Vanishing St. Louis warned us of these proposed demolitions back in February of 2008. Here is a picture that author Paul Hohmann snapped then:
I am against a proposal that calls for the demolition of fine old buildings just to create new buildings that are blandly deferential to the monochromatic "campus" aesthetic. For Washington University's Medical Campus, this means a beige building with blue glass. No thanks, if that's the plan.
Also on the agenda is a proposal to install a five-foot tall Eiffel Tower sculpture doubling as a bike rack outside of new Lafayette Square cafe Rue Lafayette.
Also in Lafayette Square, there is a proposal to construct a home on the vacant lot at 1117 Dolman. My old block of Dolman appears to being doing well. Just south of here, the Preservation Board has granted approval to single-family home construction on another grassy lot. By a Google Streetview survey, yet another large empty lot on Dolman has a sign with some model homes on it further down the street. Maybe Dolman can soon mirror the success of the rest of the neighborhood with sensitive infill consuming its unfortunate gaps.
A new single-family home will join this row soon, if approved by the Preservation Board in May.
See the temporary agenda here.
As always, I encourage readers to attend Preservation Board meetings and testify for the items for which they are passionate:
The St. Louis Preservation Board will meet on May 24th, 2010 at 4:00 P.M. in the Cultural Resources Office of the Planning and Urban Design Agency, 1015 Locust Street, Suite 1200.
7 comments:
Geez, is WU-BJC seems on a quest to make their empire on kingshighway as bland as possible.
matt, what do you think are the prospects for the old jewish hospital buildings? is there any chance that BJC won't get what they want? ugh, this is sad... such a solid, attractive building and such a prominent location.
I WILL BE AT THIS PRESERVATION BOARD MEETING. I knew it was just a matter of time before BJC had it out for that building. It seems especially wasteful considering there are vacant lots a mere stone's throw away where the nurses building and Rube Hall used to stand.
At least BJC should present some solid plans for redevelopment before asking for a demolition permit.
wait, i meant solid, attractive and HUGE. this is not comparable to kingshighway getting a tooth knocked out. this is comparable to kingshighway getting its jaw ripped off.
You can find more information about the old jewish hospital here:
Jewish Hospital St. Louis
I had no idea they were built by the architects responsible for Cleveland's terminal tower. The stepped terraces that once established connection from patient rooms out to Forest Park and skylit operating really speak to a quality that has been lost in the relentless "modernizations" and expansions in the med center complex.
I knew this was only a matter of time but it still sucks! I was born there, so I'm really bummed to hear this. I would be shocked if BJC does not get what they want, assuming they are going to replace Jewish with a new building.
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