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St. Louis Front Page presents St. Louis CitySide, an overview of the City Government of Saint Louis. From time to time, we will take an indepth look at many of the projects in which the city is involved and how these projects will affect residents and visitors.
 Mayor Highlights Neighborhoods, Schools and Parkst
Master Plan for St. Louis Downtown Riverfront Attracts Nationwide Interest
A Day to Remember
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Design team selected to develop the Master Plan for St. Louis Downtown Riverfront: (L. to R.) Chip Crawford, senior vice president and practice director for The HOK Planning Group, Diana Balmori, principal of Balmori Associates, Jessica Perkins, principal of Vector Communications, and Bill Burke, lead project manager for The HOK Planning Group.
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Design Team Selected to Develop St. Louis Downtown Riverfront
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com) May 2, 2005 - Connecting the riverfront to downtown, the Arch and the rest of the metropolitan region is seen by many as the catalyst for making St. Louis a major destination.
In November 2000, the Greenway District, formerly known as the Metropolitan Park and Recreation District, was established by the successful passage of the Clean Water, Safe Parks and Community Trails Initiative (Proposition C) in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County, Missouri.
The Board of Directors of The Great Rivers Greenway District, the public organization that is leading the initiative and providing the funding for a Master Plan for the Downtown St. Louis Riverfront, voted Monday evening on the design team recommended to develop the Master Plan for the Downtown St. Louis Riverfront.
The HOK Planning Group and Balmori Associates, Inc. were chosen from twelve teams from across the nation, each representing a collaboration of five to six firms, who submitted proposals in response to a Request for Qualifications issued last February.
In an interview following the selection, Bill Burke, lead project manager for The HOK Planning Group, stated that the design process will take approximately a year to develop.
"Vector Communications will direct all the public participation," stated Bert. "We have three different local engineering firms. Surveying will be done by ABNA Engineering. CDG Engineers will help with permitting and costing. A firm from Raleigh, North Carolina, Moffatt and Nichol, will help with naval engineering and riverfront engineering."
The HOK Planning Group has participated in several projects relating to the revitalization of downtown St. Louis including Cupples Station and the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan. Over the past seven years, St. Louis-based HOK has also worked on Forest Park, the Confluence Greenway and the Missouri River Greenway.
"I think that this is the best design team ever put together for St. Louis," stated David Fisher, executive director, Great Rivers Greenway District. "It is clearly a team that can pick up the regional interest for St. Louis and give it that sparkle. Give it that something that makes this the front door to the region."
It is no coincidence that HOK seems to have their thumbprint on St. Louis. That connection may have led to the ultimate decision to be selected as the lead firm. "I think that their passion for this front door came through very clearly," stated Fisher.
Lead designer for the team will be Diana Balmori, principal of Balmori Associates, a New York landscape and urban design firm. Balmori, formerly a partner for the landscape and urban design firm Cesar Pelli and Associates, also was co-author of Saarinen Garden: A Total Work of Art. Eero Saarinen was the architect for the Gateway Arch.
"I really want to use the space to connect St. Louis," emphasized Balmori. "To use it to connect the North to the South and the East to the West. This city really needs something that connects the different parts. It's very disperse and in lots of separate pieces. I think that this is a tool in which you can weave the city together," stated Balmori.
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