The Times of Skinker Debaliviere February-March 2016
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Vol. 45, No. 5 February - March, 2016 http://SDTimes.org/index.html The oldest neighborhood newspaper in St. Louis FREE Independent and all volunteer-run since 1970 Meet the New SDCC Director Clayco Plans 14-Story, 200-Apartment Building in By Lana Stein the East Loop On January 4, By Richard Bose Brandon Sterling assumed the The long-vacant duties of executive large lot between director of the Big Shark Bicycles Skinker DeBaliviere and Gokul Indian Community Restaurant at 6103- Council. He was 6131 Delmar the unanimous Boulevard could choice of the be developed as a search committee 14-story, 209-unit headed by Mary apartment building Pat O'Gorman. within two years. Sterling makes a The Yellow Cab strong positive first Company building was impression. He is photo by King Schoenfeld demolished in 2006 by energetic and a fellow well met. He has been Josh and Neal Shapiro, working with previous director Liz Pund to owners of Original familiarize himself with the neighborhood and Cast Lighting. Plans to redevelop the site and Bob Clark. I think the design is both the SDCC budget and activities. He is already didn’t get off the ground due to the recession. residential and iconic. Moreover, it sets a very working on possible events to commemorate the The Times profiled the plan in its April-May high standard for what comes next on Delmar. 50th anniversary of the council. 2006 issue. The Shapiros rehabbed their I hope you agree.” Sterling notes that he grew up in University building across the street, which now hosts The proposed building contains 209 market- City and had friends here that he visited. After restaurant Tavolo V and offices for Prozess rate apartments over 14 stories with 4,500 sf applying for his new position, he toured the Technologie. The empty lot has languished as of ground-level retail. It is an incomplete “U” neighborhood to see how things had changed and filling commercial spaces on the south side of with the western leg shortened. The facade found much improvement. Sterling previously Delmar to the east has proven difficult. There will be “panelized brick”, laid separately. worked for Guardian Angels as development simply needs to be more people living nearby There will be 426 bedrooms spread over 1, 2, director/fund raiser. He expects to put his to activate these blocks. and 3-bedroom apartments. 1 Bedroom ~650 experience to good use here. He also had his At meetings of the Delmar Commercial square feet, 2 BD ~900 sq ft, 3 BD 11-1200 own fund raising firm and has worked for Better Committee and the Historic District Committee, sq ft. Rents are expected to be about $2.50 Family Life and Employment Connection as well held in December and January, Jay Case of per sq ft. It has a large amenities terrace with as Urban Strategies. Clayco presented its plan for a large infill a pool and gym. There will be a “green roof” Sterling was particularly interested in our project. Clayco considers the adjacent Delmar at the base of the east facade. position because it would involve citizen Loop MetroLink light rail station a great asset Clayco expects many (if not most) of the engagement. He hopes residents will drop by and has successfully developed TOD (Transit- residents will be upper level undergraduate the office and say hello. He wants to know what Oriented Development) in Denver, which they and graduate students. No one is excluded, the community is thinking as we contemplate a believe can be repeated here. Their aim is however. The company feels it is a high 51st year of the council and beyond. to help build and be a part of a walkable, quality highly amenitized building and will be accessible neighborhood. Jay Case recently operated accordingly. added that the revised plans are “the product of input from Ald. Krewson, Cultural Resources’ The development would include 200 Betsy Bradley, input from the neighbors at structured parking spaces for tenants within 21st Annual our earlier meeting and a tremendous amount the building as well as bike storage for at least of thought from Forum/Clayco, including me 150 bicycles. On-site car sharing would also Police & Firefighter Clayco Plans continued on page 7 Appreciation Luncheon Neighborhood Funding Steering Committee By Mary Pat O'Gorman Many neighbors expressed interest in being considered for a committee that will conduct community engagement around the possibility of establishing a special business district for the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood. We appreciate your patience over the last few months as we assembled a committee that is geographically representative across the neighborhood. As anticipated, we were unable to select everyone who expressed interest in serving due to the limited number of committee seats. If your name is not on this list, please know that we still greatly appreciate your interest and your dedication to the neighborhood — and we sincerely hope that you will take advantage of the opportunities to provide input that will be created and facilitated by this committee. We expect there to be plenty of such opportunities. Here are the names of the Neighborhood Funding Steering Committee members and their blocks: Paris Clark .......................................57xx DeGiverville Jo Ann Vatcha ................................ 61xx Westminster Friday, February 12th, 11am - 3pm Wesley Falker .....................................57xx Waterman Jim Holzer .......................... SDCC Board Member and SDCC Office, 6008 Kingsbury Ave Justine Carter ..................................Kingsbury Square 61xx Westminster Eric Trudo .......................................59xx DeGiverville Nate Johnson ..................... SDCC Board Member and On the Friday before Valentine's Day, Valorie Helt ......................................... 59xx Pershing 57xx Pershing SDCC likes to give those who take care of our Beth Bender .......................................60xx Kingsbury Katie Kurtz ...................... SDCHC Board Member and 61xx Kingsbury neighborhood a little love! This year, on February Justin Fay .........................................60xx McPherson Gary Boehnke .....................SDCHC executive director 12th from 11:00 AM-3:00 PM, SDCC will honor Vincent Flewellyn ...............................60xx Waterman Brandon Sterling ....................SDCC executive director them at the 21st annual Police & Firefighter Katrina Stierholz ...............................61xx McPherson Appreciation Luncheon. You may participate in a We're grateful to the new committee members for the time and energy they will be variety of ways: bring a pot luck dish, contribute contributing to facilitating this important neighborhood discussion. funds, stay for lunch or just come by to express your appreciation! Contact the office if you would Thanks to everyone for their interest and do keep an eye out for more information from the like to contribute. committee in the coming months. Page 2 The Times of Skinker DeBaliviere February - March, 2016 Editor's Notebook THANK YOU TO OUR LOYAL TIMES DONORS By Lana Stein THANK YOU to the following individuals who have donated to the TIMES OF SKINKER DEBALIVIERE since our November-December 2016 is a significant year on the national, state and neighborhood issue. We were especially glad to see participation from every part of the level. As you have no doubt noticed, this is an election year and neighborhood, and there were several first-time donors! We apologize Americans will select a new president. The struggle for party for any omissions. Our all-volunteer crew is most grateful for the nominations is already quite contentious and no one is telling us encouragement and financial support of $ 1,980 given by the following: strategies to improve safety, education and commerce in our city. Americans vote less than their European counterparts and take less Mark Banaszak and Vince and Lois Schoemehl interest in political life. Our fragmented institutions and frequent Katrina Stierholz elections may tax the citizenry but this is not the time to stop paying King and Dee Schoenfeld attention. If you are not registered to vote, you can do so at our Larry Barker and Teresa Jay Family of Renni Shuter Charing Cross library branch on Skinker, at the Election Board Ruth Beckloff downtown, or at any library branch. We elect a new governor as Feliza Sison well this year. Those stakes are high as well. Politics can be nasty Joan Bender Tom Snider or dirty or ennobling but whatever else they matter. Politics decides Richard Bose Don and Vivian Sprague who gets what from government and what is legal and what is not. Ann Smith Carr Unfortunately, the voice of central cities is very muted in Jefferson Lana Stein City. We need to act to make it more potent. Bill Christman Etta Taylor 2016 is also the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Skinker Andy and Linda Cross Gary and Glenda Underwood DeBaliviere Community Council. Neighbors in Rosedale and Joe and Nancy DeBettencourt Neville and Jo Ann Vatcha Washington Heights joined 3 churches (St. Roch, Grace United Barbara Deiulis Methodist, Delmar Baptist) and Washington University to form an James Waites organization to stabilize an increasingly diverse neighborhood. The Nancy Farmer and Darrell Brad and Marj Weir Council fought speculators, monitored crime, sold the neighborhood Hartke Also thanks to to the greater community and worked in countless ways to ensure Joe Edwards stability. Now fifty years later we can see the success of these efforts. two anonymous donors The neighborhood is far more stable and remains diverse. It is not a Jim and Susan Gamble Thank you to these 2015 utopia but crime is limited and there is significant pride of place. The Eileen Gill advertisers: SDCC is talking of various ways to commemorate this anniversary. Frederick and Judith Giraud Blueberry Hill There could be a plaque honoring founders. A commemorative run has been suggested and also a neighborhood walk with canines. One Lucille Green Pin Up Bowl of our concert series will be marked as a time of celebration. James Harris, Jr. Eclipse Fifty years is a long time for any institution to endure.