Category Archives: Public Transit

Mass Transit

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:

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.

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.

The intersection where Olive splits off to the right was redone a few years ago.

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 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.

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.

With a new building on the right, street trees along Grand would make this a pleasant route to take to reach the streetcar

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

The Lindell facade of Jesuit Hall also has opportunities for activity.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

Metro Fails At Retailing

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Retailing isn’t easy, successful brick & mortar retailers hire consultants, question focus groups, and study market trends, to get customers through the door. Store design is an important part of the equation. Many firms specialize in retail design.

I covered this topic last August after a seeing the transit agency store in Dallas (see Transit Visibility: Metro vs DART). Metro’s MetroRide store on Washington Avenue is pathetic.

Last August I showed this pic to help illustrate the problem. Which entrance is the transit store?

Obviously this one, right?

Each time I visit the MetroRide store to buy transit passes I realize it is the result of a quasi-government agency that has zero competition. Where is the hungry merchant trying to drum up sales to cover the rent payment? It’s like the exclusive restaurant

I took this similar pic a few days ago, it was impossible to even tell if the lights were on.

Sure, those of us who seek it out don’t need a big neon sign or even a simple “open” sign in the window, but it might help get the attention of others walking by. Tourists might inquire about the downtown trolley and what else they can see without a car.

I’d like to see Metro make it obvious to anyone walking, or driving, past the MetroRide store to know it is a place to buy transit passes and pick up schedules. As a fan of gift shops, I’d also like to see St. Louis transit-related merchandise: t-shirts, postcards, magnets, calendars, etc. I still have a puzzle of the Philly transit map I bought on vacation in 2001, but I have almost nothing for St. Louis. I’d love a toy MetroBus.

Step up your retail game Metro!

– Steve Patterson

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

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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:

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. I wonder if the building got a makeover in the 40s or 50s, it looks too modern foe the 20s.

I posted about 2617 Olive in March 2012, it dates to 1883. Click image to see my prior post.

AT&T recently built an addition on the long-vacant lot at 2621 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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, it would go right through here.

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.

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, see diagram below.

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.

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

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 4: Olive 18th to Jefferson

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Today I’ll continue looking at potential development sites along the proposed St. Louis Streetcar route. So far in this series I’ve covered:

With the north-south section covered, I’ll resume heading west on Olive starting at 18th. For information on properties I checked city records on GEO St. Louis, it is generally reliable.

1800 Olive, built in 1962, contributes nothing. It is owned by the Salvation Army, which owns the Railton Apartments next door.

The corner burger joint dates to 1954, per city records.

The one-story White Knight Diner at 1801 Olive dates to 1954, but it makes a positive contribution to the public realm. This place was featured in the 1990 film “White Palace” with Susan Sarandon & James Spader, click image for more information on this film.

MERS/Goodwill owns much of this city block

The Currency Exchange owns the building at 1809 Olive, it has no parking despite being surrounded by parking.

The Currency Exchange owns the building at 1809 Olive, it has no off-street parking despite being surrounded by parking. It was built in 1926.

The surface parking lot between the Currency Exchange and 19th Street belongs to the police, came with the building that’ll be the new HQ next year. This reduces development potential unless they can get by with the parking located within the building.

This building faces Olive, 19th, & Pine. It was most recently a charter school.It should become occupied and hopefully altered, see below.

A doorway could be added to to enter the ground floor without a need for a ramp or steps. This could be for retail and/or restaurant.

A doorway could be added to to enter the ground floor from Olive without a need for a ramp or steps. This could be for retail and/or restaurant.

Four buildings, four owners. Three from 19th century, one 20th century. The beige one-story building is from 1896, but it has been significantly altered.

The large parking lot fronting Olive, 20th & Pine is owned by an out of state entity, it should be more valuable developed.

2001 Olive was actually built in 1892, as a one-story building. In 1909 it was surrounded by taller buildings.

2001 Olive was actually built in 1892, as a one-story building with 4 storefronts facing Olive and 3 facing 20th. By 1909 it was surrounded by taller buildings. Click image to view 1909 Sanborn map.

The narrow building at 2011 Olive was built in 1919. The empty lot on the east (right) is owned by the owner of the previous building.

This space at 2015 Olive is west of the previous building and has the same owner. This would make s nice patio/beer garden.

The rest of this block-face to 21st is these two buildings with the same ownership. The one on the left was built in 1903, the former Hamilton-Brown Shoe Factory. The one-story building on the right is from 1955. A taller building could replace the one on the right.

The 3rd floor is for lease but offices occupy the ground floor. The owner occupies most of the building, perhaps they can reconfigure so the ground floor becomes restaurant/retail space.

The 3rd floor is for lease but offices occupy the ground floor. The owner occupies much of the building, perhaps they can reconfigure so the ground floor becomes restaurant/retail space.

The remaining buildings on the south side of Olive, west of 20th, were built in 1926. This is within another proposed Northside Regeneration job center.

The block bounded by Olive, Pine, 21st, & 22nd, was cleared for the unbuilt 22nd Street Parkway. 21st & 22nd were vacated, these should be reopened.

St. Louis Brewery, owner of the Tap Room, owns this parking lot at 21st & Olive. Easily developed or turned into a beer garden.

Both of these buildings have the same owner and have been renovated within the last 5-10 years. Not sure if additional floors are an option.

The State of Missouri owns the vacant land at 22nd, part of the 22nd Parkway right-of-way.

I’ve long thought 22000 Locust was ripe for redevelopment. May 2010 photo.

It’s getting renovated into apartments right now, click image for more information.

Unfortunately the corner lot at 2201 Olive, just cleared of a non-urban building, will become a new surface parking lot for the development.

Unfortunately the corner lot at 2201 Olive, just cleared of a non-urban building, will become a new surface parking lot for the apartment development.

The building at 2209 Olive (right) was built in 1906, but you can’t tell it. Expect lots of changes in this block.

The 1922 building at 2231 Olive contributes to the Locust Olive Historic District, click image for nomination.

2200 Olive occupies a large parcel of land. The largely blank walls were common in 1963 when it was built.

The Lincoln Arms Hotel provides low rent rooms by the week, serving a need. But walk by in the summer and the smell is awful. The physical form is ideal along a streetcar line.

The Lincoln Arms Hotel, built in 1928, provides low rent rooms by the week, serving a niche market. Walk by in the summer and the smell is awful. The physical form is ideal along a streetcar line.

Firestone owns this location built in 1964, not sure if they’d cash out the real estate.

I’d long assumed this surface parking lot belonged to the company in the building across the alley.

This 1968 building at Olive & Jefferson is interesting, but also low-density.

There are many more development sites, to the north & south, between 18th & Jefferson. I expect this to be a high activity area for development.

MetroBus Guide For SLU Law Faculty, Staff, & Students

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Very soon the Saint Louis University School of Law will move into a renovated building downtown, near the courts.

Last month (April 2013) the exterior of the new law school was basically complete, with new glass elements and a new top floor.

The same building in September 2012

But this post isn’t about the alterations to the building, this post is meant to help faculty, staff & students understand how to use the MetroBus system.

The distance between the current law school on the main SLU campus and the new building is 2.3 miles via Lindell/Olive & Tucker. Driving time is 9 minutes end to end, but no parking is available at the ends, so walking time needs to be added.

Taking the #10 (Gravois Lindell) MetroBus is 16 minutes, per Google Maps, including walking time. Time on the bus is 11 minutes plus 5 for walking, so taking the bus is competitive with driving in this example.

Those going from the main campus can catch the #10 in one of two places: on Lindell east of Spring or Lindell east of Grand. You’ll exit the bus on just after it turns on 14th St., next to the Ford Building.

Riders returning the SLU main campus can catch the #10 at this bus stop at 14th & Pine, the Ford Building at left is the stop for those going to the law school.

In the opposite direction you’ll walk two blocks west along Pine to the stop shown above. You can exit at Grand to Spring for the main campus.

Frequency is every 30 minutes, 40 minutes after 11pm. The #10 line is the bus I use most often, the 30 minute frequency isn’t a problem when you know the schedule. I personally don’t use the printed schedule, I just check the times on the Google Maps iPhone app (or online) as needed.

The bus route number is shown on the front left followed by the the final destination. This example is the #70 (Grand) MetroBus heading NB.

The route number & destination is also displayed on the curb side of the bus, just behind the door.

Here are some other things to remember:

Make sure you look for your bus, if you are busy reading the bus driver may not realize you want to board and pass you.
Transfers offer a good value. Say you board the bus at 10:30am and pay $3 ($2 fare + $1 transfer), you’ll get a transfer good until 1pm!
Bus drivers can’t offer change, so having $1 bills is a good idea, a monthly pass is $72. Hopefully a new SLU administration will join the Metro campus programs like St. Louis Community College, Washington University, and University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).
Let others get off the bus before boarding, when you exit use the back door rather than the front door. This reduces delays.
You’ll need to pull the cord to signal you want to stop at the next bus stop.
Don’t be afraid to sit toward the back, the front seats must be given up for elderly & disabled passengers.
Other MetroBus lines within 2 blocks of the law school include: 30, 41, 74, 94, 97, 99. Four blocks away at 14th & Market adds the 4 & 11.

Anyone else have any positive advice?

– Steve Patterson

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 3: 14th & Olive To North Florissant & St. Louis Ave.

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In the first two parts of this series on development sites along a proposed streetcar route I looked at Olive from 15th-16th and Olive from 16th-18th. In both cases it was a small area and I looked a specific buildings and parcels of land. Heading to N. Florissant Ave. & St. Louis Ave. nearly everything is a development site.

Let’s start downtown and work our way north. At 14th & Olive you have the library on the NE corner and the library administration building & a charter high school on the NW corner. I think the library admin building has office space available for lease.

The parking lot at 14th & Locust is privately owned, a good candidate for new construction. Photo is from 2007 before the charter school added another floor to their space on the left.

1400 Washington has had numerous development plans, it is now becoming a parking lot, same owner as the previous lot across the alley.

I’d like to see these two buildings on Washington Ave west of 14th get renovated, along with a thin wedge between the east wall and 14th. Photo from 2011.

Before we go any further north it makes sense to look at the route on a map along with a development zone on each side of the line. Light rail has stations miles apart, whereas streetcars are more like buses by having more frequent stops along the route.

The blue line is the route, green about 660ft (1/8th mile) and the red about 1,320ft (1/4 mile). Click to view in Google Maps.

The blue line is the proposed streetcar route, green about 660ft (1/8th mile) and the red about 1,320ft (1/4 mile). Purple is the new bridge connecting into Tucker.
Click to view in Google Maps.

The area between the green lines is the immediate area that I estimate to be part of a special transportation district with slightly higher property taxes, pro-rated based on distance. The red lines are a quarter mile distance, the usual distance a person is willing to walk.

Quite a bit of this area is in what will be one of the Northside Regeneration job centers.

Numerous parking lots occupy significant land north of Washington Ave, ideal candidates for new construction.

A former BarnesCare building built in 2001, is now vacant. With no pedestrian access and large setbacks from both MLK & 14th this building should be razed and a new urban building constructed on the site.

Hogan Trucking uses two city blocks, Carr St has been vacated. Interestingly the property owner is listed as Hogan Redevelopment Corp.

This site must legally remain a public park, as it has been since 1842. Click for more information.

This site must legally remain a public park, as it has been since 1842.
Click image for more information.

Many would love to see the crumbling Carr School get renovated. Click image for more information on this 1908 structure.

7.9 acres ready for development, the original lot boundaries remain since they were never consolidated.

The 14th & O’Fallon St bus stop is always busy, but that hasn’t spurred development to date. This stop is currently served by the #32 & #74 MetroBus routes

On the west side of 14th, south of Cass, is the O'Fallon Place Apartments owned by McCormack Barron Salazar.

On the west side of 14th, south of Cass, is the O’Fallon Place Apartments owned by McCormack Baron Salazar.

Looking NW on N. Florissant from 14th, vacant land and mostly vacant buildings are all around.

The Mullaphy Emigrant Home at 1609 N. 14th could finally get renovated if the streetcar connects the near-north side to downtown. Click image for more information on this historic structure.

Looking back toward downtown we see evidence of disinvested in the area along N. Florissant near Madison St. The city says property owners are responsible for sidewalks but in this case the city is the property owner.

The City of St. Louis is the legal owner of the 668 sq ft lot at 1458 Madison St.

The City of St. Louis is the legal owner of the 668 sq ft wedge-shaped lot at 1458 Madison St.

This small building at 2100 N. Florissant Ave was built in 1906, the owner is in St. Louis County.

A bank in Illinois owns the unfinished daycare at 1501 Clinton & 1500 Monroe. The buildings to the north are owned by several owners, including the LRA & Northside Regeneration.

A bank in Illinois now owns the unfinished daycare at 1501 Clinton & 1500 Monroe. The buildings to the north are owned by several owners, including the LRA & Northside Regeneration.

The mostly vacant St. Liborious complex at Hogan & North Market is a city landmark, it is privately owned. Click image for more information.

Vast open areas are prime for redevelopment along the proposed streetcar route. This is north of North Market on the west side of North Florissant

The vacant gas station at 2418 N. Florissant was built in 1972.

Two blocks north at 2618 N. Florissant is another vacant gas station, this building has been modified many times since 1938.

This building, owned by a person in Atlanta GA, needs to be replaced. The Church’s Chicken could operate out of a storefront in a new building.

This building from 1940 should be replaced.

This bank was built in 1993 after the urban bank at the corner of N. Florissant & St. Louis Ave was razed, despite neighborhood objections. This should be replaced with an urban building on the corner.

The NE corner of N. Florissant & St. Louis Ave. had a cute diner until 1998

With so much vacant land & buildings, this stretch of the proposed streetcar line has the greatest potential for redevelopment. It will also be a challenge initially to get projects funded. Once the line is open and Paul McKee builds one of his job centers near Tucker & Cass things will start to take off. Form-based codes requiring dense urban design will be key to getting the right kind of construction.

It’ll take at least a decade, if not two, for this to be built out.

– Steve Patterson

Shrewsbury: MetroLink to City Hall

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I love rail transit, but a problem with our MetroLink light rail system is getting from the stations to your destination. Last week I attended a meeting hosted by Trailnet at Shrewsbury City Hall, a mile from the station. I could’ve caught a bus that would’ve dropped me off at Murdoch & Shrewsbury Ave but I still would’ve had 4/10ths of a mile to reach city hall. It was decent out and my power chair had a full charge so I decided to “walk” the mile.

But first a little background information.

The Shrewsbury MetroLink station opened with the blue line extension on August 26, 2006.
Click image to view video of the arrival of the first train pictured above.

The Shrewsbury MetroLink station is located in the City of St. Louis, but the Shrewsbury city limits is the western edge of the commuter parking lot. The station has been open neatly 7 years now so there’s been time to better connect the surrounding neighborhoods to transit.

Okay, let’s head to Shrewsbury City Hall located one mile away at 5200 Shrewsbury Ave.

My planned route Lansdowne, Murdoch Cut-Off, Murdoch, Shrewsbury Ave, click map to view in Google Maps

From the station platform I could see the direction I needed to go to reach the Shrewsbury City Hall.

Looks like many walk up/down this hill

Others walk here, but I’d better find a sidewalk I can use.

Now I’m headed down toward Lansdowne Ave, sandwiched between the retaining wall on the left and the auto driveway on the right. Not a friendly environment!

At Lansdowne Ave I see pedestrians crossing the street without a crosswalk. I couldn’t cross here even if I wanted to because of the numerous curbs.

More pedestrians risking getting hit by cars

I stick to the north side of Lansdowne Ave and head west under the railroad tracks, the Shrewsbury city limit.

I want to cross Lansdowne Ave here but there is no curb cut or crosswalk to allow me to do so.

I’m able to use this crosswalk to reach the other side of Murdoch Cut-Off

But there’s no sidewalk on this side of Murdoch Cut-Off

So I returned to the intersection to cross Murdoch Cut-Off to reach the point I originally wanted to reach but couldn’t

After passing the gas station I discover there’s no sidewalk on this side of Murdoch Cut-Off either. It looks like many pedestrians walk in the narrow dirt path, I had to use the narrow shoulder. This point is about 400 feet from where I left the station property.

Looking back from where I’d just traveled you can see a bus stop encouraging pedestrian use of this area.

As Murdoch Cut-Off approaches Murdoch a sidewalk does exist.

But the sidewalk doesn’t continue, it turns and heads back east. This is about 1/8th of a mile from the station.

I head south on St. Vincent Ave, this view is looking back north from Notttingham. Only the west side of St. Vincent Ave has a narrow sidewalk.

The streets intersecting with St. Vincent don’t have sidewalks for the first block to Danbury Ave., I cautiously proceed in the street.

Once past Danbury Ave sidewalks are available

That doesn’t mean the sidewalks weren’t blocked at times. This owner had more room on their driveway before their garage door, more than enough to keep the sidewalk clear.

After I reached Shrewsbury Ave I went north to Murdoch to see where sou;d’ve been dropped off had I taken a bus. This point is about a third of a mile from the corner of the transit station property.

Looking east on Murdoch, the direction I originally thought I’d take. No sidewalk, only shoulder.

The north side of Murdoch has a sidewalk next to the apartment buildings only.

This is the bus stop heading back toward the MetroLink station, I caught a bus here a couples of hours later to return downtown.

Heading back south toward city hall I passed charming houses and the route was paved and easy to navigate. The distance was over a half mile but it was fine, the worst part of the journey was closest to the transit station.

Getting closer to city hall and the neighboring park

Getting closer to city hall and the adjacent Wehner Park

Newer houses mix well with older houses.

Almost there!

The sidewalk just ends, dumping me into the street. No crosswalk or visible sidewalk into the Shrewsbury City Center complex grounds, just a sidewalk going east & west.

No way in on the east side of the auto drive.

No way in on the west side either, so I had no choice but to use the auto driveway

No pedestrian route on the west side either, so I had no choice but to use the auto driveway

A pedestrian route along the east side of the auto driveway would be a direct path to the main entrance of the Shrewsbury City Center complex. Voters approved a bond in 1991 to pay for the renovations to city hall, the work was completed in 1993 — both after The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Leaving at night via the auto driveway. I’d imagine many neighbors drive here from just blocks away because that’s the message the design suggests.

My only other time here was Saturday June 17,2006 for a charrette on connecting St. Louis & Shrewsbury to the open MetroLink line, attended by residents, businesses and elected officials. I drove on that visit.

Given the substantial capital investment made in the MetroLink expansion and the commitment of sales taxes to help fund Metro I find it unacceptable that nothing has been done in nearly 7 years. Well, the sidewalk along one side of St. Vincent looks like it was done in that time frame, but nothing else looks different. Employees & customers should be able to walk from the MetroLink station to the businesses along Murdoch & Murdock Cut-Off. Shrewsbury residents living within a 1/4 mile of the station should have a easy walk, but they don’t.

I suggest the following action steps:

Metro, St. Louis, Shrewsbury, Trailnet, etc. begin to examine ways to improve the pedestrian experience to/from the Shrewsbury MetroLink/MetroBus station.
Shrewsbury begin to evaluate multiple routes from the station to destinations with Shrewsbury, starting with a walking audit. I’d be happy to participate. Dan Burden from the Walkable & Livable Communities Institute would be an outstanding facilitator.
Shrewsbury work to add an ADA-compliant accessible route to the main accessible entrance of the Shrewsbury City Center complex.

I’m emailing various officials at Shrewsbury & St. Louis this morning to try to raise awareness and get some action.

– Steve Patterson

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 2: Olive 16th-18th

9 Replies

This is part 2 of a multipart series looking at potential sites for development along the proposed streetcar line that’d run along Olive/Lindell from downtown to the Central West End and the BJC hospital complex as well as north on 14th Street . In Part 1: Olive 15th-16th a week ago I looked at one city block on the north side of Olive between 15th-16th.

That block is underused surface parking, the Campbell House Museum, YMCA and 100 vacant apartments over the YMCA. Potential for both new construction and rehab. The south side of Olive is the 1950s Plaza Square high rise apartments, these will become more desirable after the streetcar line opens.

For this post I want to look at parts of five city blocks rather than just one; they’re bounded by 16th Street on the east, St. Charles St. on the north 18th on the west and Pine on the south. These blocks have a mix of buildings including rehabbed/occupied, non-rehabbed/occupied, vacant buildings, vacant land, a church, a non-public library building, etc.

I’ve organized them by City Block and listed the property addresses.

City Block 509

1700-1706 Olive was built in 1918, it is for sale. The facade on the base appears to have been modified later, possibly to fit in with the adjacent buildings. Click image for map.

1708 Olive, built in ???, is less than 24ft wide.

1708 Olive, built in 1951, is less than 24ft wide.

1710-1714 Olive was built in 1946

1718 Olive (left) and 1720 Olive (right) are both occupied. 1718 was built in 1900, 1720 in 1926.

1728 Olive was built in 1929

I like variety & scale of the buildings on this block facing Olive, but with the exception of 1700-06 Olive the density is too low to be on a streetcar line and not tall enough relative to the width of Olive. The two 3-story buildings in the middle might be able to be kept with new construction on either side. However, most of these buildings contribute to the Washington Ave national historic district so rehabilitation should be considered.

The rest of the block is surface parking for the Blu Condominium Association and a dumpy 7-11.

Even though the 7-11 faces 17th, the property address is 1701 Pine.

City Block 510

1717 Olive occupies the entire block. Originally the Butler Brothers warehouse built in 1908, later renamed Plaza Square.

The building does have a few business tenants but overall it is in need of a major rehab. Because of the condition, the rents are low. Care should be taken to not price businesses out of the building/neighborhood. On the other hand, those of us living nearby would appreciate it if it was maintained to a higher standard.

This building has potential to house offices and residential.

City Block 511

1601 Olive is a 2-story office building built in 1965, it is vacant and for sale. I’d rather see a larger structure on this corner.

1613 Olive is a vacant lot owned by the city, used for parking for the building to the west.

1621 Olive is owned by the city, used for parking enforcement offices right now

1625 Olive is privately owned and is occupied. Built in 1948, it has an interesting facade. Retain the facade but build up?

1624 Locust is part of the St. Louis Library system

The 2-story building at 1610 Locust was built in 1917, next door is The Leather Trades Artist Lofts.

With the exception of the Leather Trades Artist Lofts, the block to very low in height and density. Although I don’t like the building heights, I do like the facades. Those facing Olive should probably be razed for taller structures.

City Block 828

1601 Locust is a privately-owned surface parking lot next to Printers Lofts (1611 Locust). Loftworks had planned new construction to attach to Printers.

1601 Locust is a privately-owned surface public parking lot next to Printers Lofts (1611 Locust). Loftworks had planned new construction to attach to Printers. A great site for new construction.

Although I live in the Printers Lofts building, shown above, I don’t know the legality of building on the lot with respect to the four condos and our common space that face east. Presumably this is addressed in our condo documents and in the recorded information on the vacant lot. I’d love to see new construction on this corner, though my neighbors might object. The beautiful Blackwell-Wielandy building occupied the corner until it burned down in 1988.

City Block 829

1701 Locust is a handsome 4-story building built in 1926. It has had several owners in the last decade. It is vacant.

1711 Locust was a power station for the original streetcar system, it is vacant and in disrepair.

1711 Locust was built in 1903 as a power substation for a private streetcar company, it is vacant and in disrepair. It was #5 on the Landmark’s 2010 Most Endangered List, click to view

Both of these buildings are among my favorites. The substation is a creative challenge, but I’m sure someone could come up with a creative use for the space.

Closing thoughts…

Just in this small area there is room for lots of potential development over the next 10-20 years. In this type of exercise you look long-term at what the potential is for the coming decades. Some development will open before the streetcar line does, but most will come after that time. Developers will be eyeing the locations I’m highlighting in this series.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: How Should St. Louis County Reduce Traffic Congestion Between Mid & South County?

21 Replies

St. Louis County is still trying to make it easier to get from Hanley to Watson Rd., now through what’s being called the South County Connector. Various schemes have been around for decades:

A plan for an improved connection from south St. Louis County to central St. Louis County has existed since the late 1950s. The original concept was for a freeway “inner belt expressway” to provide better north-south access through the St. Louis suburbs. This freeway concept became Interstate 170 north of Interstate 64/U.S. Route 40. Originally, Interstate 170 was supposed to continue south into the southern part of St. Louis County to provide improved access between Interstates 44, 64 and 55. After much deliberation, area leaders decided in the 1990s not to pursue a southward extension of Interstate 170 due to public concerns. Although this option was abandoned, St. Louis County, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), and other local agencies continued planning efforts to identify potential options for north-south access improvements in south St. Louis County. (source)

Here’s a summary of the current proposal:

John Hicks, the county’s Transportation Development Analyst, says the county is now presenting two alternatives to the public, but both roughly follow a route from River Des Peres Boulevard at Watson Road, through a portion of the Shrewsbury MetroLink parking lot, across I-44, into Big Bend Industrial Court, crossing Deer Creek Center and ending at Hanley Road near Flora Avenue. (KMOV)

A good portion would be elevated roadway.

South Hanley ducks under railroad tracks.

South Hanley would be widened where it ducks under railroad tracks near Deer Creek Center.

Proponents say the project is needed to address projected increases in traffic, critics say the focus should be on transit, biking, and walking solutions. They also say the widened/high-speed intersections would be dangerous to bikers and pedestrians.

I want to know what you think about it, the weekly poll is in the right sidebar. Cast your vote and share your thoughts below.

– Steve Patterson

Transit-Oriented Planning Eliminates 22nd Street Interchange, Reconnects Street Grid

11 Replies

For years I’ve been accused of being a naive dreamer, coming up with big plans without the existing market to implement. I’ve just smiled and continued sharing my long-term vision for St. Louis.

In June 2007 I wrote:

The 22nd Street Interchange, part of an abandoned highway concept from a few decades ago, needs to be ripped out with the land returned to active tax-paying use. The Missouri Dept of Transportation (MoDOT) should rework the interchange at Jefferson Ave to allow for on/off ramps in both directions and therefore eliminating the need for the current ramps at 22nd. MoDot could sell the land to fund the revisions to the highway ramps. (St. Louis Should Abandon Linear Gateway Mall Concept)

Then in December 2008 I wrote:

I picture a new bridge at I-64/40 and Jefferson Ave — one with a single point urban interchange (SPUI) and both East & West on/off ramps. Build that and then remove the 22nd interchange completely. Bring in form-based zoning codes to require a denser urban environment. Make a strong connection through the back of Union Station (between the shed & highway) so that pedestrians from this newly developable land have the opportunity to walk to Metrolink and the 14th street transit station beyond that. The fact that much of this area is already excavated and free of utility lines would simplify the construction of underground parking in new buildings. (MoDOT Needs To Put The 22nd Street Interchange On Any Wish List For Funding)

By May 2009 I noted that St. Louis’ 22nd Street Interchange Part of McKee’s Plan so it elimination would need to be worked out with him. Presumably MoDOT agrees with McKee because they’re replacing the Jefferson bridge over I-64/40 with no plans for on/off ramps to/from the east.

Then, last month, at an St. Louis Regional Transit Oriented Development Study presentation around the Union Station & Civic Center Metrolink stations the Denver-based consulting firm suggested largely what I had outlined years earlier.

Preliminary plan around Union Station, the Drury (former YMCA) and other existing buildings should be shown in the final presentation.

Ok, they still have on/off ramps for I-64/40 to the east, but they are compact and feed into the reconnected street grid I had advocated. The above image is preliminary, I pointed out it was missing buildings like the Drury Inn on 20th, formerly a YMCA and later a gay bar/hotel/bathhouse. Hopefully their final will be more accurate than the draft shown at the last meeting.

Still they see what I and others saw, the need to repair the street grid and fill in the gaps in the urban fabric.

Only part of a planned highway loop around downtown was built, a huge waste of land to the west of Union Station.

The 22nd Street interchange is just on/off ramps.

1958 aerial of the area west & north of Union Station

This is not about trying to recreate the buildings and feel of the area prior to the demolition for the highway interchange. This is a forward-looking vision to create a walkable/urban environment for those interested in such. Some prefer the look & feel of new buildings, new sidewalks, new trees, etc. This is an opportunity to create an entirely new neighborhood largely from scratch yet have access to existing transit.

Per McKee’s plans, a few new employers could anchor the neighborhood. Workers & residents would attract restaurants, dry cleaners, and other services.

None of this is rocket science, it’s Urban Planning 101. St. Louis still needs lots of basics to rebuild the connections that were ripped out in the 20th Century.

– Steve Patterson

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Category Archives: Public Transit

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

Metro Fails At Retailing

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

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 4: Olive 18th to Jefferson

MetroBus Guide For SLU Law Faculty, Staff, & Students

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 3: 14th & Olive To North Florissant & St. Louis Ave.

Shrewsbury: MetroLink to City Hall

Potential Development Sites Along Proposed Streetcar Line, Part 2: Olive 16th-18th

City Block 509

City Block 510

City Block 511

City Block 828

City Block 829

Closing thoughts…

Poll: How Should St. Louis County Reduce Traffic Congestion Between Mid & South County?

Transit-Oriented Planning Eliminates 22nd Street Interchange, Reconnects Street Grid