Downtown Now! Newsletter
August 1998

NEARLY 500 PARTICIPANTS
EXPRESS ROUSING APPROVAL
OF FRAMEWORK PLAN

The attendance of 300-plus participants at the thrid public workshop in June was surpassed when nearly 500 people turned out for the fourth workshop on July 14! It was standing room only at Windows on Washington as the group reviewed a framework plan and concepts that evolved from meetings with stakeholders and comments from previous public meetings.

Basic components of the plan include townhouse development in new downtown neighborhoods, an improved Gateway Mall connected to the Arch grounds, a rejuvenated Old Post Office flanked by a new urban square, cafe-lined streets lively with nightlife and an urban entertainment center.

Mike Jones, chief of staff for Mayor Clarence Harmon, who formed the unique Downtown Now! partnership last fall, told workshop participants that the partnership will determine a feasible, market-driven, five- to seven-year plan for the revitalization of downtown and implement projects that will spur significant immediate investments that can make the future of downtown exciting, vibrant, and world class.

Jones announced that Downtown Now! has two new partners -- NationsBank and Webster University. NationsBank has committed $100 million to revitalize downtown. One of the first investments is a collaboration with Washington University to renovate a loft building on Washington Avenue. Webster is conducting a feasibility study of moving its art and business schools and some administrative offices to the Old Post Office. Other plans for the building might include an elementary or secondary school with an international flavor, a book store and a coffeehouse.

Cales Givens, who heads the EDAW team of urban planners, introduced the Framework Plan, which is composed of four layers -- districts, land use, transportation and open space. Some recommendations of the plan include:

  • Link open space and major attractions with enhanced greenways and "streetscapes" that will make walking pleasurable through out the downtown area
  • Improve downtown transit systems
  • Rehabilitate historic buildings for lofts, office and retail use
  • Emphasize new and rehabbed downtown housing
  • Encourage additional business and education enterprises
  • Connect downtown to the river and the Gateway Mall

Of the 15 designated districts in the downtown area, the proposed five-year plan focuses on Laclede's Landing, Riverside North, Washington Avenue, the Old Post Office Square/Central Business District Core and the Gateway Mall. After the presentations, small groups shared their reactions, suggestions and ideas for priority projects. Among the items most frequently mentioned were: renovation of the Old Post Office Square; enhancement of streets and sidewalks; revitalization of Washington Avenue; a downtown school; creation of a new neighborhood at Laclede's Landing/Riverside North; improvement of downtown transportation; and the enhancement of open spaces and the Gateway Mall.

John Hoal, Downtown Now! project director, closed the session by encouraging participants to tell others about the next workshop at 5:30 p.m. on September 15 at the Old Post Office.

DOWNTOWN NOW! FIFTH PUBLIC WORKSHOP

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 15, 1998
Old Post Office
815 Olive St.

Taking it to the streets. . .
A preview of a Preferred Downtown Revitalization Plan
share the planning, the progress, the pride!

DOWNTOWN NOW! - JUST THE FACTS

Phase One:

  • Oct. 15, 1997 - Mayor Clarence Harmon announced the formation of the 100-member Downtown Now! Task Force.
  • Nov. 1, 1997 - Priorities were identified for encouraging reinvestment in downtown are downtown housing, the Washington Avenue Loft District, reconnecting the Mississippi River to the downtown core and building the convention center hotel at the first public meeting.
  • Dec. 6, 1997 - At a second public meeting, the development principles and priorities that will guide the downtown planning process were established.

Phase Two:

  • January 1998 - A housing study by Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc. revealed a market for nearly 470 new and rehabbed housing units downtown.
  • March 6, 1998 - The task force selected EDAW, Inc. of San Francisco to guide the creation of the revitalization master plan for the downtown core and riverfront.
  • April 1998 - The EDAW team launched the data-gathering phase of the master planning process with a tour of downtown and meetings with more than 200 representatives of downtown-related agencies, transportation officials and local developers.
  • May 1998 - After meeting with nearly 300 downtown stakeholders, four major strategies were developed for revitalizing downtown.
  • June 2, 1998 - More than 300 participants provided input on the proposed strategies at the third public meeting.
  • July 14, 1998 - The largest group ever -- nearly 500 participants -- reviewed the Revitalization Framework Plan and responded enthusiastically.





This page was last updated 11.11.99