Historical April 1998 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Neighborhood residents, business people, and transit riders met at Crossroads School on March 19. 1998, to exchange views and discuss options for enhancing the Forest Park MetroLink station.
This was the first of a series of community planning sessions sponsored by Bi-State Development Agency (BSDA) and Arts in Transit (AIT), its community partnership program. BSDA has announced its intention to develop a permanent parking facility on the site of the existing 200-vehicle park-and-ride lot located west of the station. Working with a team of consultants, BSDA and AIT have undertaken a study to develop design concepts and to determine the feasibility of a market based transit-oriented development in the area around the station.
The intent is to create a collaborative approach that encourages citizen involvement. Sarah B. Smith, Director of AIT, opened the March 19 meeting, citing the desire to assure that the parking facility and any related enhancements are of the highest quality design, contribute positively to the neighborhood, improve pedestrian links between the station and the surrounding community, and complement the planned improvements in Forest Park and at the Missouri Historical Society. Smith informed the group in attendance that AIT/BSDA has a budget of approximately $3 million. for this project.
The lead consultant in the planning process is MackeyMitchell Associates, a St. Louis based architectural firm with experience working in this neighborhood. CLG Enterprises, represented at the meeting by Carol Gossett, will provide expertise in market development and financial planning. Catalyst Public Relations, represented by Myrtle Bailey, will be responsible for community input. AIT has also selected artist Tad Savinar to be a member of this collaboration. Representing MackeyMitchell at the March 19 meeting was architect Carlene Nolan-Pederson. NolanPederson provided an overview of transit-oriented development (TOD), which she defined as a mixed use community comprising residential, retail, office and public open space within an average 10 to 15 minute walk of a transit stop.
She presented a short video “Transit Stop Opportunities” to illustrates some of the features of a successful TOD.
In such a development, a transit station and the associated commercial area serves as a neighborhood focal point, with safe, direct and pleasant pedestrian connections; a plaza or village green for community activities; building entries and windows facing onto street and walks; and reduced functional and aesthetic dominance of parking. Through facilitated small group discussion, the participants in this first community planning session offered the following suggestions: • Restore and revitalize the DeBaliviere streetscape through storefront, street-level commercial development, to include such businesses and services as a post office substation, bicycle rental and repair, florist, coffee shop, newstand, MetroRide Center, gym or fitness center, and Forest Park visitor’s information center. • Increase pedestrian and vehicular safety by 1) extending the MetroLink platform west of DeBaliviere below street level, and adding stairs and an elevator from the commuter parking lot; 2) enlarging shelters and creating bus pull-in areas; and 3) adding clearly marked crosswalks on DeBaliviere. • Improve parking for commuters. Options include: 1) resurface and mark the existing lot; 2) build 1. to 3 deck parking structure with adequate lighting and security; 3) investigate alternatives to shift some commuter parking to the Delmar station parkand-ride lot.
To express your views on enhancing the Forest Park MetroLink station, plan to attend the two additional community planning meetings.
They will be held at Peoples Health Center, 5701 Delmar, at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12 and Tuesday, June 30.
The project team will have preliminary plans to review at the May 12 meeting. You may pick up and return community survey forms through May 1 at the following locations: Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council 6008 Kingsbury Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central West End Bank 415 DeBaliviere Monday through Thursday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, 8:45 .a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
For more information about upcoming meetings, please contact Myrtle Bailey at 436-8877, or e-mail Bi-State at ait@bsda.org.
Original photograph caption
Residents at Forest Park station planning meeting. Photo by King Schoenfeld.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April 1998.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1998_04.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 4; PDF page(s) 1, 4.
