[ballwin]
Manchester Road continued on its way to becoming a Great Street on Monday (March 16)—overnight. No, that doesn’t mean it suddenly became a great street by Tuesday. Workers will be laboring in the wee hours to transform ‘St. Louis’ Main Street’ from a traffic challenge into a well-landscaped thoroughfare with better medians, turn lanes and signage, among other things, including improved sidewalks. They had to start sometime, and somewhere. Sometime is doing the work at night, and somewhere is at the Ellisville city limits, from whence they will head east into Ballwin. About 100 yards of median will be replaced each work night, which to us seems lickety-split, all things considered. What does this mean for now? Many drivers will be grumpier than usual, especially those wishing to make left turns at points along the route as the project progresses, because to replace and improve the median, workers will need space to operate; by and large, in the left lane. The big picture? Planners say a ‘great street’ takes into account all modes of transportation—public, bicycle, pedestrian—moving us from our ingrained, auto-centric approach to business and recreation (and, shopping). For the time being, MoDOT officials say drivers on the section of roadway between state highways 141 and 109 will need to proceed to the nearest intersection with a traffic signal to make a U-turn and backtrack to their destination. Or anyone intent on doing it the hard way could just take the next right because, you know, three rights make a left.
[town & country]
Next time you’re at Straub’s in Town & Country shopping for body fuel, you might want to head around to the back of the building on the lower level and check out Silver Lining, which offers fuel for the soul. The ‘soul food’ sold here includes inspirational products: books, jewelry, apparel, cards, organic health and beauty products, art, gifts, home decor … all designed to satisfy a body and spirit’s minimum daily requirement of joy. The unique boutique celebrated its grand opening earlier this month at 13418 Clayton Road. As you might imagine, much of what’s available here does not exist solely on the physical plane. It’s also a gathering space that provides opportunities for classes and workshops in spiritual yoga, meditation and ‘energy work.’ The good vibes generated here may help you hone your intuition—you might even discover, or rediscover, your true purpose. (Maybe it’s not pharmaceutical sales, commercial banking or law, after all.) Practitioners affiliated with Silver Lining provide anything from health and wellness training to life coaching and hypnosis. Indeed, this ‘inspired space’ is entrancing.
[creve coeur]
In the 1940s the building started out as a school. Then, after Creve Coeur acquired it in the 1980s, it was retrofitted to become the city’s government center and police station, with other renovations and additions over the years. But city officials and a citizens task force say it is now obsolete—cramped, to say the least. Architects also say its aesthetics leave much to be desired, that the facility is about as welcoming as the word ‘facility.’ All, if not most, of these issues will be addressed in the project to reinvent the complex at 300 N. New Ballas Road. Several approaches are under consideration, from a major renovation to a brand-new center and police station on the same property. Observers say it does feel a little imposing in its present incarnation, or at least seems too close to the road. Options vary and, of course, come with different price tags, from about $10 million for a major expansion to $15.5 million to build anew. While new taxes to pay off $16 million in bonds could be one way to complete the project, the task force and city continue to weigh options. (Pictured, above)
[st. louis]
Some youngsters get nervous just going to the doctor. You can imagine how their anxiety level increases if they have to be in the hospital. SSM Cardinal Glennon addressed this in its new $1.6 million pediatric nuclear-imaging suite, not only with ambient lighting, but with age-appropriate distractions to help calm the patient and assist the medical team, so as to avoid sedation wherever possible. The suite, which a hospital spokesperson says is the only one of its kind in the metro, will allow technicians and doctors to view nuclear imaging and computed tomography at the same time resulting in a more precise and efficient diagnosis.
[des peres]
Have you seen the world map where each McDonald’s restaurant is represented by a pinpoint of light? In 2007 there were 34,000-some worldwide, about 11,400 of them in the U.S. of A. We light up real good. Perhaps it’s not a fair comparison, but it seems like one day there will be as many Starbucks locations. If there’s a map of them, I haven’t seen it, but there are more of the beloved (and reviled) coffeehouses in the nation than of the behemoth burger chain—12,100 places where you can have a $5 latte! Now, I love Starbucks as much as the next person, but residents of the neighborhoods near the intersection of Manchester and Bopp roads (the coffeehouse would be located at 11781 Manchester, in the Reliance Bank building) aren’t so sure they want the one that’s proposed for that location. At a board of aldermen meeting last month, not a single resident spoke out in favor of the proposal, especially if it is to include a drive-thru lane. Starbucks’ traffic study, which the company presented at last week’s aldermanic board meeting, gave a wide range of the number of cars expected: 200 to 400, which they characterized as ‘low.’ Well, OK, but we’re not so sure that a company nearly as big as Ronald’s would really choose a location with a low traffic count. Neither would its shareholders. At any rate, a vote by the full council is expected March 23.
[sunset hills]
the folks at Auntie Anne’s, Wetzel’s … and Pretzel Boys. Looks like the paperwork is about complete to start on a second area franchise of Pretzel Boys, a Philly-headquartered dough purveyor that opened its first store in the metro four years ago, in Des Peres. Sunset Hills looks to be the second site for the company, also to be run by Matt and Tim Garvey, the latter of whom sold hot pretzels at Busch to hungry and thirsty Cardinals fans as a bit younger fellow. The space, at 3802 S. Lindbergh Blvd., used to be a hair salon. Don’t know about you, but for your faithful scribe the most work involved in consuming a pretzel consists of trying to rub all the salt off. Beverage and pretzel purveyors must give each other high-fives, or at least knowing winks, before every game. You can get them salt-free at most mall places, where they actually leave some fresh ones plain for those of us not too keen on an NaCl overload, which can then lead to imbibing too much soda … or worse, beer. (Have brews reached $10 yet at the ballpark?)
[webster groves]
Webster Groves has introduced a city bill that in essence says it’s mad as hell and isn’t going to take it anymore—that is, fiscal bullying by big, retail-rich cities like Chesterfield. In December, Chesterfield filed a lawsuit against the state of Missouri (in Cole County) that asserts the distribution of sales taxes in the county is unconstitutional. Webster is a ‘pool’ city that stands to lose about $3 million annually in sales-tax revenue if Chesterfield prevails and manages to have the current formula revised, Webster city officials say. With a considerable retail presence, Chesterfield is considered a ‘point of sale’ municipality, as are Kirkwood, Fenton and Des Peres. Chesterfield has long claimed that, since it aggressively pursues economic development, etc., it should be able to contribute less to or receive back more from the county sales-tax pool. Gerry Welch, mayor of Webster Groves, recently testified in Jeff City against proposed legislation that could change how sales taxes are redistributed locally. Other pool cities that already have joined forces to oppose Chesterfield’s move are Wildwood, Ballwin and Florissant. They would share the cost of hiring an attorney from high-powered firm Lewis, Rice & Fingersh to make their case. At this writing, Webster’s full council was to have voted on the measure last night (March 17).
Pictured: Creve Coeur
