Committee Meeting Minutes
Central West End Association
Planning & Development Committee
March 8, 2008
The meeting was called to order at
9:10 a.m. by Chairman John McPheeters. Committee
members Mary Bartley, Jim Dwyer, Dennis Flatness, Bill
Seibert, Tom Shrout, Sarah Smith and Ralph Wafer were
present. CWEA President Tricia Roland-Hamilton and Ald.
Lyda Krewson participated ex-officio.
The first order of business was
consideration of a proposal to erect a 6' w x 4' h brick
and stone monument-style sign on the grounds of
Cathedral Basilica School. Lance Cage presented
drawings of the proposed sign as well as a site plan and
photographs of the property and of similar signage
located elsewhere in the community. There was
discussion regarding various design details, the
proposed location/orientation of the sign, and regarding
two existing signs on the school building. Mr. Cage
explained that a zoning variance is required to permit
installation of the sign within 10' from the property
line, and to exceed the limitation on the number of
signs permitted. He pointed out that the proposed
location is 10' south of the inside edge of the public
sidewalk.
Following discussion, the Committee
recommends the following:
1. That the sign be oriented
either parallel to or perpendicular to Maryland Avenue
rather than diagonally as proposed, and that the setback
be re-evaluated in that context.
2. That the stone caps be 4"
thick, rather than the 2 5/8" proposed.
3. That consideration be given to
using larger letters than proposed.
4. That consideration be given to
landscaping around the sign.
Subject to the above, the P & D
Committee recommends approval of the proposed sign.
The second agenda item concerned a
proposal by the Archdiocese of St. Louis (and/or related
agencies) to demolish the San Luis Apartments located at
4483 Lindell Blvd. (N.E. corner Lindell&Taylor) and to
develop a parking lot on the site providing 150 car
spaces. Daniel Jay, Managing Principal of the
architecture firm Christner, presented the proposal on
behalf of his clients. Representatives of the Cathedral
Basilica Parish, Cathedral School and Rosati-Kain High
School also appeared and spoke in favor of the proposal.
Mr. Jay described the history of
the existing structure, the conditions that rendered it
obsolete, the challenges of renovating it and other
matters which contributed to the decision to discontinue
use of the structure as a residential facility for the
elderly, and to demolish it. He then explained the need
for additional parking capacity to serve the demands of
the Cathedral Basilica and Rosati-Kain High School, and
the objective of reconfiguring the contiguous properties
owned by the Archdiocease into a campus-like setting
including the Basilica and the two educational
institutions.
Steven Wheeler, a landscape
architect at Christner, then presented the proposed
design of the parking lot and described the unusual
attention given to efforts to make the property
environmentally sound and aesthetically appealing.
Extensive discussion ensued
regarding numerous topics including ingress/egress,
security and the like, following which the Committee
concluded as follows:
1. There is no objection to the
proposed demolition of the existing structure.
2. There is no objection in
principle to the use of the property as proposed.
3. The Committee requests that a
Transportation Demand Strategy be developed by the
Basilica and the two schools to analyze demand and
evaluate transportation alternatives.
4. There are numerous unresolved
issues regarding the proposed design, including the
setback issue. Given the prominence of the site on
Lindell Boulevard and the potential impact of the
proposed use on the greater community, the Committee
requests that the proponents present their plan again at
the upcoming P&D Public Forum scheduled for Saturday,
March 29, 2008 starting @ 9:15 a.m. at the Schlafly
Branch Library.
There was brief discussion
regarding the status of St. John's Methodist and Third
Baptist Churches located within the Holy Corners
National Register District.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:45
a.m.
