I've long made the case that in order for Kirkwood to get the most out of its significant development in the Grant's Trail extension, they should clear the way for the private sector to invest in the land alongside it. That mostly means loosening zoning restrictions for what uses are allowed on adjacent land, but… Continue reading Present & Future Development Along Grant’s Trail
Update 10/10/25: The Maje Residences by House of Hoard are back in a new, fully zoning-compliant form at 507 S. Holmes. Several pictures were provided in Monday's Architectural Review Board agenda, beginning on pg. 193 of the pdf. After receiving ARB approval, there won't be much to do but start building. Exciting stuff coming to… Continue reading The Maje Residences: 7 Townhomes Next to Grant’s Trail
Last week I wrote that the city had officially rejected IPG's proposal for the city-owned East Jefferson Parking Lot. That plan would have added a 66-room boutique hotel, shopping, and a net increase of over a hundred parking spots to Downtown Kirkwood, but it was only one-half of their submission to the city. Today I… Continue reading IPG Part 2: Council Rejects Another $33m of Investment
It's hard to tell if Connect Our Community actually has the grassroots support that the yard signs and Webster-Kirkwood Times coverage seem to indicate, or whether it's the narrow project of a couple of incredibly hardworking gadflies who have managed to drag support for the project out of the swamp as if it were Sutpen's… Continue reading Connect Our Community: Wheat from the Chaff
A few weeks back, we received word that East-West Gateway's has granted STP (Surface Transportation Program) funding for Phase 1B of the Grant's Trail Extension to Downtown Kirkwood. This is the second of four legs to be funded, with the first leg —running from Argonne to the corner of Fillmore and Monroe— having received TAP… Continue reading Grant’s Trail: Halfway Home, It’s Time for B-GT
Happy (belated) Earth Day, Kirkwood! To mark the day, I wanted to write a little something focusing, as we always do, on the politics of the possible. Before we start, I want to offer my usual annoying caveat that the single best thing Kirkwood can do for the environment is to allow the construction of… Continue reading Time For Kirkwood To Embrace Electric Vehicles
Kirkwood has walled off its poorest neighborhood, Meacham Park, from the rest of the city. It has isolated this neighborhood by erecting physical barriers. These physical barriers prevent neighborhood residents from participating in our town's social, political, and economic activities. The inability of some residents to participate in these social, political, and economic activities, in… Continue reading Meacham Park is an Island: Part 1
Update 01/27/2023: Good news! Kirkwood will, in fact, be pursuing Phase 1B in this year's call for STP grant proposals according to next week's City Council agenda. The proposal matches that which I outlined below, running from Fillmore to Leffingwell. The city is asking for $1,731,310 in Federal funding and will match that share, should… Continue reading Grant’s Trail: More Work to Do
Update: 9/13/2023 The diet is happening and the plan is to follow all the established best urbanist practice save for the fact that the lanes should be 10-ft wide rather than 12, but we fight on! Here's Council Member Gibbons with the update: At the work session last week, the Council reviewed new plans for… Continue reading Getting Over the Line: A Road Diet Update
Update 09/13/2023: At the work session last week, the Council reviewed new plans for narrowing Kirkwood Road from Adams to Bodley. Based on lessons learned from the demonstration project, the new plans call for 12-foot, single lanes going north and south and a 14-foot, center, turning lane. There will be no parallel parking on either side of Kirkwood Road. The proposal includes 6-foot sidewalks… Continue reading Kirkwood Rd Needs a Diet
