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OT: Midtown Development


Pistol

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I hope they don't just make it a grassy field, similar to Lindell and Grand.

They better not. I'm all for some green space on campus, but you are also in the middle of a city, SLU. Adapt to your surroundings...don't bring Chesterfield to midtown please. Don't get me wrong, SLU has done a lot of good things...they've also done some stupid things when it comes to enhancing the urban environment around campus (See Lindell and Grand)
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They better not. I'm all for some green space on campus, but you are also in the middle of a city, SLU. Adapt to your surroundings...don't bring Chesterfield to midtown please. Don't get me wrong, SLU has done a lot of good things...they've also done some stupid things when it comes to enhancing the urban environment around campus (See Lindell and Grand)

Are we talking about Tegler Field or the Dog Park thing.
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Are we talking about Tegler Field or the Dog Park thing.

Not sure. There used to be a building at the corner of Lindell and Grand. Housed the old Vitos, Bullfeathers (may she rest in in peace) and some Chinese restaurant. SLU bought it and tore it down. Can't remember their reasoning behind it but it was a real cool building that could have been rehabbed. Would have added that much more to the already up and coming 'midtown' row. Too bad SLU. Bad move.
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word around slu is that they are buying the del taco and are putting in a starbucks/panera/wings place/qdoba. ive heard all of these. well see if this is true. no factual evidence to back this up....so yeah.

they can't do anything to that del taco, there is a freshwater shark that lives in the bowl and until it dies, THE OF THE TACO STAYS.

there will be no further discussion on this matter.

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Not sure. There used to be a building at the corner of Lindell and Grand. Housed the old Vitos, Bullfeathers (may she rest in in peace) and some Chinese restaurant. SLU bought it and tore it down. Can't remember their reasoning behind it but it was a real cool building that could have been rehabbed. Would have added that much more to the already up and coming 'midtown' row. Too bad SLU. Bad move.

They claimed the Marina Building was beyond repair - baloney. Meanwhile, in Old North St. Louis (the neighborhood around Crown Candy), buildings that were just about to collapse have been brought back to life.

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they can't do anything to that del taco, there is a freshwater shark that lives in the bowl and until it dies, THE OF THE TACO STAYS.

there will be no further discussion on this matter.

Oh back in the fall of aught two, I watched a man get run over by a car from high above in my perch on the 14th floor of griesedieck tower. I thought it was an accident, but the vehicular assailant disproved that myth by throwing his late 70s buick into reverse and running said gentleman over again, presumably ending said life.

And I love a good macho fry to end the evening.

Oh memories..

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Oh back in the fall of aught two, I watched a man get run over by a car from high above in my perch on the 14th floor of griesedieck tower. I thought it was an accident, but the vehicular assailant disproved that myth by throwing his late 70s buick into reverse and running said gentleman over again, presumably ending said life.

And I love a good macho fry to end the evening.

Oh memories..

hahahaha, i used to lawnjob the hell out of that place. i won't indict myself further w/ more stories, but that place is legendary. everybody gets filthy at of the taco. i never killed anybody, though.

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RE: Del Taco

The Del Taco building is apparently on the National Register, meaning that if the SLUmor is actually true, it would be difficult (but not impossible) to tear it down.

That place is on the National Register of Historic Places???? What kind of criteria is involved to get a building on said list? If the Del Taco building qualifies, then I can't see the criteria being too exclusive. With that in mind, I would think most of the White Castle's in St. Louis, except for any that have been built in the last couple of years, would qualify as well.

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That place is on the National Register of Historic Places???? What kind of criteria is involved to get a building on said list? If the Del Taco building qualifies, then I can't see the criteria being too exclusive. With that in mind, I would think most of the White Castle's in St. Louis, except for any that have been built in the last couple of years, would qualify as well.

Modern buildings are among the most threatened in the country, and Del is a great example of that architectural style. I love it.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

i heard about the Hotel building, but where did you read the release on the new lofts?

The Midtown redevelopment project also includes renovation of two buildings adjacent to the hotel along west Locust Street. The buildings will be combined to offer 25 market-rate, loft and flat-style apartments that will be geared primarily for graduate students and the general public. Approximately 2,500 square feet of retail space is planned for the ground floor. The Lawrence Group also is a development partner on the apartments, which could open as early as this fall.

http://www.slu.edu/x36607.xml

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  • 1 month later...

An update on the Grand bridge:

St. Louis (KMOV.com) -- After facing numerous delays from acquiring private land, St. Louis Board of Public Service President Richard Bradley, P.E., believes demolition of the Grand Boulevard Bridge in Midtown will commence by the end of 2010, paving way to the construction of a completely new and redesigned bridge.

Once the yearlong project is completed, the new bridge will feature numerous improvements that aim to enhance safety, and appearance.

Currently, the pedestrian sidewalks on either side of the bridge measure less than four feet in width, something SLU student Brett Kostrzewski calls “an unsafe nuisance.”

The new plans have the sidewalks expanding to 13 feet, three times the width of the current bridge.

Another needed improvement on the bridge features separate turn out lanes for buses and vehicles, ending present-day traffic hazards caused by sudden stops of vehicles dropping off or picking up Metrolink passengers.

Other notable additions with the new bridge include separate bike lanes, improved lighting, four towers that replicate the original bridge and a 9-foot-wide median which will be maintained by SLU.

“SLU is excited about taking over [the median] and having some ownership in the bridge,” said William Early, P.E., the city’s chief bridge engineer. Early said SLU will maintain the planting, mulching and watering of the new median.

Bradley thinks the project will be set for bids later this Summer, with the notice to proceed taking place over the Fall. After that, the demolition of the existing bridge can take place which Bradley believes will occur during the Winter. But, SLU officials told the campus in February that construction was set for July.

Why the delay?

“We are expanding the width of the current bridge, so it required right of way,” said Bradley. “And because you’re dealing with private entities, it takes more time.”

The city also wants to make improvements to the suggested alternative routes, Compton and Vandeventer, before closing a bridge that carries 30,000 cars a day, Bradley said.

The year-long project will likely cause headaches for SLU students navigating between the medical and main campus, as well as commuters who use the Grand Metrolink station, which will close for the duration of the project. The train service will still run under the bridge and will not alter.

“[Metro doesn’t want] passengers waiting under a bridge that is under construction,” said Early.

“For the amount of time the bridge will be down, the final product will be well worth [the wait],” Bradley said. “It will be the main North-South route in the city of St. Louis.”

The estimated cost of the project is $25 million, 80% of which comes from federal funding.

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  • 1 month later...

A few items regarding the area around SLU...

Local NPR affiliate KWMU is moving its studio from the UMSL campus to a new building to be constructed on Olive, in between the Superman/Continental Building and Channel 9's studio. Construction begins next month, and the building should be ready a year from now. I believe UMSL will have some classroom space there as well. This is a pretty cool project.

City Diner, a longtime South Grand favorite, has opened its second location right next to the Fox. Kota Wood-Fired Grill is now open across the street.

The Metropolitan Building is slated to be renovated into 74 units of artist housing - financing is almost complete and the project could be open as early as summer 2012:

Posted Image

Grand Center is trying to lure a 136-room Hyatt Place Hotel in the Missouri Theatre Building south of Powell Hall. They're hoping to have financing in place by the end of the year:

Posted Image

Streetscape improvements to Grand are set to begin in the next two months.

A new performing arts charter school is going into the old Carter Carburetor building:

Posted Image

It's sounding like things are really starting to fall into place between the projects that Grand Center is working on, and the organic development that's taking place just to the east in Midtown Alley. We may end up with a "college town" environment around SLU just yet.

Now, if SLU would just do something about the massive vacant lot at Grand and Lindell...

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  • 3 weeks later...

http://urbanchestnut.com/age-verification-default

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet on here, but the Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. will be opening this fall at 3229 Washington Ave. This gives SLU three breweries within walking distance, as Buffalo and Six Row are in full swing. UCBC will not feature a brewpub like Buffalo, but will have a tasting room and biergarden, and have things like cheeses, breads, and meats that will complement the brews. The news initially broke this spring that the place would be opening, but after some delays they plan to be open by "fall" or "late" 2010. The UCBC website is pretty great, and gives some background on their philosophy and what kinds of beers you can expect from them.

Here are some photos of the building:

http://www.duffenuernbergerrealty.com/3229washington.html

-A few general updates on Six Row: I've been in a few times recently and the new Double IPA is great. They still aren't serving their own food yet but will heat up a few locally made things (Gus' Bratzels, DeGregario's (sp?) Pizza, etc.) for you. They have long-term plans to start a kitchen and one owner has expressed his wishes to do so within 12 months. They also hope to be bottling by the end of 2010 and have their sights on the basement next door for expanding capacity and starting a bottling line. Long-term plans also include the upstairs space in their building (old Falstaff offices) for banquets. Six Row stuff is available now at over a dozen bars and restaurants around the city, and they just got distribution in Illinois and can be found at several places over there.

-I don't have much news on Buffalo, but can give give the place a huge endorsement. Drew, a SLU grad from the now defunct Mattingly Brewing Co., has been helping out here occasionally (and at Schlafly a good amount). They had a few small-batch releases last month and also will be participating in the Great Taste of the Midwest up in Madison, WI this weekend. The beers from Buffalo are very good and the food was a really pleasant surprise for me- better than typical brewpub fare. I'll have to get here a lot before games.

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I'm excited about Urban Chestnut and even more excited about Jake Hafner's new microbrewery in Tower Grove South. It's great to see so many microbrew start-ups popping up these days, and it's especially good to have them all in the city. I have no idea why O'Fallon Brewery doesn't move its production into the city - they could move into the old Lemp or Falstaff breweries in Benton Park.

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I'm excited about Urban Chestnut and even more excited about Jake Hafner's new microbrewery in Tower Grove South. It's great to see so many microbrew start-ups popping up these days, and it's especially good to have them all in the city. I have no idea why O'Fallon Brewery doesn't move its production into the city - they could move into the old Lemp or Falstaff breweries in Benton Park.

Yeah, the Civil Life should be pretty solid. Both of these new places are being opened by experienced, well-traveled guys who really know their stuff. I'm sure the results will speak for themselves.

I would love if O'Fallon moved production into the city. I guess that would make the name sort of obsolete, though. I haven't been out to the facility there, so I don't know what their situation is or what kind of recent investment they've put into it or how difficult it would be to move. I'm guessing that based on some of the new offerings they've had in the past year and how many states I've seen their stuff in, they're pretty well established way out there in O'Fallon.

I've also wondered how feasible moving into the old Falstaff or Lemp breweries would be. The operating costs of those buildings (on top of renovation) have to be pretty dramatic, especially compared to the aluminum-frame building O'Fallon is now in. Amalgamated Brewing operates in The Stable, formerly part of Lemp's campus, and I think their operating costs are fairly high.

Also well outside the city, 2nd Shift Brewing will be opening shortly in New Haven, MO. With the places that are that far outside the city, I just hope they bottle their stuff early on so more people get a chance to try it, and then if I ever get a chance to visit, that's just gravy.

Anyway, Midtown is turning into a great brewing neighborhood and SLU fans will never have far to go to get some good beer.

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