Why are so many people around here so self-centered and, well, stupid? Two things today really bothered me enough to get me back posting on here again. (Sorry if you were checking for posts here, school started again, and I haven't had time.) First is the people collecting signatures for a vote to stop Metro from issueing more bonds to finance the Metrolink cost overruns. These are the same people that caused it to be so expensive in the first place by forcing the trains to run in a tunnel for a large portion of the cross county extension. They are plain and simply obstructionists that are against Metrolink and more importantly, regional cooperation. For a good summary of the whole situation, go
here and read the post that the link takes you to.
The other thing that came up today is nimbyism over the height of Opus's planned 28 story condo tower for the corner of Lindell and Euclid. Read this
article for some context. Here is my problem with the article-
The idea of having 28 stories could be revisited, but Opus is committed to a 25- to 30-story building, Krewson said.
“I am concerned by the height,” said John Berglund, a member of the Central West End Association’s Planning and Development Committee. It would be no problem closer to Kingshighway, but in this location it might crowd out the smaller-scale buildings of Euclid Avenue, he said.
The committee has not formally looked at any plans for the building yet, Berglund said. The group meets each month and the project was not on the agenda at its Sept. 10 meeting.
The committee has an advisory role only, and it attempts to influence the city’s Cultural Resources Board and the aldermen if it is unhappy with elements of a project, Berglund said.
“It makes our job much easier,” if a project has the backing of the neighborhood, he said. But “everyone has their own tastes and desires” and Opus would not submit to “design by committee,” he said.
This guy has no idea what he is talking about I don't get the issue with the height. First, 28 floors isn't really that tall. second, the Central West End is full of residential highrises, and they are often intermixed with smaller buildings. There is nothing wrong with varying height next to each other, and especially when there are so many tall structures in a definite row existing. And how can we put anymore highrises along Kingshighway, build them in the park? Not Rocket Science folks. Opus is a good company with high quality projects, let's not run them out of town over something so trivial. Is there anyone with a brain in this town? Here is a pic showing where the planned Lindell Condominiums will be. Not exactly in the middle of a field of one and two story structures. Thanks Arch City.
Go to this
page at the
Urban St. Louis Forums for some more context pics.
I can't stop thinking about the new renderings of the Bottle District just north of the Edward Jones Dome. The planned district is designed by the well known starchitect Daniel Lebiskind, and are thoroughly modern on a scale St. Louis has never seen before. One of the three planned residential towers is even planned for 630', the same height as the Arch. Two images even say 650'. I have been waiting a long time for a building taller than the Arch, and didn't expect it in the Bottle District. 
This project, along with the new casinos on the Landing, Ballpark Village, and Chouteau's Lake are going to completely transform downtown in the next 5-10 years. I can't wait for all the suburbanites to come into downtown for the first time in 15 years and have there pants completely blown off. What an exciting time in St. Louis. For more pics go here. 
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