January 2011 City Affair

Friday, December 31, 2010 0 comments

Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 7:30pm - Friday, January 7, 2011 at 1:30am
Majestic Restaurant
4900 Laclede Avenue at Euclid in the Central West End

In January, we will be hosting an informal happy hour at the Majestic, an institution in the Central West End for close to 50 years. Come talk about the new year and share new ideas you have for City Affair topics in 2011.

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December City Affair: Proposition A and St. Louis's 1% Earnings Tax

Tuesday, November 30, 2010 0 comments

Thursday, December 2
7:30pm - 9:00pm
Foam Coffee and Beer
3359 South Jefferson Avenue
Saint Louis, MO

On November 2nd, Missouri voters overwhelmingly voted for the passage
of Proposition A, millionaire Rex Sinquefeld's initiative that banned
future municipal earnings taxes and requires St. Louis and Kansas City
voters to approve the continuation of each cf their 1% earnings tax on
residents and those employed in their borders every five years. As
soon as April, voters in both Kansas City and St. Louis will vote to
repeal or ret...ain their city's earnings tax.

At December's City Affair, join us for a spirited discussion when our
panelists and you, the audience, debate the next step in the debate
over the retention of St. Louis's 1% earnings tax. Should we retain
the tax? Should we work for its repeal? What really are the arguments
for and against the 1% earnings tax? How will you vote in April?

Tentatively we have several special speakers/panelists who will join
us to lead the discussion:

Lyda Krewson - Ward 28th Alderwoman

Lisa Selligmann - Architect, Central West End resident

Mike Glodeck (?)- Owner of Foam, small businessman

Stay tuned for longer biographies for each of our panelists, as well
as additional panelists who may join the discussion.

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Wednesday, October 6, 2010 0 comments

City Affair XX time update:

Please show up to Van Goghz around 7:00 pm. The event will begin promptly at 7:30.

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City Affair XX: LGBTQ and St. Louis Revitalization

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 0 comments

October's event will focus on the LBGTQ community's involvement in revitalizing city neighborhoods. What is St. Louis doing to attract and retain these demographics? What can we do better? How do the communities here compare with those of other major cities? We will tackle these questions and more on October 7.

Moderated by Randy Vines with an Introduction by Matt Mourning
With the following panel:
Alderman Shane Cohn of the 25th Ward
Robyn Montague of TransHaven Missouri
And several other speakers to be announced...

Following forty five minutes of panel discussion we will open the floor to audience questions.

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday, October 7th:30-9:00 PM Van Goghz Martini Bar & Bistro (3200 Shenandoah Ave at Compton in the Tower Grove East neighborhood)

2 Drink minimum, please.

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City Affair XIX: Opportunities for Social Justice

Thursday, August 26, 2010 0 comments

As the crowning achievement of humanity, cities can be essentially defined by the bonds between people. While development, finance, and culture grab the most attention among urbanists, it is time to examine the public responsibility that underlies urban environments.




Are we responsible for maintaining a foundation of solidarity with all elements of society? Is egalitarianism possible in the divisive modern urban environment?

We will discuss issues of social justice and activism with a panel of local advocates:

Shawn Mckie - The Juice Project blends media literacy and health literacy education with physical exercise and art for social change. The Juice Box, which is also home to J.U.I.C.E., Inc., sits in a predominantly Black low-income neighborhood, and thus, re-imagines the corner store.

Jay Swoboda and RJ Koscielniak - Whats Up Magazine is St. Louis' activist publication with an ear to the street. Whats Up is sold by St. Louis' homeless and strives to create fairness, opportunity and community by covering issues that socially conscious people want to know about.

Claire Wolff - The Urban Studio Café is a non-profit cafe with a mission to foster a sense of strong community, creativity, knowledge and enrichment while providing a quality cup of joe. The Urban Studio has a successful history of providing enriching programs to youth in Old North St. Louis. Revenue generated by the cafe supports these programs.

Emily Beck will moderate the panel discussion.
Following panel discussion we will open the floor to questions.

EVENT INFORMATION


SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
OLD NORTH ST. LOUIS RESTORATION GROUP OFFICES
2700 N. 14th St.
ST. LOUIS, MO. 63106


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CHEROKEE: A GREAT STREET HAPPENING NOW!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 1 comments

Several months ago City Affair took on the topic of some of the future Great Streets of St. Louis. On Thursday, August 5th return with us to Cherokee to hear from several people making Cherokee a Great Street today.

Our panelists for the evening will include:

Randy Vines of STL-Style.  STL-Style had been operating as an internet-based company for about 9 years before Randy and Jeff Vines made the leap into a storefront, opening Style House at 3155 Cherokee Street. They chose this area for a number of reasons, not the least among them its relative affordability and growing concentration of creative DIY startups.

Kristin Gassel of The St. Louis Curio Shoppe. The Shoppe will carry music, books, crafts, clothing, specialty food products, jewelry, souvenirs, collectibles and assorted other sundries and curiosities all made in the St. Louis area. The Curio Shoppe plans to have a positive impact on our city by supporting local businesses of all sizes and ensuring that a maximum amount of consumer dollars goes directly back to our community.

Juan Montana of Cherokee Photobooth. Opened on Easter weekend this year, Cherokee Photobooth is a unique storefront operation that embraces everything that makes Cherokee Street special-- diverse, creative, fun, gritty, and colorful.  Just drop into this unassuming storefront for a fun, quirky photo session custom-suited to your personality.

Matthew Mourning, who writes the blog Dotage will be the moderator for the evening.  Matthew returned to St. Louis after completing grad school in New Orleans and has recently become a resident of Cherokee Street.

Following the brief panel discussion we will open the floor to audience questions.

EVENT INFORMATION

Thursday, August 5th 7:30-9:00 PM  2301 Cherokee Street, one block east of Jefferson, the future storefront of The St. Louis Curio Shoppe, which will open Auguat 28th 

This is a BYOB event.


2301 Cherokee, the soon to be home of the St. Louis Curio Shoppe

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CITY AFFAIR XVI: BLOG CITY 6/3/10 7PM

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 0 comments

ARE BLOGS AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF FURTHERING CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY? DO THEY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT TO SEEK POLITICAL ACTION OR DO THEY SERVE AS A REPLACEMENT FOR MEANINGFUL INVOLVEMENT?



JOIN THE DISCUSSION

The ongoing conversation of urbanism and historic preservation of St. Louis architecture and its city form is largely fueled by buzzing blogs and their readership. With so much work to be done toward the revitalization of our city, we ask how web-based advocacy of the betterment our built environment plays a meaningful role in that revitalization with the following panel:

ALEX IHNEN - blogger, URBANSTL.COM
MATTHEW MOURNING - blogger, STLDOTAGE
STEVE PATTERSON - blogger, URABANREVIEWSTL

Following forty five minutes of panel discussion we will open the floor to audience questions.

Please note this is not a BYOB event like many City Affairs. Urban Eats has a great selection of drinks, and they'll be extending happy hour prices for the evening. We encourage everyone to check out their food menu and support a local business.

To have your order ready when you get there, we encourage you to place an order ahead of time.


CITY AFFAIR XVI: BLOG CITY


Thursday, June 3rd 2010
7:00-9:00 PM
Urban Eats Café
3301 Meramec Street
St. Louis, Mo. 63118


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CITY AFFAIR XV: RECONNECTING CITY AND RIVER

Monday, March 22, 2010 0 comments



ONE OF THE LARGEST CRITIQUES OF THE CITY OF SAINT LOUIS HAS BEEN THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT HAS DEVELOPED A STERILE AND DEAD DOWNTOWN AREA AND TURNED ITS BACK ON THE RIVERFRONT



While this condition is the legacy of failed midcentury planning and policy, we will continue to struggle if we take the result for granted. Cities around the country are capitalizing on their neglected riverfront areas to catalyze development, attract residents, and bolster tourist economies. In Saint Louis, the channel that slices through downtown disrupts recreational opportunities and depresses the values of adjacent properties. Many strategies have been proposed, but a radical rethinking of downtown may be required.



WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS TO RECONNECT THE CITY STREET GRID TO THE RIVERFRONT, THE ARCH GROUNDS, AND LACLEDE'S LANDING? DO NEW DEVELOPMENTS FINALLY MAKE IT FEASIBLE TO REMOVE THE FORMER INTERSTATE 70 THROUGH DOWNTOWN?

City to River, the volunteer grass roots group that is promoting the removal of the former I-70 through Downtown and replacement with a pedestrian friendly urban boulevard will be giving a brief presentation about the concept and its transformative potential. City to River believes that removing the highway is the only real way to restore the lost connections between Downtown, the Arch, districts north and south and the river itself.

City to River will answer questions about the concept and provide an opportunity to get involved with this transformative effort. There are many ways that supporters can assist City to River including contacting and meeting with stakeholders, marketing and promotion, contacting politicians, technical assistance and more.

Come find out how you can be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity to reopen the front door of St. Louis by resolving a planning mistake from the “urban renewal” era.

The following panel will represent City to River:

RICK BONASCH - Director of Technical Assistance at RHCDA / Coordinator of City to River

ANDREW FAULKNER - Architect, Urban Designer / City to River

PAUL HOHMANN - Architect / City to River

KARA HOLLAND - Designer / City to River


After a brief concept presentation, there will be discussion moderated by Randy Vines.


CITY AFFAIR XV: RECONNECTING CITY AND RIVER


APRIL 1, 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
MORGAN STREET BREWERY (not byob)
721 North 2nd Street
St Louis, MO 63102-2518


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Saint Louis, We Hear You

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 4 comments


UPCOMING CITY AFFAIR TOPICS



The polls have closed, the results have been tabulated, and the chads have been hung. Thank you to the all thirty seven of you who voted on topics you would like to see at upcoming city affairs. Please note the new poll topic: "What is the greatest challenge to urbanism in Saint Louis?".



As you can see, the big winner was a discussion on sustainable urbanism. We hear you, and we promise that will be on the agenda as soon as we can convene an appropriate panel. The topic of Young Entrepreneurs (or "Young Turks" as some on the steering committee have take to calling it will be kicking off the fall City Affair schedule, and we are planning on hosting discussions on immigration and the legacy of segregation then as well. In the meantime, we are announcing the following topics for the spring:

City Affair XV: Reconnecting City and River
When: Thu Apr 1, 2010 7:30pm to 9pm CDT
Morgan Street Brewery [More details soon!]

City Affair welcomes representatives from the City To River grassroots coalition to discuss the importance of reconnecting Saint Louis to the Missississippi, their vision for reconnection, and why this is a pivotal time for this idea.

Please note, this is not a BYOB event


City Affair XVI: On Hold for Pecha Kucha
When: Thu May 6, 2010 7:00pm to 9pm CDT

We are waiving our usual monthly meeting to help support St. Louis Pecha Kucha. St, Louis is now one of 291 cities around the world that host Pecha Kucha meetings. PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace. Pecha Kucha #3 is currently being planned for 5/06/10 and we want to go, so City Affair will return in June!

City Affair XVII: TBD
When: Thu Jun 3, 2010 7:30pm to 9pm CDT

City Affair XVIII: Summer Party
When: Thu Jul 1, 2010 7:30pm to 10pm CDT

City Affair is not just about wonkish discussions of urbanism and policy. Help us celebrate our city and the birthday of our country in July.

As always, up-to-date information on upcoming City Affair Events can be found on our calendar feed



UPCOMING:
CITY AFFAIR XV: RECONNECTING CITY AND RIVER


APRIL 1, 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
MORGAN STREET BREWERY (not byob)
721 North 2nd Street
St Louis, MO 63102-2518


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City Affair XIV: Gentrification: 3/4/10 7:30PM

Monday, February 22, 2010 2 comments


Is gentrification a problem in Saint Louis?


Gentrification is a loaded term. Literally referring to the process of renovating and improving (esp. a house or district) so that it conforms to middle-class taste, it is entwined with issues of politics, class, and race. How one defines gentrification and whether it is a positive or negative depends on how it has affected you.




We will look to our panelists for discussion about the function of gentrification, the dynamics that they perceive as contributing to gentrification, and what can be done through policy to minimize negative effects of gentrification.

Our panel consists of:
Steven Smith - Owner of the Royale and activist.

Minerva Lopez - Past President of the Cherokee Station Business Association

Alex Ihnen - Regional Director of Development at Washington University, blogger at St. Louis Urban Workshop

Alycia Green - Advocate at The People's Advocate St. Louis

Michael Allen will moderate the panel discussion.

Following forty five minutes of panel discussion we will open the floor to audience questions.


CITY AFFAIR XIV: GENTRIFICATION


MARCH 4, 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
STYLEhouse (STL-Style)
3155 Cherokee St.
Saint Louis, Mo. 63118


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City Affair XIII: Transit Advocacy Leads to Healthy Debate and Challenge to Participate

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 0 comments



City Affair XIII: Transit Advocacy was a marked success




Despite forecasts of snow, City Affair XIII saw over fifty participants learn more about Proposition A, challenge our transit panelists and receive a challenge in turn to turn out, phone bank, organize , and fight for Proposition A

Thanks to everyone who braved the cold, mixed precipitation, and threats of snow to attend City Affair XIII at the offices of Arcturis. The discussion was often boisterous with panelists Tom Shrout, Courtney Sloger, and Mark Phillips outlining the future plans of Metro, discussing strategy for victory for the upcoming vote on Proposition A this April, and being kept on their toes by a lively discussion section.

City Affair STL would like to pass on the following resources to transit advocacy interested citizens:

Newly Redesigned Metro Website - Now featuring Google Transit for trip planning purposes and soon rolling out a smart phone application

Moving Transit Forward: Metro's 30 Year Plan - Developed through several charrettes with City, County, and Metro East residents.

More MetroLink - Advocacy Site to support the passage of Proposition A

Voter Neighbor - System to encourage participation for Proposition A. Contact Courtney Sloger for more information

Next Stop STL - Metro's Blog.

Advance Saint Louis - Supporting Proposition A

Ten Toes Express - If you are a member of City Affair, make the commitment towards sustainable transportation

Finally the featured video is now the pro-Proposition A spot produced by Citizens for Modern Transit

Reminder:


City Affair XIV: Gentrification


March 4, 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
LOCATION T.B.A. Soon!

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010 0 comments


CITY AFFAIR UPDATE





The February City Affair will be taking place tomorrow, February 4th 2010, at the offices of Arcturis.

We have added Mark Phillips, a long range planner for metro, to the panel.

For details on the after party, please scroll to the end of this post.

We would like to encourage you to take transit to City Affair. The offices of Arcturis are located in the Laclede Gas building directly above the 8th and Pine Metrolink Station. Please visit TripFinder to plan your route to City Affair.

EVENT INFORMATION


Thursday, February 4 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
Arcturis Offices
Laclede Gas Building, Second Floor
720 Olive Street Saint Louis, Mo. 63101

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CITY AFFAIR AFTERPARTY


Thursday, February 4 2010
9:30 PM - Midnight
Sol Lounge
4239 Lindell Bvld. Saint Louis, Mo. 63108
Between Whittier and Boyle

You can get to the after party on Metro by taking the #10 bus westbound from 14th and Pine. The #10 leaves from 14th and Pine at 9:30 and 10:10pm and the trip is around 15 minutes.

The afterparty at Sol benefits the Saint Louis Urban Studio. Admission is $5 and helps to support the Urban Studio's excellent programs. For more information view the facebook event.

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2/4/10 City Affair: Transit Advocacy in Saint Louis

Thursday, January 21, 2010 4 comments

Saint Louis has a better performing and more used transit system than many comparable cities and regions, yet popular opinion continuously sides against Metro. Current events have demonstrated that transit is a vital component of the economy. While the state of Illinois recognizes the importance of transit, Missouri provides 7% as much funding for Metro and ranks 35th nationally for transit funding.



Given these structural issues what can we do to help?
We will hear about new metro initiatives and discuss strategies for supporting Proposition M with the following panel:
Tom Shrout - Tom is Executive Director of Citizens for Modern Transit, an advocacy organization founded over twenty years ago to advocate for light rail transit in Saint Louis. Mr. Shrout first spoke to City Affair in April 2009.

Courtney Sloger - Courtney is an online media specialist for Metro where she coordinates the new metro blog Next Stop STL: http://www.nextstopstl.org/

Melissa Legge - Melissa is a former Metro intern and senior in environmental studies at Washington University

Following forty five minutes of panel discussion we will open the floor to audience questions.

EVENT INFORMATION


Thursday, February 4 2010
7:30-9:00 PM
Arcturis Offices
Laclede Gas Building, Second Floor
720 Olive Street Saint Louis, Mo. 63101

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