The national park under St. Louis' famed Gateway Arch has seen better days, and has always been a point of contention. Today, some residents want to build a cultural attraction in the park. The park service is resisting.
"Long maligned as an obstacle that severs the city from its riverfront, the grounds around the arch are at the center of a dispute between a group of prominent residents who want to develop parts of the park, including construction of a cultural attraction, most likely a museum, and the National Park Service, which administers the site and is cool to some of the group's proposals.
'We've got two great assets, the Mississippi River and the arch, and we're not really utilizing either of them,' said former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, who leads the group in calling for an international design competition to reinvigorate the park and better integrate it into the environment. 'What we have proposed is a world-class cultural attraction that is on the arch grounds.'
Danforth has pledged $50 million for the project through his family's charity, the Danforth Foundation, which at the request of the city's mayor, Francis Slay, spent two years and $2 million studying the park's problems. He has also promised to help raise $100 million more.
Danforth's attitude rankles officials of the National Park Service, who maintain that any development must respect the memorial's National Historic Landmark status.
FULL STORY: St. Louis arch: Preservation vs. revitalization
St. Louis Zeroing in on Safe Streets
The city is creating its first Department of Transportation and using hundreds of millions in federal funding to launch road safety projects.
Moving Beyond Crash Statistics to Understand Road Safety
Why measuring traffic deaths alone doesn’t paint a full picture.
St. Louis to Introduce Traffic Calming Downtown
The city will redesign three major streets to slow traffic and improve safety.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
How to Make US Trains Faster
Changes to boarding platforms and a switch to electric trains could improve U.S. passenger rail service without the added cost of high-speed rail.
Columbia’s Revitalized ‘Loop’ Is a Hub for Local Entrepreneurs
A focus on small businesses is helping a commercial corridor in Columbia, Missouri thrive.
Invasive Insect Threatens Minnesota’s Ash Forests
The Emerald Ash Borer is a rapidly spreading invasive pest threatening Minnesota’s ash trees, and homeowners are encouraged to plant diverse replacement species, avoid moving ash firewood, and monitor for signs of infestation.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Santa Clarita
Ascent Environmental
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service