Parking Issue Solved Downtown STL

[cityrat]

I definately wouldn't call STL's skyline "lame".  I think that it gets much recognition with the Arch and is much more "distinctive" than KC, Cincy, Indy, Memphis, Houston, or New Orleans with that shinning metal massive thing.
I personally think their skyline has a lot of continuity.  Now, with all the new highrises going up downtown St. Louis, it may change quite a bit to the north (Bottle District towers).  The times I am in STL too, their skyline to the west and urban core (downtown, midtown, Central West End and Claton) give STL a very impressive long skyline to the west.  Driving through STL to the west seems very big.
Anyway, here are some of my favorites of STL's Downtown Skyline. (most taken from skyscrapers site)

[KCDevin]

I disagree with some of your comments...

I agree the arch adds a lot, and I like the arch, but if you didn't include the arch in the skyline (if it didn't exist), then the skyline isn't really impressive IMO... The bottle district isn't going to add much. There is no guarantee the towers will be at the height they were advertised as. It's entirely based on the market and the developers stated it would probably be between 10 and 30 floors at the least/most...

It just seems the skyline towards forest park is always hidden and makes it seem more unimpressive...

The KC skyline is meant to be viewed from locations where you can see it all, Downtown, the Plaza, KCK, etc...

I like St. Louis as a city and it's skyline, but I just don't think it'd be impressive without the arch. It's not just height, but it's the arrangement and density of it all... You should be dense, but where you can see the buildings... Metropolitan blocks many buildings, especially in the most popular view.

However, I look at KC a lot more than STL...

[AllThingsKC]

For what it's worth...

Ever since I joined this site, I have been very intrested in skylines, major cities, urbanism, etc.  So, I have studied the "urban life" for a long time and I have lived in downtown KC for a year now.  So, if St. Louis didn't have the Arch, I could still look at their skyline and know it was St. Louis (knowing by just the few taller buildings downtown St. Louis has).

HOWEVER...

Everytime I go to St. Louis with a friend (who is NOT very familiar with various skylines like I am), they ALWAYS say, "You know, if St. Louis didn't have the Arch, I think it would like like any other city."  So, I suppose to the "average" person, the Arch is the ONLY way they know that they're looking at St. Louis.

[GRID]

The "average person" can't recognize their own skyline.  We are not average.  I can instantly recognize any skyline of a city over a million people.

Having said that the StL skyline would be just as good with our without the arch.  I pretty much ignore the arch when I'm there, unless you are near the river, crossing the river etc, it's not really a huge part of the skyline.

[AllThingsKC]

The "average person" can't recognize their own skyline.  We are not average.  I can instantly recognize any skyline of a city over a million people.

Ain't that the truth!  One of my friends saw my desktop wallpaper of the KC skyline with the Bartle Hall pylons (which I think is one of your pics, GRID), and ask me "Is that New York?"  I WANTED TO SLAP THEM!!!   

Having said that the StL skyline would be just as good with our without the arch.  I pretty much ignore the arch when I'm there, unless you are near the river, crossing the river etc, it's not really a huge part of the skyline.

I think the StL skyline looks great without the Arch.  Yes, it would look like "any other city," but it's still impressive without the Arch.  And if the Arch had never been built, St. Louis could have even TALLER buildings today.

[nota]

The Arch IS STL, plain and simple.

I like the Arch without buildings as Mr. Saarinen must have envisioned it. The park ranger thought I was nutz lying on the cement below the Arch taking these pix at sunrise. Springtime 2001.












These below were taken at 6AM or so in December 2000 - no snow was predicted, yet when we woke up and looked out the hotel window, there it was. It was beautiful. Just begging for a walk in the snow. Hardly any footprints anywhere.

[schugg]

It ain't this.        st. Louis is definitely missing something,  maybe some of the old architecture like kc has.  I'm sorry but without the arch downtown st. Louis looks like Omaha with one or two more towers.

[kard]

nota, that 3rd one is awesome.  Have you tried fiddling with it on on the computer and making it black and white?

And AllThingsKC, did you conpensate GRID for your wallpaper picture?  Huh?

[loft_dweller]

OMG get off of our nuts for just one day.  KC has no business trying to compare itself to STL.  Stick to cities on your level like Omaha or Indy.  You guys are just so weak......

Go ahead and modify my comments all you want mods.....

[schugg]

OMG get off of our nuts for just one day.  STL has no business trying to compare itself to KC.  Stick to cities on your level like Omaha or Indy.  You guys are just so weak......

yeah!  you tell them suckas from st. clueless!         

[kard]

OMG get off of our nuts for just one day.  STL has no business trying to compare itself to KC.  Stick to cities on your level like Omaha or Indy.  You guys are just so weak......

I've seen finer mucus then you in the urnal at Malle's on Hampton.  Blow over, wanker.

Speaking of that, we should get a beer there next time I'm in town.

[loft_dweller]

It's not my fault KC just can't keep STL's name out of its mouth.  You guys just keep sucking at life.

[schugg]

It's not my fault KC just can't keep STL's name out of its mouth.  You guys just keep sucking at life.

oh yeah!  whatever, I've seen those st louis threads.

[AllThingsKC]

And AllThingsKC, did you conpensate GRID for your wallpaper picture?  Huh?

   (I'm "not sure" if it's his as it doesn't say "KC-Photos")  But, I'm still the perfect little angel.

I've seen finer mucus then you in the urnal at Malle's on Hampton.  Blow over, wanker.

[loft_dweller]

oh yeah!  whatever, I've seen those st louis threads.

Go to urbanstl and find one thread where KC is bashed or talked about and the culprits weren't immediatly called out for it.  Link it here.  Good luck.

[kard]

No, it's not.  It's your great-great-grandfather's fault.  But it's ok.

Actually there weren't many negative things in this thread, where there (that's good for us)?  I think the sky line of St Louis is quite impressive.

[AllThingsKC]

Go to urbanstl and find one thread where KC is bashed or talked about and the culprits weren't immediatly called out for it.  Link it here.  Good luck.

Much to my disappointment, UrbanStL doesn't have as many subjects as KCSkyScrapers.  For example, there's no place to talk about St. Louis sports or other cities, etc.    It's pretty much just a development thread.  Which, there is nothing wrong with that, but how much bashing can go on a site that is ONLY for development?

[schugg]

Go to urbanstl and find one thread where KC is bashed or talked about and the culprits weren't immediatly called out for it.  Link it here.  Good luck.

I wont even waste my time! now why are you even wasting your time here?

[loft_dweller]

Much to my disappointment, UrbanStL doesn't have as many subjects as KCSkyScrapers.  For example, there's no place to talk about St. Louis sports or other cities, etc.    It's pretty much just a development thread.  Which, there is nothing wrong with that, but how much bashing can go on a site that is ONLY for development?

Precisely.  You could learn a few things from us.  If your forum was as serious as ours, you'd have city officals reading it daily and responding to your requests as we do.  But instead you have this clown forum to match your clown city.

[kard]

Actually, one of the reasons I never got in to UrbanSTL when I was living there (and thinking of rehabbing in Benton Park West) was that it was just too detailed.  I could never keep track of all the projects and neighborhoods.  Not that the projects aren't worthy, but I just couldn't keep track of every little detail.  Very knowledgable forum, but one almost needed to be a relator to keep up.  Lots of info there.