McEagle has named his plans for north city, "NorthSide". What do you think of the name?
At the local level, "NorthSide" is a source of pride. It's a place name attached very specifically to North St. Louis city.
However, at the regional level, the term "north side" does not have universally positive appeal.
For years, North St. Louis has been viewed by many as a heavily segregated, low income, high crime area.
Some people around St. Louis have been heard making statements such as, "I would never go to the north side".
Given the regional scope of the project, what do you think of the name "NorthSide" proposed for this project?
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Sounds less threatening than Blairmont!
ReplyDeleteWhat about JVL and St. Louis Place? Don't the residents of these neighborhoods already have pride in their neighborhoods and their names.
ReplyDeleteNice capitalization of "Side," by the way.
this project is bigger than any one neighborhood anon
ReplyDeleteIsn't that name just a placeholder? I recall McKee saying last night that he had not come up with a permanent name yet.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe any name is intended to be an indelible moniker for huge area, but instead to describe the huge umbrella under which all of this concerted redevelopment would occur. I would sincerely hope that historic neighborhood names would remain intact to describe the very places that would remain as enhanced, instead of replaced.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous at 9:22 - I did not hear him say the name was a placeholder, and I was there for the entire presentation.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone else confirm one way or another?
Regardless, the name is all over the place now - I corrected the style (capital "N", capital "S", two words pushed together) based on reading the coverage in the Post Dispatch.
John W. raises an interesting point...the project name, "NorthSide" would be ascribed to a an area that is borderline equal to or greater than the size of about any existing city neighborhood. The project looks larger than the entire 20th ward.
Since St. Louis is known as a city of neighborhoods, and this project is pretty much a whole new neighborhood, does it make sense to name a new neighborhood "NorthSide", when that name already describes the whole northern half of the city?
The other thing I'm curious about is how the name works at the project's southern edge. The development basically begins at Highway 40 and Market.
Does anyone think of that area as part of the NorthSide? Market Street at 40 becomes gateway to the NorthSide?
Just some questions and thoughts.
I'm actually surprised he's using northside and I'm glad he is. It would be easy to use something that to avoid any negative image associated with the northside. By using northside, it's at least true to its roots. It't not some name that creates visions of countryside and prairie land, so we should be thankful for that! I think northside is appropriate!
ReplyDeleteThe name reflects the character of McKee, deceptive. NorthSide indicates the entire quantrant of the City but the "concept" covers 3 Wards. The NS covers a hugh mass and those of us who live in the out of bounds, N-Side want to know why this 1 man has the exclusive development rights for our Side of Town?
ReplyDeleteWe must fight this McKee character with all we have to run him out.
I hope we can use this venue as an organizing tool. there are plans being discussed to show up en masses at the 27th Brd. of Aldermen meeting in opposition to McKee's monster "concept." Will get back w/as actions develop.
ReplyDeleteAlso, we're looking for volunteers to help design a citizen's action webpage.
The May 27th date as I understand it is the date McEagle plans to submit its redevelopment proposal to St. Louis Development Corporation.
ReplyDeleteAt the presentation, the developers showed a schedule of meetings to follow. It would look something like this...
Hearing of the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority
Hearing of the Planning Commission
If approved, referral to the Board of Aldemen for a first reading of bill, three or four months from now.
Then referral to aldermanic committees (these are also public hearings).
Once approved out of aldermanic committees, the project is then ready for approval by the full Board of Aldermen and signed into law by the mayor.
The full process runs about six months. There will be a lot of discussion in the meantime.
McEagle has promised to hold many more meetings and to release a Youtube video of the project.
It would be helpful if the presentation they gave last night was loaded onto a website for review and comment by the general public.
Rick, from the Beacon:
ReplyDelete"The project has been called Blairmont or NorthSide in various published reports, but McKee said Thursday it still has no official name. He referred to it informally as the regeneration project."
http://www.stlbeacon.org/development/mckee_unveils_$54_billion_redevelopment_at_meeting_thursday_
Thanks Adam...
ReplyDeleteGood thing blogger lets us change the name of the site :-)
We'll keep the url though. Hmmm? I wonder if www.blairmont.blogspot.com is still available?