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01 Dec 16:51

Curb Appeal and Infrastructure in the Shaw Neighborhood

by Mark Groth
The Shaw Neighborhood caught my attention recently with some noticeable infrastructure upgrades along Shaw Boulevard. I'll start with the decorative cross walks at the intersections between Grand Boulevard and Tower Grove Avenue; but there is more.

The crosswalks welcome you to the historic Shaw Neighborhood:


The crosswalk below gives tribute to the beautiful Mullanphy Investigative Learning Center that has served the neighborhood at Klemm and Shaw since 1915.


The intersection at Lawrence Street recognizes the presence of St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic grade school:


St. Margaret's recently completed a new middle school building to accommodate their growing enrollment. The building has an urban form and was built atop a former surface parking lot.


The good news doesn't stop with handsome crosswalks. There were also some much welcomed pedestrian infrastructure and traffic calming improvements as well. Bump-outs were installed at several intersections. Why are these important? I looked to the invaluable Urban Landscapes blog to find out:
Bump-outs (also known as “curb extensions“) have become commonplace in many subdivisions across the country.  They are also common in the existing neighborhoods as a means of traffic-calming.  The purpose is to provide an additional element in protecting the vehicles parked on the street and enabling shorter, safer crossing for the pedestrian at the intersection. (source)
Bump-outs also provide additional permeable ground between the sidewalks and the street that can serve to reduce storm runoff lightening the burden on the sewer system, all the while affording an opportunity for native landscaping vs. asphalt. Notice the young tree planted in this bump-out and the added protection the row of parked cars get:


Trash receptacles were strategically placed at high volume pedestrian intersections:

The crossings are ADA compliant:


Shaw Avenue was also repaved from Grand to 39th Street. Hopefully we will see painted bike lanes and protected parking lanes.

So where did the money come from? Who came up with the design and executed the work?  Why Shaw Avenue and not another street in the neighborhood?

To help me answer some of these questions, I reached out to the Tower Grove Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation's executive director Sean Spencer. Who gave me some great background information and a taste of what is ahead for his organization.

First a little background on the Tower Grove Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation (TGNCDC) history and mission:
Established in 2013, the TGNCDC is a consolidation of the former Grand Oak Hill Community Corporation, Southwest Garden Housing Corporation, and Shaw Neighborhood Housing Corporation. The three organizations served the Tower Grove South, Southwest Garden, and Shaw neighborhoods, respectively, for over 30 years. Recent changes in community development funding allocations from the City of St. Louis and a renewed focus on outcome-based community development initiatives necessitated that these three organizations combine resources and service areas to more effectively serve the community and leverage existing resources.
To view the full service area for the TGNCDC, click here.

The work I've highlighted above is part of a goal within the 2015-2019 Strategic Plan set forth by TGNCDC through comprehensive community input. This goal is to 'Revitalize and Strengthen the Long-term Stability and Growth of the TGNCDC Service Area (Area-Wide Improvements)'.


Specifically, what I've described above falls into the Infrastructure Improvements bucket, set up to:
  • Improve public spaces, infrastructure, signage and landscaping
  • Work with Neighborhood Association and Alderperson on infrastructure improvements
  • Promote commercial facade, 50/50 sidewalk, LED lighting and ADA improvement programs
How about the actual crosswalk pattern and design?  Per Spencer, the scalloped mosaic design and fonts for the crosswalks were selected by the Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association's beautification committee. These are not just the temporary decorative painted crosswalks you see across the city, these are the longer lasting (~8-10 year lifespan), reflective types. The technology is called DuraTherm®:
DuraTherm® is a specially-designed preformed thermoplastic material that is inlaid into an imprinted asphalt surface and thermally bonded using specialized infrared heaters. Engineered to lie slightly below the asphalt surface, DuraTherm® is protected from wear, ensuring effective service life while maintaining its attractive contemporary look for years. A specialized pavement heater softens the existing asphalt. Templates are pressed into the surface to create the imprinted pattern. Pre-cut sections of DuraTherm® are set into these impressions. The specialized heater is used again to bond the material to the asphalt surface. (source)
Why was Shaw Boulevard the focus for this project? Spencer explained that through neighborhood charrettes and surveys, the participants wanted to focus energy on Shaw Boulevard and DeTonty Street as target areas for reinvestment. This makes perfect sense, because if you've lived here for more than 20 years, you are well aware that many properties on these streets had seen better days as time wore on. With the high visibility of DeTonty Street from I-44 as well as Shaw being a major east-west street connecting Grand to Kingshighway, it is easy to understand why these two streets would be target areas to uplift and invest with new brain power, volunteer/grant writing efforts and city investment.

The crosswalks and infrastructure upgrades described above were largely paid through Ward 8 funds allocated annually across the city with spending typically through the discretion of the publicly elected alderman.

I'm told that other upgrades are in the works providing more fodder for continued excitement including replacement of the dim cobra head street lights with high efficiency LED lights through a community development block grant as well as a group working hard to consider landscaping options for the streetscape through a grant from a large bank.

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic for DeTonty Street as well, with the recent plans proposed for a $4M 8,000sf education center focused on urban food production, nutrition, and science education for elementary school students at Lawrence and DeTonty.


This educational effort will be led by local private, charter and public school leadership and faculty at St. Louis University and will serve thousands of students at Mullanphy Investigative Learning Center, St. Louis Language Immersion School, Tower Grove Christian Academy and St. Margaret of Scotland School. It is great to see such collaborative efforts among the various schools in the area. NextSTL reported on this proposal in October, read the full story HERE.

NextSTL also reported earlier this month on a proposed $10M 84,000 square foot development that will bring apartment and town homes to a long vacant stretch of land along DeTonty Street between Thurman and Klemm. Read the full story HERE.


So keep your eyes on Shaw, Southwest Garden and Tower Grove South for future improvements and excitement.

Cheers to all those working hard to make St. Louis the great place it can and should be.
09 Apr 21:03

Howards in Soulard Set To Open May 8

by Ryan Brockschmitt
Soulard is enjoying quite the boom as late with new businesses opening all across the neighborhood. Henry's recently opened in the renovated former home of The Shanti. Woodie's recently opened in the Soulard Library building. Twisted Ranch garnered an incredible amount of press when they announced their plans to open in the former Sassy Jac's space. Shelly's has been tirelessly working on the former Clementine's spot whille Fleur De Lilies is targeting a June opening. A Tropical Liquers franchise is also set to take the former Gladstone's space at the corner of Soulard and 10th.

While all of these are a labor of love, a project at the corner of 13th and Lynch carries a special story. Longtime Soulard resident Judith Howard is spearheading the renovation of the former Hi-Way Bar location into an establishment that's "for the neighbors, by the neighbors". Howards will feature live acoustic music 5 nights a week and has a Grand Opening planned for the weekend for May 8-10.

The discussions that eventually led to this project began in the home shared by Judith and her wife, Molly Jankowski. The beautiful home the pair share is just the latest home in the Soulard neighborhood that Judith has restored. Our beautiful island owes its existence to those that have rehabbed the homes in this neighborhood. Judith caught the rehab bug from her father, USN Capt. Ronald C. Howard. The teacher thought it was time he and his protegee took on a rehab project together in Soulard. Sadly, Capt. Howard passed before the project was able to take shape.

The fire that Capt. Howard lit in his daughter burned brighter than ever after his passing. It was stoked by the encouragement of those close to her. By the time her mother decided to join her daughter in Soulard, that fire was hotter than one of her guitar riffs. She set her sights on a vacant, run-down building originally built in 1888.

The building at the corner of 13th and Lynch most recently housed the Hi-Way Bar, although it was originally built as a pharmacy. In between, the building housed a shoe store, an income tax office and a whiskey bar. For a time the building was even home to a bail bonds business. The location was mighty convenient considering during the time the local police station was housed in what is now Mad Art Gallery.

2731 Lynch Street midway through renovations turning it into Howard's in Soulard
The Hi-Way Bar occupied the building for 40 years, closing in 2009 after winning the Best Place to Play Table Shuffleboard from the Riverfront Times in 2009. That award may be a bit misleading, however. The bar was described as "Soulard's most dive-y dive bar". That's not a bad thing by any means. Longtime residents still speak with fondness about the bar, it's camaraderie, cheap drinks and the cat that meandered around. The bar was mentioned several times in David Lester's book, The Lunatic of Soulard.

While the Hi-Way Bar served its purpose, Howards will be a welcome sight in Soulard. Judith and her team are completely renovating the building from "to the studs", as they say. Outside of the building, new utility lines are being run to handle the needs of the establishment, which will include a kitchen. The backyard will feature a full patio for plenty of seating as well as plenty of "golf cart parking".

Over the years the building at 2732 S 13th various levels of construction with each of its different uses. The entrance to the building that Howard wanted restored features a doorway that is quite a bit larger than normal. A door to fit those dimensions was found in a rather unlikely spot, Judith's own basement. Many of the rehabbers in Soulard have worked on multiple projects in the neighborhood throughout the years. It turns out that this particular door was likely taken off during a renovation of the building. The door somehow ended up in a pile on construction materials that is sitting in the basement of Judith's current home.

A focal point of the inside of Howards will be a stage large enough to fit a three-piece band. One instrument will be a permanent fixture in the room. Ruth Ann Howard, Judith's mother, is a retired piano teacher and soprano opera singer. The piano that moved with her when she came to Soulard, the acoustic piano that Judith and countless others have learned on, will get prime billing at the new establishment.

The piano won't be the only thing getting prime billing at Howards, of course. The logo that you see above, "The Captain", was actually designed by Capt. Howard in 1962 and used for years as his letterhead. Aside from Mom Howard's piano, an 8-foot fountain will be prominently featured in the backyard area in her honor. The front entrance to the restaurant will be completely catered to those folks in wheelchairs. Howard stressed in a neighborhood forum that this was an important point for her.

Another important point for Judith Howard at Howards will be the entertainment. If you've been in Soulard a Summer or two you've likely seen Judith playing her guitar for groups of neighbors on various patios throughout the neighborhood. While Judith won't have a regular gig on stage, many neighbors are hopeful that if enough people ask nicely enough, she will play from time to time. Howard has a full lineup of acts scheduled for May 8-10, including Zero Friction, Steve Reebs, The Alley Mutts and The Darrells. Her plan calls for the musical lineup to be set each month in advance. Howards shirts will be available for sale each month that feature the lineup on the back on the shirt. A portion of the proceeds each month will go to a local charity. Live music will be on the bill Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at Howards.
Judith Howard playing music on the patio at The Porch

Aside from the absence of smoke, Howards will feature another aspect the Hi-Way Bar never had, a food menu that includes more than just frozen pizzas. Howard's original plan called for a simple menu featuring mostly small plates to pair with its beer, wine and "classic cocktails reinvented" drink menu. That approach took a turn when the closing of the well-regarded Benton Park restaurant Luvy Duvy's Cafe closed in March. Howard's will serve from the Luvy Duvy's menu of mainstays for lunch and former owners Jackie Seal and Cassady Caldwell will consult in the kitchen. The simple menu was well-regarded among the patrons. Favorites included the cafe's takes on the classic rueben and cuban sandwiches. Howard's will also look to serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, although those might not be available when the restaurant first opens. A separate small plate menu will be available in the evenings.

Howards in Soulard will be an excellent addition to Soulard not just in its physical presence, but also in the story it is built on. Be sure to follow Howards in Soulard on Facebook to get a look at the construction progress as well as to stay up-to-date on the upcoming opening events.

29 Oct 17:50

Trops Coming To Soulard?

by Ryan Brockschmitt
A neighbor sent me this today.


That address is the former Gladstone's building at 10th and Soulard. This appears to be Tropical Liqueurs, which first opened in Columbia in 1985. It expanded in Columbia with a second location in 2001 and put a location in Springfield, MO in 2004.

The establishment specializes in frozen alcoholic deliciousness. 

I'll update this post when more information becomes available.

**Update**

I called up to the downtown Columbia location today and spoke with a woman there. She couldn't really give me any information but she did allude to the fact that something is in the works in St. Louis. I have an email out to Trops to try to get some more information.

*Update**

The Riverfront Times was able to confirm that Tropical Liqueurs does have plans to franchise a location in the St. Louis area, which would open in the Spring.
26 Oct 00:21

Try This: Wine Cork Bulletin Board

by A Beautiful Mess

Wine cork bulletin board via A Beautiful MessUsing wine corks in craft projects is almost as common as Mason jars. Seriously, type "wine cork crafts" into Pinterest and you'll see. It's a whole thing. We drink and use wine in cooking at our house pretty often, so I've hoarded a fairly decent collection of corks over the past few years. And this, coupled with my growing obsession to personalize my desk area at work, lead me to start scheming about making a bulletin board out of wine corks.

Recently I've started taping up lists and reminders above my desk. Which looks, well, sort of junky. So I knew a bulletin board would come in handy. 

Cork bulletin board from A Beautiful MessI wanted to keep it simple, so I simply purchased a shadow box (on sale!) from a craft store in order to house my corks. I started to fill up the shadow box and quickly realized I didn't have nearly enough corks. Dang it! 

Thank goodness for eBay. I ended up needing right around 170 corks to fill the 12" x 12" shadow box I had.

How to make a wine cork bulletin board from a shadow boxHow to make a wine cork bulletin board from a shadow box The shadow box had a black backing, so first I glued in a piece of white foam. I was concerned that the black would show through once I had all the corks in place. But it ended up not mattering much. You can't see the back once all the corks are glued in.

I also recommend using some kind of super glue or other quick-dry heavy duty glue. I plan to push and pull tacks from these corks, so I want them to stay in place!

How to make a wine cork bulletin board from a shadow box  Once I had glued in all the corks, I decided to paint a few of the ends different colors. I like the overall rustic look, but the deep red/purple ends that a few of the corks had (from wine) didn't really match the aesthetic of my desk area. So I just brushed on a few different colors of craft paint.

Cork bulletin board from A Beautiful Mess Wine cork bulletin boardAlthough I could have easily just bought a small bulletin board for my desk area, I love the personality and color that this one brings to my space. What about you, have you ever made a project from wine corks? Thanks for letting me share! xo. Emma

Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.

05 Oct 00:38

Hummus + Shakshuka + Design*Sponge

by Green Kitchen Stories

Hummus_shakshuka

We spent a week in Tel Aviv, Israel, only days after we had sent our book to print. The food scene was beyond incredible with lots of options for vegetarians. But as much as we enjoyed eating our way through the city, it was also painful to realize that it was too late to fit some Israeli dishes into the book. So when Design*Sponge recently asked us for a travel recipe that didn’t make it into the book, we were more than happy to share this creamy hummus topped with shakshuka. In Israel, they often eat Shakshuka for breakfast but in our home it serves much better as lunch. Or a light dinner. Especially when paired with hummus. We tried hummus with quite a few different toppings (roasted eggplant was another favorite) on our trip, I am not sure if we had Shakshuka paired with hummus but it should be an official combination because they taste aaa-mazing together! We asked an Israeli chef how he got his hummus so exceptionally creamy and have used his advice to create our own perfect hummus. Most people eat this with a few pita breads on the side, to scoop up all the deliciousness with. Here we are offering a gluten-free option and serve it with home baked sweet potato chips.

I know that it’s common among food writers to claim that every recipe they produce is one of their favorites, but this truly is something that we have been eating two times a week for the past month. The combination of a creamy hummus base topped with sweet, flavorful and tangy shakshuka is something that I simply can’t get tired of. Elsa, on the other hand, has started to question my sanity: “Dad. Hummus. Again?!?”.

Hummus_shakshuka_2Hummus_shakshuka_3Hummus_shakshuka_4

Whether it’s for a single lunch or eight times a month, I just can’t recommended this combination of dishes enough. We are sharing our hummus recipe here below, but head over to Design*Sponge for all three of the recipes!

Exceptionally Creamy Hummus

We would definitely recommend trying the full recipe, using dried chickpeas. But if 24 hours soaking feels like a lifetime to you, go ahead and do the quick version. It will still taste a whole lot better and creamier than anything store-bought. And it’s cheaper!

  •  1 cup / 7 oz (200 g) dried chickpeas / garbanzos OR 2 x 400 g cans cooked chickpeas / garbanzos
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (for full version only)
  • 3 cloves garlic (only 2 if making the quick version)
  • salt
  • 1/2 cup light tahini
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt, according to taste

Quick version – canned chickpeas: Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to a high-speed food processor together with remaining ingredients and 1/3 cup lukewarm drinking water. Mix for a few minutes, until smooth. Taste and feel the consistency. Add more salt or water if desired, we usually end up using 1/2 cup of water in ours. At this point, you can also add a splash of olive oil for an extra rich hummus, if you prefer. Mix for two more minutes. Cover with cling film if you are not eating it immediately.

Full version – dried chickpeas: Place the chickpeas in a bowl with 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) water and stir in the baking soda. Put in the fridge and let soak for approximately 24 hours. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a medium-sized sauce pan with 6 cups (1 1/2 liter) water, garlic cloves and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and let simmer for almost 3 hours. Skim off any foam or skin from the chickpeas that rises to the surface. The chickpeas should feel very soft and easily smudge between your fingers when they are done. Drain, but reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the chickpeas and cooked garlic to a high-speed food processor together with remaining ingredients and 1/3 cup of the cooking water and salt. Mix for a few minutes, until smooth. Taste and feel the consistency. Add more salt or water if desired, we usually end up adding 1/2 cup of water. At this point, you can also add a splash of olive oil for an extra rich hummus, if you prefer. Mix for two more minutes. Cover with cling film if you are not eating it immediately.

24 Sep 17:22

Roasted Tomato and Hatch Chile Salsa

by joythebaker

IMG_2831

I have the best intentions of going to the grocery for salmon and salad most evenings.  It’s just the darndest thing… I usually walk out of the store with a bag of chips, a jar of salsa, a bottle of wine, and sometimes a box of cookies (as if I don’t make enough cookies of my own).  Sometimes it’s cold cereal, almond milk, and wine.  Sometimes it’s just quinoa and wine.

I don’t know… I can make a pie, it’s just that dinner is sometimes asking too much.

Today I went to the grocery and picked up ingredients to make salsa… for dinner.  Not just a jar.

It’s summer vegetables (with hella chips)!  Justification complete.

roasted tomato and hatch chile salsa

roasted tomato and hatch chile salsa

On a scale from mild to AAAHHHHHHH!!!, hatch chiles are a medium-spicy.  They have a little kick that some might refer to as a big kick.

When thrown on a pan with cherry tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and red onion, the whole mixture puckers and blisters.  The more char you create the more delicious your salsa will be.

It’s an aggressive roast.  Why not just go for it?

roasted tomato and hatch chile salsa

Charred tomatoes and chiles make their way into the food processor.

Wait… that’s after we remove the tops and seeds from the hatch chiles.

And you know what handling chiles means, right?  Wash yo hands, on the real.

roasted tomato and hatch chile salsa

We’re going to need a big squeeze of lime and maybe a dash of water.  Blend that sucker up!  Now it’s salsa!!

roasted tomato and hatch chile salsa

Salsa with chips.  Go on and call it dinner.  You’re in good company.  You’re in my company.

This salsa has depth thanks to the roasting.  We’ve intensified the tomatoes and chiles, onions and garlic, making this salsa completely irresistable.  The spice is there, but it’s delicious, not impossible.

It’s good stuff.  Of course it is!

Blackened Hatch and Tomato Salsa

makes about 2 cups

super delicious and inspired by Kitchen Konfidence

Print this Recipe!

3 hatch chile peppers

1 small red onion, peeled and quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 pound cherry tomatoes

salt, fresh cracked black pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil

juice of 1 or 2 limes

small handful fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

splash of water, to thin it out a bit

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place whole hatch chiles, quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, and whole cherry tomatoes on an unlined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Place in the oven and allow to roast for 20 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from the oven and toss the vegetables together.  Place the oven on t he broiler setting to char the vegetables (this works best in a gas oven).  Place the vegetables as close to the broiler as possible and keep an eye on the vegetables as they begin to char.  Remove from the broiler and toss as necessary until the desired char is reached.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.  Place the onion, garlic,and tomato in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.

Place chiles on a cutting board.  Use a knife to remove their tops and cut lengthwise down the center.  Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and discard. Coarsely chop the chiles and add to the bowl of the food processor.  Add lime juice and a few tablespoons of water.  Blend until combined.  Stir in cilantro if using.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill until ready to serve.