Centre Bridge Demo Progress & A Call to Action by City to River

Less than a week after the "Bridge Bash", The east wall of the St. Louis Centre sky bridge over Washington Avenue has been reduced to almost a skeleton.  About three weeks from now, the entire structure should be nothing but a bad memory.

After being hidden for over twenty five years, the facade of the former Stix Baer & Fuller department store reveals itself.  While the facade is largely intact, including original windows still in place behind the mask of the bridge, this view shows how the projecting ornamental terra cotta band course at the third floor window sill level was sawn off to accommodate construction of the mall structure.  This feature will be restored as part of the restoration for the facade of the building, which will be transformed into an Embassy Suites Hotel and apartments.

As the bridge is deconstructed, it has become transparent, allowing the sun to filter through.  Below however, the sun almost never penetrates this space.

Now that the St. Louis Centre bridge is well on its way to oblivion, City to River would like to turn your attention and your actions eastward to the soon to be former Interstate 70 as it hovers ominously above Washington Avenue and extends northward for nearly three quarters of a mile.

As we are currently meeting with area property owners, Downtown & riverfront neighborhood stakeholders, and developers to gain endorsements as well as the Arch design competition finalist teams to urge them to include highway removal in their concepts, we also are reaching out to the general public for support.  

What can I do to help you may ask?  Today, the City to River Blog has outlined a few simple things YOU can do to help make the vision for a New Memorial Drive a reality.  Please click the link above and take a few moments to show your support for reopening the front door of St. Louis.