Civic leaders wonder why more people don’t walk in parts of downtown St. Louis. They must be blind. It doesn’t take much to figure it out.
Bland sidewalks, auto driveways everywhere, blank walls, and limited building entries.
We’ve got to rebuild much of what replaced the original city. The depressing row of buildings between Market and Walnut is a good place to start.
– Steve
To the East of St. Louis’ Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse is a dull and lifeless space. Green? Yes. Open? Yes. Well maintained? Yes. Interesting? Hardly.
The problem is we don’t need more open green spaces. We’ve got the entire riverfront and the Gateway Mall from the Arch Grounds to Union Station. We’ve got more vacant green space than we know what to do with it. What we are lacking are true urban streets and vibrant sidewalks.
Looking South along 10th Street the courthouse is to the right. The sidewalk is built for baseball game crowds which looks huge on non-game days. The neat row of trees would be better if they were between the parked cars and the pedestrian.
The above shot was taken tonight while waiting for the bus to arrive. It was a slow Monday night but people were still milling about.
– Steve
After months of street work along South Grand between I-44 and Arsenal we are finally seeing plants in the massive median planters. But, this is not the work of the City’s Parks department. No, this is all done by volunteers. Here is the email I received from a property owner along Grand:
We need volunteers—-to help with planting the landscape in the medians and tree lawn spaces along South Grand from 44 to Arsenal.
Each weekend certain medians will be planted based on a schedule of volunteers.
The tree lawn area’s – between the street curb and sidewalks – are up for adoption to people who will plant, water, and maintain the area. This would certainly beautify any entrance to a business or street.
Please send this email out to any person that may be interested in helping to make South Grand look it’s best.
Did anyone else know this was going to be voluntarily planted and maintained when they started going in? I just assumed this would be done by the city. Not that volunteers can’t do a good job. It just took me by surprise. At least the center planters have irrigation hoses to keep them watered.
If you are interested in helping please email me and I will send you the phone number of the person to contact.
– Steve
Yours truly is now writing a monthly column in the local “Natural Living Magazine”, The Healthy Planet. My first column is in the current (May 2005) issue on local newsstands. From the article:
Downtown St. Louis is no longer just a business district with the usual corporate offices, law firms and copy centers. Added to the mix over the last few years are hundreds of new residential lofts along with new businesses serving this growing residential neighborhood.
This influx of people has made downtown interesting beyond the normal workweek. New restaurants and stores are opening at a lightning pace just as every available building is being converted to living space. People are walking the sidewalks or biking to their destination. The streets are active morning, noon and night.
For the rest of the article you need to pick up a free copy. Look for The Healthy Planet South Grand establishments like Mangia Italiano & Grand Books; Left Bank Books in the West End, or downtown locations like the YMCA and City Museum.
If you are interested in advertising in The Healthy Planet please contact my good friend (and Food & Travel Editor), Lois Brady.
– Steve