Civic Advocacy

STL-Style may be a t-shirt shop, but our shtick goes far beyond that.  In case you haven't noticed, we care pretty deeply about the City of Saint Louis.  So in the spirit of civic engagement, we have aligned ourselves with these fine organizations which share our vision for the betterment of our nation's great old cities:

• Great Lakes Urban Exchange (GLUE) - St. Louis affiliate
• Next American City - Vanguard members
• Landmarks Association of St. Louis - Board members
• City Affair- Steering Committee members
  
  

The Pevely Dairy is endangered!

Once again, a nationally significant St. Louis building is threatened by short-sighted thinking.  If Saint Louis University gets its way, the mighty Pevely Dairy complex at Grand & Chouteau will be leveled to make way for a doctor's building that could just as easily be built on any of the already vacant lots that SLU deliberately created in the immediate area.  Meanwhile, the atrocious little Captain D's hut is safe and sound across the street.  Something is wrong in Midtown St. Louis.  The Pevely Dairy is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was slated to become luxury apartments as recently as a few months ago, so there is no way to justify its destruction.  

UPDATE:  The Preservation Board voted 3-2 in favor of preserving the landmark corner office building at Grand & Chouteau, as well as the iconic smokestack!  This is a big win for all of Saint Louis!  Thank you for your support!!!!

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Save Our Saucer!

Most recently known as Del Taco, the lovable space-age saucer that straddles the prominent intersection of Grand & Forest Park Parkway in Midtown St. Louis, faces an uncertain future.  If the building's owner gets his way, the iconic structure will be demolished to make way for an as-yet-undisclosed replacement.  Many people don't realize that the unique saucer enjoys a listing on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the adjacent Council Plaza complex.  This is one of the coolest, funkiest, most unusual buildings in the St. Louis metro area, and it must be preserved.  

With a few notable exceptions, developers in St. Louis have long suffered from an inability to think outside the box.  All too often, we've seen remarkable buildings torn down for mediocre stripmalls or parking lots.  These shameful redevelopment practices continue to erode our city's proud architectural legacy and desecrate our diverse, interesting urban landscape.

Adding insult to injury, the political process that purports to act in the best interest of the city frequently seems to serve the personal agendas of aldermen and developers, even when their idea of "progress" lacks the vision St. Louis deserves.

The Del Taco saucer represents an incredible opportunity for this city.  With a little imagination, this one-of-a-kind structure could be transformed into a high-profile pizzeria, frozen custard stand, coffee shop, wine bar or bike station.  Some funky lighting, better landscaping and a more pedestrian-oriented site plan could go a long way to make the saucer more inviting and accessible.  With the proximity of SLU students, Grand Center theater-goers, commuters, tourists and the right tenant, the saucer could become a huge attraction all by itself, adding a sleek, mid-century beacon to the heart of the city.  The alternative is to continue on as we have for the past few decades, and watch as the distinctive places that make our city special slowly give way to the ordinary.  We, as proud St. Louisans, have a responsibility to demand better for our city.

Contact your alderman and tell him/her to support preservation of the Midtown saucer!

UPDATE:  THE SAUCER IS SAVED!!!!!  Rick Yackey, the building's owner, has announced plans to rehab and reuse the saucer.  He will even expand its square footage!  No tenants have been announced yet.  Details coming soon!