Five finalist design teams are in town this week for the 2nd Midcourse Review. It’s a testament to the current Framing a Modern Masterpiece design competition that some of the best architects, designers and urban planners in the world are applying their considerable skill to re-envision the Arch grounds. The result of the Competition will be a new legacy for all of St. Louis.
City to River wants as many people as possible to be able to easily and enjoyably get to the Arch grounds, riverfront and the incredible new additions we’re likely to see. Whatever is proposed, we know it will be transformational. Whether it’s a world-class aquarium, an architecture history museum, or 1804 historical village with a remade Old Rock House, or something else all-together, the more accessible the Arch grounds, the more likely people are to visit.
It’s clear that once people arrive at the Arch grounds, there should be more to do, more to see and more to learn. There should be a reason to stay and a reason to return. The design goals to “reinvigorate the mission to tell the story of St. Louis as the gateway to national expansion” and “create attractors to promote extended visitation to the Arch, the City and the River” must be addressed, limited only by the imagination and skill of the final design teams.
We believe that a boulevard serves to highlight what will be created, make it accessible and inviting, the center of our city’s activity. Together, new “attractors” and a boulevard definitively change the Arch grounds and our city for the better. They fulfill each of the Competition’s design goals and “weave connections and transitions from the City and the Arch grounds to the River”, “mitigate the impact of transportation systems”, “develop a sustainable future,” and more.
We can be sure that the Competition’s design submissions will be exciting and create a new legacy on our riverfront. Let’s do what we can to make sure that as many people as possible choose to explore the new Arch grounds and riverfront.
