Historical September 1997 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Several meetings have been held over the summer, as we near completion of the consulting study and work toward a final plan presentation to the community.
These meetings have included: Business and Property Owners, St. Louis Development Corporation staff, Loop Merchants, Parkview Gardens (apartments), and SkinkerDeBaliviere residents. Feedback on preliminary planning has been voluminous and constructive. Many participants have indicated a preference for having extra sidewalk space (west of the station area) instead of a median, because of the increased opportunity for its use by businesses and pedestrians.
Another concern about having a median involves the need for turn lanes to access businesses.
The so-called “linear park” concept received mixed reviews, including specific concerns about maintenance, business visibility, and consistency.Also, among the many creative suggestions made by participants, several individuals and institutions (churches and other) have noted the need for parking. Participants in all the various meetings have responded favorably to the station area options that include a transit plaza and restricted traffic on Des Peres. Key features of the transit plaza concept include: Limiting traffic on Des Peres Adding a traffic signal and crosswalk at Rosedale Improving signage and sidewalks on Hodlamont Creating a convenient bus transfer area, with designated drop off and pick up area (kiss n’ ride), separate from the bus loading area Customer amenities, such as covered waiting areas, benches, newsstand/kiosk, information kiosk, bike racks, security station, etc. Aside from the public meetings, the consultants have been busy working on analyzing the traffic count information from the City, meeting with the Traffic Division to discuss the findings, in particular the idea of reducing the number of lanes of traffic on Delmar to cut down on the vast width that inhibits development and the comfort level of pedestrians trying to cross the street.
In addition, another part of the consulting team has been at work analyzing financial projections and economic development ideas, and the Delmar Team will be meeting soon to digest all the data and make final recommendations. Arts in Transit received some unexpected funding from the Missouri Arts Council for a temporary public art project on Delmar, and Patrick Schuchard, the artist member of the Delmar Team, and his crew have been working on unique banners for Delmar that feature hand painted portraits of community residents and a few other familiar faces.
The very colorful banners were designed to pique interest in Delmar east from Skinker to the station and on to DeBaliviere.
All in all, lots of work has been going on this summer to move towards a better Delmar. Look for notice of the final plan presentation coming very soon.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September 1997.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1997_09.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 5; PDF page(s) 1, 5.
