louis County has few structures on which residents can take pride.

Based on my observations, the library is too small by today’s standards. It seemed busy during my morning visit, much more space is needed.  ModernSTL proposed a pretty predictable addition, which copies the original design. Good additions to historic buildings don’t mimic or repeat the original. That said, the idea is right. New entry connecting old & new wings.

I do like the idea of turning the entry toward Lewis & Clark Blvd(367), and getting St. Louis County/MoDOT to put a public sidewalk along the west side of 367 from Chambers Rd to Berwyn Dr, roughly 3/10 of a mile. This would connect users of the #61 MetroBus route on Chambers Rd to the library site. Currently only a shoulder exists.  Better pedestrian connection in the area should be considered and planned for regardless if a new building is built or the existing structure gets a needed addition.

I don’t think the St. Louis County Library board has given any thought toward renovating this historic structure, which is a real pity.  We need leadership that considers retention of historic structures, especially when it is their only one!

— Steve Patterson

Readers Want Walkability and Long-Term Jobs at NorthSide Regeneration

Last week readers at least 135 readers took the poll, indicating what they’d like to see as priorities at Paul McKee’s NorthSide Regeneration project. Here are the results in the order the software listed, two answers tied for the the top spot.

Q: Paul McKee’s “Northside Regeneration” project is slowly moving foreword, pick your top 5 priorities from the following:

1. Good walkability 76 [11.33% – TIE]
2. Jobs for locals: long-term work at various pay levels 76 [11.33% – TIE]
3. Rail transit connected to downtown 64 [9.54%]
4. Urban form with adequate parking behind buildings 60 [8.94%]
5. Safety 59 [8.79%]
6. Mixed uses, incomes 52 [7.75%]
7. Good street grid with short blocks 48 [7.15%]
8. Architecture that IS historic looking 43 [6.41%]
9. Hoodlum-free zone 39 [5.81%]
10. Renovation of the Clemens Mansion 35 [5.22%]
11. Many builders/developers, not just a few 33 [4.92%]
12. Good bikeability 24 [3.58%]
13. Something…anything ASAP 21 [3.13%]
14. Jobs for locals: short-term construction work 17 [2.53%]
15. Architecture that is NOT historic looking 11 [1.64%]
16. Easy access to highways 8 [1.19%]
17. Plenty of free parking 3 [0.45%]
18. Suburban planning, big blocks and cul-de-sacs 2 [0.3%]

I agree with most of the items in the top 10, very glad to see “Good Walkability” tie with “Jobs for locals: long-term work at various pay levels” at the top, followed closely by rail transit to downtown and urban form. I do take exception with one item: architecture.

I was disappointed “Architecture that IS historic looking” got 43 votes, but “Architecture that is NOT historic looking” only got 11 votes. Buildings in 2014 trying to look like they’re from 1914 end up looking cheesy.  Other cities do a great job building new urban buildings that relate to the sidewalk and neighboring buildings without being faux historic. We need to drop the expectation that every new building be given a bit of red brick on the front and a fake mansard roof on top.

— Steve Patterson

Washington Ave Sidewalk Reopened

The last part of filling in the old railroad tunnel under Tucker was the NW corner of Tucker & Washington Ave. In January I posted the Last Remaining Corner of Tucker Project, at that time, 

The basement of the Bogen lofts extends under the Tucker & Washington sidewalks, requiring more work to to create the concrete top over the basement vaults. Up top the Washington Ave sidewalk looks the same as it did before, the bricks were reset on top of the concrete. I’m glad I can finally use the north side of Washington.

— Steve Patterson

Update: Chippewa Road Diet, Bike Lanes, Pedestrian Lane

Last month when I posted Chippewa Road Diet, Bike Lanes, Pedestrian Lane the project wasn’t finished, I was holding out judgement until complete. The project now appears to be complete, but I’ve only experienced it as a passenger in a passing vehicle.

I’ll take MetroBus there this Spring so I can check it out end to end using my wheelchair, paying close attention to the transitions from the sidewalks at each end. On the reverse trip we noticed lots of water covering the sidewalk on the south side of the street.

— Steve Patterson

Parking on 14th Street Sidewalk Continues

The sidewalk along 14th Street, just north of Clark Ave, has pedestrians throughout the day & night because of the Civic Center MetroBus Transit Center, Civic Center MetroLink station, and the Gateway Transportation Center (Amtrak & Greyhound), so the south. The sidewalks aren’r packed, but the pedestrian traffic is steady. When events are held at the Scottrade Center or Peabody Opera House the pedestrian level increases dramatically as people make their way to these venues. Sidewalk space becomes scarce, especially if you’re going again the flow.

The other day, as I returned downtown on MetroLink, and I headed north on 14th to go home, people were headed into the Scottrade Center en mass. This isn’t the first time I’ve posted about these sidewalks being used for vehicles rather pedestrians:

• January 2007 Sidewalk Reserved for Circuit Attorney’s Office
• December 2011 Parking on 14th Street Sidewalk…Again.
• April 2012 Peabody Opera House Valets Caught Driving On 14th Street Sidewalk

The examples above were on the east side of 14th, the other day it was the west side of 14th getting squeezed:

The remaining sidewalk was tight as I met people heading to the event at the Scottrade. I find this unacceptable, I’m just not sure how to get it to stop.

— Steve Patterson