City Affair Saint Louis

City Affair is focusing on Grand Center, St. Louis’s esteemed Theater and Arts District, in November.

Currently the subject of an ongoing master plan process, this event will start at the 2nd public forum for the Grand Center master plan and continue with a walking tour and drinks

Grand Center’s Master Planning process public forum, begins at 5:30pm (until 7:30pm) at the majestic Scottish Rite Auditorium. For more information on the process and event, as well as the previous Master Plan public meeting in July 2011 see the website.

After the meeting, we’ll meet at 7:45 in front of the Continental Building walk past some of St. Louis’s most exciting construction projects, all located in Grand Center and moving forward despite a sluggish economy.

Not one but two St. Louis radio stations will be establishing a bricks-and-mortar presence in Grand Center, and we’ll walk by both sites. KDHX (88.1) will be moving to the 3524 Washington building (formerly used by the Creepy Crawl) and will be renovating the structure, adding a café to the ground floor. St. Louis’s National Public Radio affiliate, KWMU (90.7), will be moving to a brand new, 27,000-square foot facility located on Olive just west of Grand, departing from its present home at the UMSL campus. Construction is underway.

Also in the construction process is the long vacant Metropolitan Building, at the northeast corner of Grand and Olive. Minneapolis-based developer Dominium plans to convert the building to 72 artist-centric apartments. Architect and veteran City Affair member Paul Hohmann will be on deck to discuss the renovation, which will restore what is likely the most prominent empty building in the district to its proper vitality.

We’ll discuss the past, present and future of Grand Center at the newly reincarnated Dooley’s, the famed burger place with the ice cream scoops of cheddar cheese once located downtown in the Chemical Building. Dooley’s now calls Grand Center home, located at 601 N. Grand Blvd.

Spotlight on Grand Center

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH 7:30-9:00 PM
Grand Center Public Meeting - 3633 Lindell Boulevard, 5:30PM
Walking Tour - meet in front of Continental Building - 3615 Olive, 7:45PM
Dooley's Beef N Brew House - 601 N. Grand Blvd., 8:15PM

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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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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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