The owners incorrectly think the land is worth more without the structures. The Preservation Board recently denied demolition requests for the two-story building and adjacent one story building. However, across the street is vacant land. Several blocks near the Ville neighborhood are still intact. Out of site is the large, fenced parking lot. The only good thing about this “plaza” is that it fronts the street. Why live in the ‘burbs when you can have the same drab shopping in the city? New retail follows the suburban sprawl strip center model. No wonder people want to leave if they can. Neighborhood children are housed in faceless warehouses like this day care. The reality is, we cannot afford to not save this street. The problem is making the economics work. Some deterioration is severe but even this building can be saved. New industrial buildings East of Jefferson have created large “dead” zones. Below are just a fraction of the pictures I took along the 5 mile route:
I drove the entire street yesterday from Tucker to Wellston. A combination of new shopping & new housing is a very good start to bringing people back. Diversity will be the key – racially and economically. The street needs much more than new sidewalks and trees. into a scary suburban mess like Manchester road in West County. The right way is recognizing we are a city and that urban values of pedestrian-friendly streetscapes are important. Done wrong, it will be a major waste of time & money. In 2007, the same kind of fix is scheduled on Martin Luther King Drive between Kingshighway and Jefferson Avenue.ĭone right, these improvements will certainly help. In 2006, crews are scheduled to begin the second phase: laying fresh asphalt, improving drains and curbs between the north city limits and Kingshighway. Next along that stretch will come new sidewalks, curbs and trees. The P-D talks about a nearly $8mil plan from four alderman whose wards include MLK Blvd:Ĭrews are laying conduits for new street lights between Grand Boulevard and Kingshighway, the start of the $7.8 million improvement project. They hope to add to the spark of development that occurred along the street since 2000, including a new strip mall, a handful of stores, a Blockbuster video and a few new restaurants. Along the drive, shopkeepers are holding out hope that eventually, new businesses will add variety to the smattering of chop suey joints, pawnshops and beauty parlors. The five-mile stretch of road extends from North Tucker Boulevard downtown to the Wellston border and has become known for its rows of vacant buildings and broken glass. We are all bound to this task because we cannot rebuild our city by continuing to ignore the north side. The task is returning this street to an important part of the community – a street worthy of its name.
If you are a fan of singer/songwriter James Taylor you know those words from his song “ Shed a Little Light (iTunes link).” His words echo what I think King symbolizes – “hope and love”, “sister and brotherhood”, “all men and women.”Ī very relevant part of his song is “We are bound together/by the task that stands before us/and the road that lies ahead.” The road that lies ahead is Martin Luther King Blvd which runs from downtown to the city limits. King:Īnd recognize that there are ties between us The following is one of my favorite works about Dr. JanuHistory/Preservation, Local Business, North City, Politics/Policy 10 Comments
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