Biondi speaks out against critics of school deal

[AlumniFan]

What you actually wrote was as follows:

"As for a "secure campus," I again cite Wash. U. I grew up in U. City, and the Loop in the '70s -- especially the area just north of it -- was every bit as scary as what is now Grand Center. Even moreso, in that it was a decaying residential area (Grand Center had very few residences), and there was a major drug trade in the area around Eastgate."

I note that in your response to me, which included your prior comments, you failed to include the sentence "As for a "secure campus", I again cite Wash. U.". Given this first sentence, the entire context of your paragraph changes quite significantly, especially because the words in quotes ("secure campus") referred to my previous post. Hence, I stand by what I believe was a logical interpretation of the entirety of PRECISELY what you wrote, not just selected clippings.

I have no interest in arguing. It is just that your writing reads rather angry. Perhaps that is in inaccurate inference on my part. I like what SLU is doing. I understand the need to handle it the way they have handled it. And I disagree, based on my intepretation of the facts, with your assessment of the outcomes of many of these issues, especially the implied economic outcomes.

By the way, there has been very substantial development (in dollars) around the Jones Dome (see the new convention center hotel which is huge) and Breckenridge's hotel (Sheraton) development just a block from Savvis. Both of these cites were previously abandoned or under used buildings. Once again, I simply disagree with your interpretation of the facts. Specifically, you wrote: "I submit that the preponderance of evidence (e.g. draw a half-mile radius around Busch Stadium, the Jones Dome and the Savvis Center and cite the "ancillary development" they've engendered) shows that such claims are utter crap.")

Let's get back to basketball. If you want to have the last word, please do. Hope to meet you some day for a beer to talk Billiken Basketball and all of this other junk!

[bonwich]

Well, for clarification regarding the "secure campus" issue, my point was that for the past 10-15 years, SLU has followed an explicit policy of discouraging students from wandering outside the boundaries of the campus. Conversely, starting about 20 years ago, Wash. U. established a policy of assisting in the redevelopment of the neighborhoods adjoining the U. City Loop (and, for its med campus, the lower CWE) and actively encouraging its students, faculty and staff to live there. Certainly, there are pros and cons of each approach, but I would say that the physical and economic results have been much more successful in the Loop.

The two Renaissance Hotels was built 1) because the City threw $300M at it -- which, for the record, is currently in danger of default and 2) because there's a CONVENTION CENTER across the street. If you believe the Jones Dome, as dubiously claimed by CVC and the RCGA, is a necessary part of the convention center, I ask you the same thing I've asked them: How many convention-specific events are held in the Jones Dome each year, and how many other convention facilities in the United States have a domed football stadium that they consider an integral part of their convention-hosting facilities?

Angry? Maybe. I've watched this stuff from fairly close in for about 25 years now. The irony is that one of my economics profs at SLU was a big proponent of the theory that grassroots-size investments were infinitely more important to sustained economic growth than were giant public-works-style projects. The development history of St. Louis in the past 25 years does seem to validate his hypothesis.

[bonwich]

"I'll take the Tiff money, smile, and think about all the other tax money gushing out of the seams of city hall. For once some of it will go to something I care about rather than something like putting 1000 cast iron light poles on a goofy little bridge."

The contrast between the relatively conservative nature of this board and the "what's a few million tax dollars as long as we get ours" tone shown here is somewhat ironic.

[Billiken Rich]

for the wealthy is the American way! Think of all the construction workers on the project and lighten up. I'd rather the tiff money was flushed down the Billiken Toilet than used to build a wall to make sure all that nasty traffic on Grand doesn't bother our former mayor or his dad.

[AB34]

Does any here believe that "Grand Center" is worthy of being described as an area of the city, like a Soulard or West End? I don't. It's a strip of theatres with little or nothing else to do around them and then SLU. It's what, three blocks? There's Vito's, Best Steak House (awesome place), Gary's and Jazz at the Bistro. No stores or the like. People come to the Fox or Symphony and leave the area.

Will the new arena help the "area?" I don't think so. They're building the arena at a developed-locked site, meaning one will not be able to add a restaurant or bar or anything around it. The arena will be an island. Harris-Stowe is to the east, 40 to the south, and then SLU owns the rest of the property around it. Just east on Market there's Y98 and then a strip mall, then Sigma and AG Edwards. People will still have to walk form Humph's if they want a burger and beer before the game. The only area that can be developed is the old Firehouse and that strip east of Compton on Olive.

I love we're getting an on-campus arena. It's a perfect size for SLU, and it adds to the campus. But I don't think it will necessarily improve the area of Grand Center.

[willie]

Part of the reason Wash U made an investment in properties off campus is because they are land locked. They simply didn't have the space on campus to build more dorms unless they take all of the limited green space left. I will give them credit for seeing a problem and dealing with it the best way could. As an aside there is a debate within U City political types as to whether this is a good thing. Every apt. building that Wash U buys loweres U Cities property taxes.

[SLUNATE]

Bonwich...

part of the reason why SLU discourages people from wandering the neighborhoods is safety. In the past six months there have been something like four armed robberies (two in broad daylight) and multiple car thefts.

I hope the Hometown SLU initiative picks up steam...I think that will help to some degree.