There was an article in the print edition of the Post-Dispatch yesterday stating that Grand Center Inc. is using eminent domain to acquire the auto repair shop at Spring and Olive - directly west of the new museums and Channel 9's studios. The plan is to build a "media box", although the article was very vague as to what that is. Apparently, it will be some combination of performing arts space and apartments or condos. I'm interested in hearing more details...
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DeBaliviere wrote:There was an article in the print edition of the Post-Dispatch yesterday stating that Grand Center Inc. is using eminent domain to acquire the auto repair shop at Spring and Olive - directly west of the new museums and Channel 9's studios. The plan is to build a "media box", although the article was very vague as to what that is. Apparently, it will be some combination of performing arts space and apartments or condos. I'm interested in hearing more details...
I'm saddened by that personally...that auto shop let me use their phone and helped comfort me when my car got stolen last year at SLU.
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Cityboy wrote:As is usually the case, it is a flagrant abuse of emminent domain.
Well...there are worse examples.
SLU getting TIF for the stadium? My God, how do I manage to stay at that school amidst all of the blight and desolation of the campus? Everywhere I walk I'm stepping over homeless people and avoiding crumbling buildings...the blight is simply out of control.
SLU is Midtown's Iron Lung, to use Radiohead imagery. It helped sustain Midtown while it was dying, but it's merely keeping it breathing and not letting it "be alive". Does Midtown need life support, or should we pull the plug and see what happens when we try to let it breathe on its own?
For claiming to be so urban friendly, SLU has kind of made me wonder recently. In the Pius Library, where I currently am typing this, there is a "Then and Now" poster display which shows all of the urbanity SLU replaced and makes it seem so wonderful now that there's heaps of green space and pathways bathed in the vibrant light of the blue sky.
Yeah, they made the neighborhood more presentable to outsiders and more marketable to out-of-towners at a time when "urban" was synonymous with warzone...would it hurt to restore some of that now with the new trends?
But, back on topic, it's just sad that eminent domain is being used where it probably will have little effect. Build this media box somewhere off of Grand, and branch out from there.
SLU SHOULD build houses for students on that stretch of Olive west of Spring, where my car was stolen. It would force foot traffic and thus no abandonment and isolation, and then possible commercial developments could follow it. Grand Center needs residents, even if they have to be SLU students.
I'm all for new development in the arts district, however, people should be fairly compensated if their businesses are bought out.
- 10K
I just think it's interesting that with all of the vacant land in Grand Center, the Media Box has to go right there. My guess would be that the folks at Grand Center just don't like having a garage right next to two architecturally significant museums.
It will be a nice addition to Grand Center, although I definitely feel for the garage owner.
It will be a nice addition to Grand Center, although I definitely feel for the garage owner.
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Well, it looks like Gentle ?Jim? Day, owner of Royal Auto Repair, gets to stay after all...
<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... CE28">Auto repair owner can stay</A>
BY JAKE WAGMAN
Of the Post-Dispatch
05/26/2005
A St. Louis auto mechanic whose repair shop was targeted for acquisition to make way for a ?Media Box? will get to keep his land after all.
<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... 0D0076CE28">>>> read more</A>
<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... CE28">Auto repair owner can stay</A>
BY JAKE WAGMAN
Of the Post-Dispatch
05/26/2005
A St. Louis auto mechanic whose repair shop was targeted for acquisition to make way for a ?Media Box? will get to keep his land after all.
<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... 0D0076CE28">>>> read more</A>
- 10K
Other locations will be scouted? I hope they don't spend too much time scouting since I can name about 50 right off the top of my head - there are tons of vacant lots all over Grand Center that could be used.
Whatever happened to this plan? Just because GC wasn't able to get the site it wanted doesn't mean that it shouldn't happen somewhere else.
This kind of reminds me of the visual/performing arts high school floated by the owners of the Fox when plans were being made to renovate the Kiel Opera House. Since the Kiel is (supposedly) set to become an arts venue again, I guess we no longer need a visual/performing arts high school? Funny how that works.
This kind of reminds me of the visual/performing arts high school floated by the owners of the Fox when plans were being made to renovate the Kiel Opera House. Since the Kiel is (supposedly) set to become an arts venue again, I guess we no longer need a visual/performing arts high school? Funny how that works.
I don't know if this is a good example or not but it reminds me of the mentality that segregated land uses. The misuse of zoning to completely isolate different land uses contributed to decline of central cities. IMHO, one of the critical issues in GC was the lack of pedestrian/resident density. Services must be accessible if we want residents. There can't be such a place as an arts district without more residents than arts organizations.
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wasn't there another blue building that was supposed to be built just west of grand next to the woolworths bldg? whatever happened to that one?
migueltejada wrote:wasn't there another blue building that was supposed to be built just west of grand next to the woolworths bldg? whatever happened to that one?
It's been completed
