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Spotlight on St. Louis Area Neighborhood Activities - Updated July 29, 2010

Crown Square Opens at the 14th Street Mall

Community leaders, residents and dignitaries marked the completion of Crown Square, a $35 million redevelopment at the former 14th Street pedestrian mall in Old North St. Louis, with a special ribbon cutting celebration and street festival.

Tino Ochoa, President, Old North St. Louis Restoration, proudly stands by the new clock across from Crown Candy, following a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Crown Square redevelopment.

Crown Square Opens with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
by Betty Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), July 29, 2010 - Over the years, plans came and went for the Old North St. Louis area known as the 14th mall across from Crown Candy Kitchen. Once a thriving urban community, the area had declined drastically in the past few decades.

Now the collection of properties dating from the 1860s to the 1930s has been redeveloped to provide 80 mixed income apartments and more than 34,000 square feet of commercial space. The once vacant mall with boarded up buildings, which many thought were too far gone to be saved, has experienced a rebirth as Crown Square, complete with a large clock near the transportation hub.

To mark the completion of the $35 million project, the Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, Mayor Francis G. Slay, community leaders and residents gathered on a very warm Thursday afternoon, July 29, near the corner of St. Louis Avenue and 14th Street, for a special ribbon cutting ceremony.

Tino Ochoa, President, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, stated that in 1977, there was a ribbon cutting to close 14th street off in hopes of making it a rejuvenated commercial strip. Unfortunately, it didn't work out the way everyone hoped it would. "Here we are some thirty plus years later opening the street up. Actually, yesterday, they just laid down the last piece of asphalt and today we are closing it again for a street festival," he laughed.

Ochoa acknowledged that the project was years in the planning. "It's a big piece of the area. Not even fourteen days ago, we had the opening of the Co-Op Market. Everything is coming together for the neighborhood."

Stephen Acree, President, Regional Housing and Community Development Alliance, stated that the community of Old North St. Louis is now tied back together again. "The neighborhood had been cut off by this abandoned two block area in the center of the community. Now it's knitted back in for a walkable community and it signals that there is additional investment that can be made here."

He noted that it was no easy task putting the financing together for a redevelopment project that encompassed 27 formerly vacant and dilapidated buildings in a four block area.

"For the city as a whole it shows just what a community that reaches out to partners can do if they are really dedicated and committed to bringing back the neighborhood," stated Acree.

April Ford Griffin, 5th Ward Alderwoman, enthusiastically thanked the residents for keeping the dream alive. "I don't think anything is impossible in North St. Louis. We've spent years experiencing blight in our community and businesses leaving. Now, it's going to take everybody and every resource available to Old North St. Louis in order to stabalize our community so that we can be productive and have places to shop and places to live," stated Griffin. "We still have a lot to do. We can make it happen here. Welcome back."

Crown Square, a $35 million redevelopment at the former 14th Street pedestrian mall in Old North St. Louis, opened Thursday, July 29, 2010 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. (L - R) Sean Thomas, Executive Director, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group; St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay; April Ford Griffin, 5th Ward Alderwoman; Tino Ochoa, President, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group; and Bob Burns, field representative for Senator Claire McCaskill.

Mathews-Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club to Unveil 'In the Footprints of Jack Buck Walk of Fame'
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), July 26, 2010 - In honor of its 50th Anniversary, the Mathews-Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club is unveiling the In the Footprints of Jack Buck Walk of Fame, at 10 a.m., Friday, July 30, at the Club's 4245 N. Kingshighway Boulevard facility. St. Louis Cardinals' Manager Tony LaRussa and members of the Buck Family will attend the proceedings, and the special invited guest is Pitcher Adam Wainwright.

The late Hall of Fame broadcaster's involvement with Mathews-Dickey dates back to 1969. During one of Buck's last public appearances, he stopped by President, CEO & Co-Founder Martin Mathews' table to express a strong desire to raise $1 million for area children.

Although Buck passed away before he could act upon these wishes, the goal was achieved thanks to a leading gift by Edward Jones, major support by The William R. Orthwein Jr. and Laura Rand Orthwein Foundation and special gifts from 11 area companies and individuals: AmerenUE, Charles Stewart Harding Foundation, Clifford Willard Gaylord Foundation, Fred Weber, Inc., The Joseph M. Arndt Foundation, Tony LaRussa, Natoli Engineering Company, Inc., PQ Corporation, The Roberts Companies, The Saigh Foundation and The Taubman Company. All donors will be enshrined on pavers, bearing an imprint of Buck's actual shoe, along the walk, underneath a Cardinals' 2009 All-Star Game arch.

The campaign commenced at the 2006 Mathews-Dickey "Jack Buck Celebrity Night with the Stars," with initial contributions by Carole Buck, AmerenUE's Richard Mark and LaRussa. On April 24, 2007, the Cardinals hosted an on-the-field ceremony at Busch Stadium. Edward Jones Managing Partner James D. Weddle announced a $500,000 campaign pledge and threw out the first ceremonial pitch with Fox Broadcaster Joe Buck. Taking part in the ceremony were campaign supporters, Buck's wife, Carole, and daughters, Julie Buck of KLOU and Mathews-Dickey Board Member Christine Buck of KPLR. The $1 million Operational Reserve goal was met later that year.

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