If you have been on the intersection of Vandeventer and Forest Park Ave. recently you might have seen some small changes take place. Until very recently, a BP gas station and a small car business have been bulldozed and replaced with empty lots.
The demolition of these two business are part of two major redevelopment plans going into motion right off SLU’s campus: Midtown Station and CORTEX retail. The first major development project will redevelop the Old Federal Mogul tire factory site that stretches from Spring Street down to the Forest Park Ave. and Vandeventer intersection. The Midtown Station project aims to bring national retailers into the area. The next project starts at Vandeventer and continues down Forest Park Ave to the Central West End medical facility. Similar to Midtown Station, the CORTEX retail district seeks to adapt the land for redevelopment and attract retail and residential options.
Not much is known about the Midtown Station project funded by development agency Pace Properties. The project proposal released by Pace Properties reveals the agency’s intention to bring in five retail tenants. Midtown Station contains 166,200 square feet of area that is up for redevelopment. The largest planned site will be 80,000 square feet and is rumored to be the next location for a Target. Other sites go down in square footage with sites ranging from 35,000 to 11,000. The project proposal has allotted 812 parking spaces, which sits right in the middle of the project area.
Currently, the project resembles traditional suburban planning that favors transportation by vehicle. The proposal aims to provide large swaths of land for parking and minimal space for pedestrian friendly sidewalks. Midtown Station reminds easily of the Brentwood shopping district off of I-64.
The current problem with the proposed Midtown Station is the attempt by Pace Properties to implement a suburban design inside an urban location. While the project proposal is vague and short on details, a few observations for critique can be drawn. First, the traditional model of the major retail outlets used in the project proposal will disrupt the urban environment. The large single unit development plots that Pace has allotted are based on the Big Box development model.
Imagine a typical Wal-Mart or (once again) the Brentwood shopping district right off SLU’s campus. Big Box development equals large buildings and the accompanying grey expanse of concrete for cars. Inside an urban environment, big box destroys walkability and the urban fabric. While I agree the area needs to be redeveloped for creating more economic opportunities around SLU’s campus, there are smarter and more urban friendly methods available. A big step would make the development mix use. This means creating a space where both residential and commercial exist in the same place. Also, creating storefronts for small businesses and restaurants.
The latest update on this project included an extension of the metrolink and a bike path. The bike path would be included at the border of the project area next to I-64. The path would aim to connect Midtown Station with the adjacent CORTEX retail project.
The biggest question about the project concerns SLU students. Pace Properties recognizes the potential business SLU could provide for the new development. In its proposal SLU is included in the area’s top eight employers. The businesses seeking land in this area will be benefited by SLU student participation as consumers and employees. While I have no doubt that the project will be successful with the standard big-box development Pace Properties is currently planning, a smarter design that promotes urban environments will make a shopping district that could be similar to another Central West End or Loop district. Developing a project that contains a multitude of businesses in comparison to the current five is a challenging prospect. However, it provides a stronger economic foundation that could directly serve the surrounding community.
A project in the D.C. area using an urban model developed by George Washington University called WalkUps mixes big retail with small businesses to create an area friendly to smart urban developing.
I believe redevelopment of the Midtown Station area can greatly benefit Midtown and SLU. A successful combination of urban friendly development with the economic foundation provided by big retail centers such as Target could give SLU an area that contains elements of Central West End’s urban playground with Brentwood shopping district’s functionality.
