Brentwood officials at their meeting on Monday, Aug. 15, are due to make their first and second votes on two items for ‘The Metro on Manchester,’ a six-story, 80-unit apartment complex at the corner of Hanley and Manchester roads.
They would need to approve rezoning, from Planned Development to Urban Development, which would accommodate the greater density of residents, and also the site plan. Planning and zoning passed both items unanimously.
See a synopsis of bills on the agenda for Monday.
- BOA holds hearing for luxury apartments
- Apartment complex closer to approval
- Developer proposes apartment complex to Brentwood P&Z
Brentwood resident, Louise Charboneau, submitted to 40 South for public view, four variations of the site: 1) the site as it currently sits, 2) the site with the proposed apartment development, 3) a ‘future interpretation’ and 4) the ‘populist interpretation.’ The developer’s rendering follows.
SeeForYourself-
The usual argument from people who don’t know what they don’t know. Blame my dislike for this building on “fear”. You’ll probably use your fallback “homophobe” or “islamophobe” accusations next.
As to my “cane”; there’s a pretty good chance that I’m younger than your are. And one of the reasons StL might have this reputation you think exists would be people like you demonstrating how above-us-all you are by running around repeating it. That would make you a snob, wouldn’t it? I wonder why an elevated, progressive person such as yourself has stooped to living here in this dreary backwater.
And I’ve seen all but 1 of the cities with architecture that magnetically draws cultural sophisticates such as yourself. And…meh.
“Brentwood: Love It or Leave It,” right? Well, don’t let it be said that I’m not magnanimous. Congratulations, you have won: the Board of Aldermen have dictated that it be beige.
As long as they design a moat around it, should be good to float!!!!
OMG this is an eyesore! Looks like an Eastern European housing project from the 1980’s. With the proposed rebuilding of the Hanley Rd./Manchester intersection with a Michigan Leftturn style interchange the additional traffic will only make a bad situation far worse…
And the flooding that hit that intersection today?
Manchester and Hanley is the fulcrum of the sprawling Hanley shopping center and the downtown Maplewood shopping district. It would be a great property to draw retail shoppers deeper into Brentwood, which is important because 55% of our revenue comes from sales tax. I’m not opposed to apartments being on the property, but we should at least consider a mixed use building with retail on the first floor and apartments above. Similar to what Kirkwood did on Lindbergh or what WashU just built on Delmar.
The ice coming off the tower will be a disaster waiting to happen. I’ve seen some ice coming down on a car when the restaurant was there.
Let me save some of you time wondering how the vote will go:
Andy will vote no because he always votes no out of some warped sense of obligation to always vote no.
Steve will vote no because Louise told him to vote No
Tom will vote no because he doesn’t want his rental stock having extra competition
Kathy will vote no because Tom told her to.
All other people with their own brain will vote yes as a re-development here is needed.
Truth, as someone that was and is willing to let everyone know who I am and what I think- The area does need to be re-developed. A six story apartment building is not the solution. The traffic patterns suck, it is too tall for the area, and the developer will ask for a TIF. I know he hasn’t yet but a little research on his history shows that his company will end asking for TIF money. Despite your bashing the alderman, it just might be possible that they are voting the way their constituents want them to vote.
A’men, Mike Horton.
So if you want it to stay green space then you would have to buy it. The current owner has the right to make money on his/her investment.
Nobody said otherwise.
But doesn’t the city govt. have a say in how the land is used?
I believe they (we) do, through zoning regs.
And if the neighbors don’t want a green/orange monument to trendiness looming over the area, blocking out the sky, they have a right to say so as well, no?
And if they choose to contact their reps in govt. to inform them of their dislike for this idea, and the reps decide that voting against their wishes is a quick ticket to the sidewalk, then the owners are free to find a use for the land that’s more amenable to the wishes of the neighbors. So, while a little park would be nice, it’s not the only alternative to a building whose architectural style might be described as “avocado green dishwasher chic”. Back to the drawing board and see if you can throw a little bit of dignity and appropriate scale out there. Something we won’t all regret in a few years.
God forbid anything trendy should breakup Brentwood’s vinyl-sided cityscape. The proposed Bauhaus-inspired development for this site is eye-catching and sophisticated. It would go a long way toward jolting the City of Warmth from its beige-hued architectural coma (Drury Inn and Suites, anyone?), not to mention providing an influx of smart, hard-working residents.
Ah, but what of the threat that a six-story building would block our air and light? “It’s a veritable Tower of Babel, I tells ya!” Time to climb out of that ditch, Dodger.
Right, all the rocket scientists I know are looking for a green/orange sensory abomination to call home.
I’d like you to consider “See”, what happens to most trends. They become passe in short order, and then simply remind the observer that it was designed with no consideration of what it’s going to look like in the future. It wasn’t that long ago that all commercial interior space was grey & mauve. See much of that anymore, “See”? Is what’s left of that design trend “sophisticated”, or simply old? How about Hunter Green & bright brass?
But that point is now moot, as the developer has agreed to tone down the blinding ugliness in order to get his project past the BOA.
I still think it’s too much building for that spot, but that’s just me, and everyone who lives near it or drives through that intersection.
It is this kind of fear-of-the-new thinking that St. Louis has to thank for its national reputation as a a cultural backwater. And precisely why rocket scientists AREN’T flocking to our region. I would suggest you quit shaking your cane at the heavens and visit San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Austin, NYC, Chicago, et al. and see the exciting architectural “trends” that are attracting new residents while our region withers.
I attended the Board’s “visioning” session to discuss possible solutions to the problem that is Manchester Road east of Brentwood Blvd. My feeling is that the Board is finally determined to address the flooding problem as opposed to waiting (and hoping) for some Federal government solution having a $35 million price tag. The City can mitigate flooding where possible and devise development uses that are not destroyed in the occasional high water scenario.
Yes, Mike, any owner has the right to make a profit on his investment. I have no idea what the price tag is for the property but it has now been shown–by restrictions to development placed on the property by St. Louis County, MODOT, and MSD–that the entire plat may not be developed, restricting the current proposal to 1.9 acres.
Do I think the City should buy and preserve the green space? You betcha!
Louise
Louise, YOU ARE RIGHT. Look at the alternatives. in 10 years they will look like projects. And have traffic studies been even considered for so already congested intersection. I love the green space. THAT is a “Welcome to the City of Warmth”.
The beautiful green space looks good to me. Quit developing every inch of open space!!!
I’m with you Becky.
For God’s sake, look at the green & orange catastrophe.
Can you imagine how dated and contrived that thing is going to look in 20 yrs? 15 yrs?
How long did the avocado green appliance craze last, and what was the result? After a few years, they all looked totally out of style and faintly ridiculous.
The Borg cube is better looking.
I’d like to keep the corner green in a good way, not that hideous cube.
Completely agree with Becky and Ditch digger. Also, given it is under 2 Ac. a 6 story building is a very obtuse imposition on what little aesthetics remain in the area.
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