Large redevelopment proposed in Brentwood, and more: in the news

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A St. Louis company is proposing a $400 million redevelopment in on Manchester Road, from Brentwood Boulevard to Hanley Road, including apartments, townhomes, offices and commercial options, from a hotel to a microbrewery. St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Green Street proposes homes, offices and hotel on Manchester Road in Brentwood; See the Manchester Road Corridor Development Area proposal

KSDK — $400 million mixed-use project planned in Brentwood

More in the news: Maplewood and Richmond Heights places to eat, a man is found dead in Deer Creek, and a Richmond Heights man publishes his first novel. Feast — Mauhaus Cat Cafe’s Alyssa Bennett on making soufflés, the best cheesy corn dip and why ricotta is overrated

Feast — Dou Dou Cafe cooks up Vietnamese cuisine in Richmond Heights

Fox 2 — Vehicle, body recovered from creek in Maplewood

KSDK — Man found dead in vehicle in creek in Maplewood

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Deer Creek Bar and Grill floods, plans to rebuild

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Deer Creek Bar and Grill, at 3233 Laclede Station Road, was flooded about four feet high throughout the restaurant in Tuesday’s historic rainfall, the owners reported in social media. They plan on rebuilding. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been organized to help the employees. https://twitter.com/kzieff/status/1552251098362253313?s=20&t=dVxEuE8p1ARJX1IgM7hiSQ

Also in the news:

Fox 2 — Richmond Heights Community Center welcomes flood victims – FOX 2

KMOV — Emergency shelters open across St. Louis region following flash floods – KMOV

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Joke of the day is one family’s contribution to getting through the pandemic

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–How does Darth Vader like his toast? A: On the dark side. That’s a joke of the day seen in Maplewood. In March 2020, when in-person school ended due to the pandemic, Maplewood couple Shelly Strickfaden and Joe Simonis began clipping a joke to a lawn chair in their front yard at the corner of Marshall and Myrtle avenues. They wanted to do something to support their neighbors.

Maplewood police officers to be walking the neighborhoods

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If you live in Maplewood, on Wednesday mornings don’t be surprised to see a police officer walking down your street. Maplewood Acting Chief of Police Matt Neighbor told block leaders in an email it’s for the officers’ “health and wellness,” and to give residents a chance to get to say hi. The walks began on Wednesday, July 20. The officers will be walking through neighborhoods beginning at 8 a.m.

Neighbor’s letter is below:

New owner rehabs former Stone Spiral building, plans new café

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A new café is planned for the location of the recently closed Stone Spiral Coffee and Curios (2500 Sutton Boulevard in Maplewood). The building has also been sold. Doug Kassabaum sold the building to Dan Slavin, who owns other commercial properties in Maplewood. Maplewood City Council approved the café, Sweet Peaz, in its May 2 meeting. Salvin called the building iconic, and said he imagines the new shop to be similar to Kaldi’s Coffee in the Demun neighborhood, a neighborhood shop that is also a destination spot.

New candidate on the ballot in August in Maplewood, Brentwood, Richmond Heights due to redistricting

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Sarah Unsicker, the state rep in Shrewsbury and to the south, will be the rep for Maplewood, Brentwood and Richmond Heights if she wins re-election in November.  She will be on the ballot here instead of Jo Doll in the August 2 primary elections. It’s because of redistricting due to the 2020 census. The 83rd district’s representative changed from Jo Doll to Sarah Unsicker when the boundaries of the 83rd and the 91st changed. Unsicker lives in Shrewsbury, putting her in the new 83rd, along with residents of Maplewood, Brentwood, Richmond Heights and Shrewsbury. Doll lives in Webster Groves, which will put her in the new 91st.

Electric vehicle charger ready to be used

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Maplewood Community Development Director Laura Miller reports that the electric vehicle charger, at two spaces at the west end of the Marietta lot, are now operational. The spaces will be lined with green paint later this week. The spaces are reserved for electric vehicles, with a two-hour parking limit. Update: It was reported that both ports are not functioning, and the city is working to fix that.

Eastbound Manchester to close in Maplewood for 2 months: MoDOT press release

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ST. LOUIS – Drivers who use Route 100 (Manchester Road) through Brentwood and Maplewood will have to negotiate another Manchester Road closure for the next two months for upcoming sewer work. Crews will close the eastbound lanes of Manchester Road, between Hanley and Laclede Station Road, before morning rush hour on Tuesday, July 5. This will allow the Metropolitan Sewer District to complete sewer system updates in the area. During the closure of eastbound Route 100, drivers can use Hanley Road, West Bruno Avenue and Laclede Station Road as a detour around the closure.

In the news: Brentwood clock shop owner to retire; obituaries

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Brentwood’s clock shop’s owner is calling it quits after July. Fox 2 — Why helicopters are landing in Maplewood this week
KMOV — Tiffany’s Diner in Maplewood: Camaraderie, tall tales & good eats
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — With no one left to run the shop, a Brentwood clockmaster calls it quits
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Shirley Brady, obituary
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Eugene “Gene” Moore, obituary
Jay B. Smith Funeral Home — Christopher “Chris” Kelly, obituary

 

Saint Louis Closet Co. donates to Ready Readers, helping children in need: press release

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MAPLEWOOD, Mo. – Saint Louis Closet Co. donated $3,715.93 to Ready Readers, through their giveback initiative, Closets for a Cause. The money from this donation will enable the organization to purchase and distribute more resources to children in need. Some of these materials include books, supplies for teachers, children, and classrooms, and resources for parents and caregivers.

Manchester just west of Hanley Road to remain closed for next three months: MODOT update

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Andrew Gates, Missouri Department of Transportation communications specialist, has shared an update of what to expect for approximately spring and summer 2022 along the Manchester Road project between Big Bend and Lindbergh. According to Gates:

The full closure on Manchester just west of Hanley Road is still underway for the next three months as crews replace the Black Creek bridge. You can see some photos of the work underway on MoDOT’s Flickr album: 2022-06-02 Route 100 at Black Creek | Flickr

The around-the-clock lane closures in Rock Hill for the Deer Creek bridge should be wrapping up in the coming week, while the lane closure in each direction in Brentwood at Mary Avenue continues for about another four months. Although not directly associated with our project, Metropolitan Sewer District crews will close eastbound Manchester east of Hanley Road, just east of our Black Creek closure.  At this time, we anticipate the two-month closure to start before morning rush hour on June 20. Drivers can use Hanley, West Bruno Avenue and Laclede Station Road to detour around the closure.

Maplewood Police Department enhances community policing

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Maplewood Police Department Acting Chief of Police, Major Matt Nighbor emailed to Maplewood block leaders last week that a reorganization of the Maplewood Police Department will go into effect this week designed to enhance community policing by adding an additional community resource officer, going from two to three community resource officers. 

Nighbor said this unit will also be responsible for addressing code and housing violations. They will work with community members and residents to address these matters in an efficient way, Nighbor said. A new email address (CommunityPolice @cityofmaplewood.com) has been assigned for these officers (Corporal Kristen Prest, Officer Dustin Hoskins, and Officer Jason Schuster) for messages or concerns.  

Attorney general again sues MRH over mask mandate, district responds

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Maplewood Richmond Heights School District is one of six districts that reinstated a mask mandate recently, and as a result was sued, again, by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who claimed they had no authority to do so, as reported by KSDK and other sources. MRH was the only one that supplied KSDK with a substantive  response:

“The Maplewood Richmond Heights School District is committed to ensuring the safety of our students, staff and community. We feel these new lawsuits do not recognize the obligation of school boards to address the transmission of communicable diseases in schools and their responsibility to maintain a safe school environment. We believe these lawsuits continue to be a distraction to school leaders regionally who are already taxed with efforts to keep school doors open and students safe. The lawsuits filed by the Attorney General do not reflect a prudent use of taxpayer funds nor the human resources required to address them.

Strange Donuts criticized, Shared Beer at Pizza Champ, Taste of Maplewood: in the news

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Local online sources cover our local news. The Business Journals — Side Project Brewing to open new joint space with Pizza Champ
Feast Magazine — Shared by Side Project Brewing will open alongside Pizza Champ with a new patio in Maplewood on May 18
Fox 2 — Taste of Maplewood festival happens this weekend
KSDK — Maplewood Richmond Heights School District reinstates mask requirement for students
KSDK — Maplewood continues to get its kicks on Route 66
Riverfront Times — Pizza Champ Proves Every Night Should be Pizza Night [PHOTOS] | St. Louis – Riverfront Times
St. Louis Magazine — Shared by Side Project Brewing opens today in Maplewood in the same building as Pizza Champ
St. Louis Magazine — Strange Donuts receives accolades and social media criticism over the weekend
St Louis Post-Dispatch — Maplewood’s Kolar bounces back from rough outing to defend Seckman Invitational title

Women’s boutique to open Saturday in Maplewood, fast casual dining in the fall; 2 shops close

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Forget Me Not Boutique, a women’s boutique, is planning a grand opening on Saturday, May 14, at 2718 Sutton Boulevard. The space was formally Elements of Design. Also, Rob Birenbaum announced on Facebook that BLK MKT Eats (blkmkteats.com) is coming to his property at 7356 Manchester Road in the fall. Rob said: “Interesting flavors and textures. Unexpected combinations.

Maplewood city manager lists budget priorities

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Maplewood City Manager Michael D. Reese forwarded to 40 South a 2022-2023 budget memo that he sent to the Maplewood City Council on May 5. “It references how we’re investing in Maplewood residents, businesses, and planning for the future (including in public safety),” he said. 2022-2023 budget memo from Maplewood City Manager Michael D. Reese to the City Council:

TO: Mayor & City Council

CC: Department Heads

FROM: Michael D. Reese, City Manager

DATE: May 5, 2022

RE: 2022-2023 Consolidated Budget: Review of Strategic Budget Priorities and Fiscal Responsibility

We kicked off the 2022-2023 budget process with a town hall meeting on November 16, 2021 where we gathered input about the budget from the community. Then, we held a Strategic Budget Priority Work Session on February 1, 2022 where each Council Member and the City Manager shared two budget priorities. This prioritization process was very helpful and established a framework for city staff when devising the 2022-2023 budget.

Stone Spiral, C Oliver coffee shops close

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Maplewood’s Coffee Crawl will have two less stops on the tour next year. Stone Spiral Coffee and Curios, opened for 15 years, and C Oliver, since 2019, have closed their doors. Stone Spiral, 2500 Sutton Boulevard, was open seven days a week 12 hours a day or more; less on Sunday, including an open-mic night that filled both rooms on Wednesdays. It cut its hours and staff when the pandemic came. A similar operation called Sweet Peaz is applying for a liquor license for the location.

Best place to live, best pizza, MRH golfer: in the news

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Reported in online news recently:

Advantage News — Colleen Marie Lucy | Granite City Obituaries | advantagenews.com  
Albany Herald — Best suburbs to live in America | Features | albanyherald.com  
KSDK — Ask Allie: New reports of stolen mail from USPS drop boxes – KSDK  
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — Skornia aims for strong senior season for defending state champion De Smet | Boys Golf …  
St. Louis Post-Dispatch — M-RH’s Kolar bounces back from rough outing to defend Seckman Invitational title | stltoday.com  
Legacy.com — Joseph Kiske Obituary (2022) – Saint Louis, MO – St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Legacy.com  
Legacy.com — Richard Patton Obituary (2022) – Saint Louis, MO – St.

City to install electric vehicle charging station

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The city of Maplewood is having a dual port level 2 charging station installed at the Marietta parking lot, a city employee said Monday. It will be near the west entrance to the lot, and offered as a free service to residents and visitors. There will be a 2-hour charging limit. No other limitations, such as EV vehicle parking only, were mentioned.

Maplewood Ward 3 candidate Mary Killian shares ideas to help residents

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Maplewood Ward 3 candidate Mary Killian has sent additional concerns of hers to be published. 1) I would like to see the city develop a central point, source or office where the citizens could find answers to questions or be directed to help. It could be manned by knowledgeable volunteers and overseen by a city employee. It could be a QR code that lists all the local resources for aid in solving their problems. I know that that 988 call centers will start in July to give aid with mental health problems, but this could be for tax assessment, food panty access, or lawn or home repair for the elderly. 2) We have an untapped resource of artists, writers and musicians, we citizens from various cultures and backgrounds.