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St. Louis To Develop Unique Public Garden in Downtown Area

First posted on 06-11-2007

The City of St. Louis and the not-for-profit Gateway Foundation will partner in creating a unique public garden, with extensive landscaping and modern and contemporary sculpture, on a prime downtown setting, Mayor Francis G. Slay announced today. The “Urban Garden,” as the development is tentatively being called, will be on the Gateway Mall between Eighth and Tenth and Market and Chestnut Streets. It will feature plantings selected in consultation with, and maintained by, the Missouri Botanical Garden; fountains and other water features; artistic lighting; seating; and 20 to 25 pieces of sculpture by internationally renowned artists. A café with indoor and outdoor seating is also being contemplated. The garden, which is expected to cost at least $20 million, will be financed entirely by the St. Louis-based Gateway Foundation. In recent years the Foundation has contributed significantly to the revitalization of downtown’s urban landscape with projects ranging from the lighting of the Gateway Arch, Old Courthouse, and Civil Courts Building, to the development of Triangle Park at Clark and 14th Streets. “This garden will immediately become one of St. Louis’ great new attractions for residents and tourists alike,” the Mayor said. “There is nothing really like it anywhere in the United States. It will be a spectacular addition to downtown.” Part of the garden’s uniqueness, the Mayor said, will rest in its openness and accessibility. There will be no fence surrounding it. And in the tradition of many other great St. Louis attractions, it will be free. “The art will be world-class and broadly appealing at the same time – to art sophisticates and non-sophisticates, to adults and children,” the Mayor said. “Although people inevitably have different opinions about public art, this garden will be designed to offer something to everyone. And the landscaping, lighting, and water features will add to the universal appeal. “We envision downtown office workers and our growing downtown residential population using this garden,” the Mayor continued, “We envision Cardinals fans strolling through it before and after games. We envision families having picnics on it. We envision visitors to the Arch and Old Courthouse venturing into downtown to enjoy it. We envision people driving in from all the metropolitan area, and we envision art enthusiasts and other tourists from all over the world coming here to see it. “In short,” the Mayor concluded, “just a couple blocks from Busch Stadium, we think St. Louis is going to have another home run. And we are enormously thankful to the Gateway Foundation for their generosity. This is one of the largest and most exciting gifts this City has received in many years.” The two blocks, covering 2.9 acres, are owned by the City. They are part of the 1.2 mile-long Gateway Mall, which stretches from the Old Courthouse on Broadway to Union Station. The City is currently overseeing the creation of a master plan for the Mall. “We see this urban garden as the cornerstone of our Mall development,” said Rollin Stanley, director of the City’s Planning and Urban Design Agency. “It will jump-start the whole process, and it will set the bar for quality very high.” A bill calling for approval of the legal mechanism to create the garden will be introduced to the Board of Aldermen today. Alderman Phyllis Young, whose 7th Ward includes downtown, is the chief sponsor. Aldermanic President Lewis Reed and 28th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson are co-sponsors. The bill calls for a 15-year agreement, which can be renewed in 10-year increments thereafter. Under the terms of this agreement, the City will continue to own and control the property on which the garden will be built. The Foundation will fund the entire cost of designing and building the garden, as well as the cost of ongoing maintenance, insurance, and any additional security deemed necessary. In addition, the Foundation will display, on loan to the garden, world-class art with an estimated value of $10 million. The City’s only expenses would be for water, electricity, and mowing the grass. Plans are for ground to be broken next Spring, with completion in time for the Major League Baseball All-Star game in St. Louis in July, 2009. ###

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