Historical February 1997 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Working together formally for the first time, the City of St. Louis, University City, and Bi-State Development Agency have selected a consulting team to develop a working plan for the MetroLink Station Area on Delmar.
This follows a workshop held at Washington University in early fall, 1996, where community leaders and professionals met to brainstorm a vision for the revitalization of Delmar. Funding is being provided by the State of Missouri Department of Transportation Economic Development Administration, University City, the City of St. Louis, and the Bi-State Development Agency.
The plan will then be used to apply for additional state, local and federal funding for making the vision a reality.
A public meeting is scheduled for February 13, 1997, at Grace Methodist Church, at 7:00 p.m. You are invited to share your ideas and learn about some other innovative plans from around the country. Specific goals include: increasing pedestrian, vehicular, and bicycle access to the station; enhancing the streetscape design to better link MetroLink to the “Loop”; and determining station area enhancement and development opportunities.
The consulting team was selected after careful consideration of their qualifications, including knowledge of Delmar and the surrounding residential neighborhoods, experience with streetscape design and commercial districts, experience with transit-related commercial areas, and professional design credibility.
The team consists of: Johannes Cohen Collaborative—George Johannes and Tom Cohen will provide analysis, land use planning and overall management of the consulting team. Johannes and Cohen are architects whose office is on the 6200 block of Delmar. George Johannes has served in many capacities in the neighborhood, including the Delmar Commercial Committee and as president of the SkinkerDeBaliviere Housing Corporation. Tom Cohen is a recognized architect with historic rehab projects in virtually every City Historic District. Both George and partner Tom Cohen have lived in the neighborhood for many years. Development Program Associates—John Roach and Taulby Roach, Economic Development Study John Roach was previously Alderman of the 28th Ward and was the first Director of the City of St. Louis Community Development Agency.
With Leon Strauss, he worked as part of Pantheon Corporation to redevelop the DeBaliviere Place Neighborhood, one of the largest historic tax credit rehab project of the 80’s in the country. Taulby Roach has been actively working in commercial real estate. Both live in the SkinkerDeBaliviere neighborhood. Currently, Roach is working with the St. Clair County Transit District on MetroLink station area development.
With Johannes-Cohen, they will research the market and prepare an economic development plan for Delmar. Project for Public Spaces—Steve Davies, for Market Research A nationally renowned not-for-profit group based in New York, this organization has extensive experience in working to create livable communities, particularly in terms of enhancing public transit facilities and the areas around them.
They are also working this year on a plan for Soulard Market. Urban Research & Design Center,. Washington University—Dave Van Backergem’s Washington University students will be an integral part of the research team and will assist with administering community surveys. Austin Tao & Associates—Austin Tao, Streetscape Design Austin Tao is widely recognized for his innovative and distinctive landscape design. Among his many projects are the new Clayton lighting and landscaping plans on Forsyth, the landscaping near the lions at the west end of the Loop, and the St. Louis University entrances and plazas. Tao is also a neighbor, living near the Loop.
In addition, Patrick Schuchard, head of the painting department at Washington University. will serve on the team.
An artist who has worked on collaborative design projects, Schuchard will offer a unique perspective to the entire process with an eye toward aesthetic quality and excellence.
According to consulting team leader George Johannes, ” this is a wonderful opportunity to work in our own commu nity and help to make the redevelopment of Delmar a reality.
As we are also neighbors, we have a stake in the success of this plan.
We look forward to working with the other consultants, who can bring additional perspective, knowledge and experience to our plan, and we’re all very excited about creating an exciting plan for Delmar, one that can become a reality.” Members of the Commercial Committee and SDCC, as well as representatives of the West End Community Conference, Bi-State, University City and others will participate in the planning. Representing BiState Development Agency—Sarah Smith, Arts in Transit; City of St. Louis— Joe Ebert, Board of Public Service, and Jill Owens, St. Louis Development Corporation; University City—Anne Kessen Lowell, Director of Economic Development; Community Representatives— Jo Ann Vatcha, Commercial District Committee, and Laure Porterfield, Executive Director, Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council.
The consulting team, together with the above, will hold additional public meetings over the next few months to report their findings and preliminary recommendations to the community. THE TIMES will continue to update you on the team’s progress and invites your comments.
With the formal cooperation of these agencies, additional funding will be achievable, and the long-awaited revitalization of Delmar, especially the area around the Wabash Station is within reach.
The consultants were chosen through a competitive process, with a formal Request for Proposals which was issued in Noverriber, 1996.
The search committee consisted of the following: BI-State Development Agency—Sarah Smith, Arts in Transit; City of St. Louis—Joe Ebert, Board of Public Service, and Jill Owens, St. Louis Development Corporation; University City—Anne Kessen Lowell, Director of Economic Development; Community Representative—Jo Ann Vatcha, Commercial District Committee. Funding is being provided by grants from the State of Missouri Department of Transportation and Bi-State Development Agency, Among the considerations for selection were: knowledge of Delmar and the surrounding residential neighborhoods, experience with streetscape design and commercial districts, experience with transit-related commercial areas, and professional design credibility.
In the past, such consulting competitions have been won by a single firm, frequently unfamiliar with the dynamics of the community.
This time, there was an opportunity to attract highly experienced professional consultants who can also contribute intimate knowledge of our community. One outside consultant was chosen for the team. Project for Public Spaces, based in New York, will work with the Urban Research and Design Center of Washington University to conduct market research and survey riders of Metro Link. Project for Public Spaces brings a wealth of experience for comparable projects across the country and will be kicking off the work of the team with a community meeting on February 13 at Grace Methodist Church.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February 1997.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1997_02.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 7; PDF page(s) 1, 7.
