Have You Heard of the ‘Market Street Interconnect Project’?

I had not heard the phrase “Market Street Interconnect Project” until I was reviewing board bills for introduction tomorrow at the Board of Aldermen. From Board Bill 338 to be introduced by Lewis Reed (D-6th Ward):

An Ordinance, recommended and approved by the Board of Public Service of the City of St. Louis (the “Board of Public Service”), establishing a public works and improvement project for the design and construction of the Market Street Interconnect Project between Compton Avenue and Tucker Boulevard (the “Market Street Interconnect Project”); and authorizing and directing the City of St. Louis (the “City”) by and through its Board of Public Service to let contracts and provide for the design, construction, materials, and equipment for the Market Street Interconnect Project, authorizing the Board of Public Service to employ labor and consultants, pay salaries, fees and wages, acquire real property interests, and to enter into supplemental agreements with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, Federal Highway Administration, utilities, and other governmental agencies for the Market Street Interconnect Project all in accordance with the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 110, et seq.)

It looks as though the design & construction of the project is estimated at $1.55 million with the city’s 20% match being $310,000, the balance coming from federal transportation money. I’ve read through the entire bill and nowhere does it actually state what the project is. I can tell it involves Market Street from Tucker (aka 12th) to Compton (basically end of Market) but beyond that I have no clue.

Along the route is the 22nd Street Interchange, just West of Union Station. From MoDot:

The I-64 at 22nd Street Interchange is the key entry into the St. Louis Central Business District (CDB). It will stimulate development of vacant land and reuse of older, underutilized buildings. The current interchange configuration consists of high-speed ramps, which take up a significant amount of state owned land that could be made available for higher density uses compatible with surrounding activities and supported by transportation infrastructure. The location of the interchange area is in the Locust Business District, a Special Taxing District and political subdivision of the State of Missouri, which is in the process of carrying out initiatives to revitalize the residential and business opportunities in the area and improve the economic well being of the area.

Reworking this old space-consuming interchange should be a top priority for the city, and a natural fit while looking at anything along Market Street. A competition is also being planned for the tired Gateway Mall area so I don’t know how the Market Street Interconnect Project fits in with those intentions. I certainly known the length of Market from Jefferson to Compton, adjacent to A.G. Edwards is depressing and unwelcoming. I suppose we’ll know more about this once the design is complete and they ask for public input.

Farmers’ Market Continues Through Winter

Just because we are in the dead of winter does not mean we go into hibernation, we continue to need food. Plus farmers still need to earn a living throughout the winter season. Combine the two and you get the Tower Grove Winter Farmers’ Market. From their press release:

The Tower Grove Winter Farmers’ Market Continues Saturday, January 6!

Where: St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3664 Arsenal (just West of Grand, see map)
When: The first Saturday of each month, 9 AM – Noon
Who will be vending on January 6:

• Hinkebein Hills Farm – Naturally raised beef and pork
• Prairie Grass Farms – Naturally raised lamb, eggs
• Our Garden – Squash, pumpkins, salsas, preserves, applesauce, spinach, turnips, daikon radishes, cheese, yogurt, pies, dry goods
• Blue Heron Orchard – Organic apples, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, unpasteurized apple
• Norris Farms – Naturally raised pork and beef
• Sunflower Savannah – Salsa, canned goods, granola
• Kimker Hills Farm – Produce, salsas, freshly milled grains
• Mangia Italiano – Handmade, fresh pasta
• Murray’s Orchard – Jams, jellies, salsas
• Seven Thunder Bison – Grass-fed buffalo, buffalo jerkey
• Pleasant Dream Quilts – Personal sized quilts that fold into pillows

For more information, visit www.tgmarket.org

My First Time Meeting Patrick Cacchione, 6th Ward Candidate for Alderman

I had a brief chance meeting with 6th Ward Aldermanic candidate Patrick Cacchione earlier tonight. There I was with a friend finishing up my hot chocolate at The Gelateria and in walks Cacchione and a 6th Ward resident volunteering on his campaign. The volunteer introduces us and I say, “While you are here, do you know about the valet parking issue?” To which Cacchione responds to the effect of, “I think you’ve already made up your mind.” At first I thought he was referencing the valet parking — yes I’ve made up my mind I thought to myself.

After that initial second I relealized he was referencing my December 19th post entitled, “I Know One Candidate I Am Not Endorsing.” Here are a couple of paragraphs from that post:

After witnessing the 6th ward executive meeting from two tables away last night I can say this, there is no way in hell that I’d endorse Patrick Cacchione for alderman. He is clearly an integral part of the factional ward system I seek to destroy. This is the very system that has been holding back our city for decades. Why do we allow our city to be run this way?

In the end I may not make any endorsements at all, I might find reason enough to write-off every last candidate in the upcoming election. To one degree or another they all play the ward game. We’ll see what happens over the next couple of months but at the moment I can scratch one name off my list: Patrick Cacchione.

He indicated they were there for coffee and turned around, he was unwilling to talk. I can’t exactly say I blame him for not wanting to be chatty, I was a bit strong on my commentary. Still, we are in a popular establishment located in the 6th Ward and he just met a friend of mine that happens to live downtown. Cacchione certainly didn’t make a good impression on her!

Candidates and elected officials have to be able to have conversations and deal with those who are critical of them. Yes, I made it clear he would not be getting my endorsement but he had a golden opportunity to make me feel like a heal for such a position. Boy did he miss his chance! Is this how Cacchione will treat others who voice objections to him?

St. Louis’ Office on the Disabled Reviewed Plans for Loughborough Commons

I hate admitting I am wrong, but when it happens I face the music and admit as much. All these past few months that I have been showing you the poor planning at Loughborough Commons I assumed nobody with the city reviewed the construction documents for ADA compliance. After all, ADA is federal civil rights law, not a local building code. But, a regular reader was kind enough to point me to St. Louis’ Office on the Disabled, part of the Department of Human Services.
The following are the list of duties for the Office on the Disabled, per their website:

• Information and Direct Referral. Office on the Disabled provides current reliable information on services, programs, issues, etc. for persons with disabilities to callers or office visits or through the mail. Standards for accessible design are available to architects, engineers, design professionals, and the general public.
• Interpreter for the Deaf. Office on the Disabled provides interpreting for the deaf services for all city services, programs, and activities.
• Residential Disabled Parking Program. Office on the Disabled provides reserved residential parking spaces for city residents with disabilities. (Click here for more information)
• Parking Meter Exemption Permits. Office on the Disabled issues permits exempting persons with disabilities unable to activate parking meters in the City of St. Louis.
• Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. The Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator provides information on the ADA; provides reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees; offers training on the ADA.
• Awareness Training. Office on the Disabled offers training on issues related to disabilities.
• Public Use of TDDs. Public use of TDDs is available to deaf persons needing to make phone calls.
• On Site Accessibility Consultation. Office on the Disabled provides advice and recommendations on facility accessibility for persons with disabilities.

I spoke earlier today with Dr. Deborah Dee who heads the Office on the Disabled. Dee indicated Loughborough Commons was reviewed by her office and that all projects are reviewed as part of the city’s “one stop shop for permits.” To what extent does this absolve the developer, architect, engineer and Alderman for the numerous problems at this still unfinished $40 milllion dollar project? Without a doubt it certainly changes the picture and calls into question the permit review process within city hall.

How To Save the City Up to $125K Every Two Years!

Yes, with my sure fire plan we can save city taxpayers roughly $125,000 every two years.  How?  Simple, switch to non-partisan elections for local offices and eliminate the March primary.  I spoke with a Deputy Director of the St. Louis Board of Elections, Gary Stoff, who indicated the upcoming March primary will cost the taxpayers between $100,000 to $125,000.

With Republicans, Libertarians and Greens not even able to fill all their ward committee positions the idea of having a partisan primary election before a general election is silly.  We all know the real election in St. Louis is the Democratic primary in March every two years.  Yet we also have to have a general election in April for school board seats and that rare example of a challenger from another party.  I think we’ve only seen independent candidates in special elections when an alderman is recalled.

So, with nearly everyone as Democrats it is really pointless to waste the time and money on a primary and general election every two years.  Plus, with only a single general election in the Spring every two years we could possibly get more voters to the polls rather than have to push for them to show up in March and again in April for the school board elections.

Locally the democratic ward committees seem to focus much of their attention on races such as state house, state senate and bigger races such as statewide offices, congress and president.  Switching our local elections to non-partisan, such as most of those in our region, would not negate these groups from supporting Democratic candidates for state and national offices.