News

February 2012

New Store Encourages DIY Lifestyle

 

Local Do-It-Yourself folks and artists rejoice! A new business recently opened its doors on South Grand with the hopes that creatives find the materials needed for their projects.

The Upcycle Exchange [3206 S. Grand] believes in Upcycling: the concept of converting perceived waste materials and or underused products into something of better quality. This idea has sparked a wave of home crafting to make useful and unique home items.

From knitting to framing to crafting, the Upcycle Exchange hopes to offer St. Louisans an opportunity make their pet projects come true. The storefront offers pay-as-you-wish pricing and exchange-as-you-wish discounts for in-store material.

Upcycle Exchange regularly posts in online communities of upcyclers, showcasing their home crafting projects, some transforming old picture frames into herb-dryers, others creating new clothes out of used vintage cloth scraps.

February 1, 2012

Restaurant Looks Forward to Patio Season

 

Things are changing at The Vine Mediterranean. Along with a new menu, including a delicious chicken kafta burger, the Lebanese restaurant looks to enhance its outdoor dining experience for the upcoming warmer months.
Construction started in early January for The Vine Mediterranean’s new patio and will feature professional stone work. The owners of the restaurant believe that the new patio will enhance the façade of the establishment.

“This neighborhood has been so good to us,” says Ali Mohsen, owner. “We really want to make it a better place and these improvements will definitely make our restaurant’s patio a much more pleasing place to have a great meal.”

For the past two years, The Vine has hosted local musical acts on weekend nights, and will maintain an area for those performances.

“This spring and summer will be great,” says Mohsen. The Vine’s dining capacity doubles in the warmer months. “Having people more people on the street enjoying their time on South Grand is very important to this community.”
With the extended sidewalks from the Great Streets Initiative, other restaurants are hoping to increase their patio space, with many hoping to do their part to help increase the aesthetic quality of the street.

“People dining in outdoor patios help make this district safer and promote walkability,” says Rachel Witt, Executive Director of the South Grand Community Improvement District. “We have great businesses and wonderful product. These improvements are simply a positive step towards a better South Grand!”

The neighborhood already has some great patios, like Mokabe’s [3606 Arsenal], Pho Grand [3195 S. Grand], and Café Natasha’s [3200 S. Grand].

August 31, 2011

Great Streets Update: Phase One Almost Complete

The first phase of the Great Streets Project on South Grand is almost complete! The new bump-out curbs, widened sidewalks, and permeable concrete are scheduled for completion this month (September). Most of the new trash cans are already placed and in public use.

In a meeting last month with the St. Louis Board of Public Services, one of the entities overseeing the construction project, the next phase of this project will be separated into two bids. Phase 2A will begin shortly after Phase One and should include new trees, the remainder of the trash cans, and planter boxes for upcoming rain gardens.

The South Grand CID and Jennifer Florida, Alderman, 15th Ward are working to ensure that shade trees will be planted this fall. The new trees will be London Plane varieties, which grow in many urban areas in the United States. They have larger leaves than the previous trees, are more tolerant to weather extremes, and have root systems that acclimate easily to packed soil. This same tree can be found in nearby Tower Grove park.

The new rain gardens will not be placed in the planter boxes until Spring 2012, to optimize the growth of the native plants, which are a stipulation in the original grant for the project. In the interim, there will be some planting, but at as reminder to the public, these plants are not permanent, and that portion of the project will be completed in the spring.

Phase 2A will also herald in the striping of pedestrian crosswalks over South Grand, and the striping of parallel parking spots along the street. This improvement is expected to increase motorist visibility of pedestrian walkways in addition to improving overall aesthetics.

New pedestrian lights, benches, and bike racks are expected in Phase 2B to complete the overall project. The lights are designed to be dark-sky compliant, and energy efficient."We look forward to the light at the end of the tunnel," says Rachel Witt, Executive Director for the South Grand CID, "I'd personally like to thank the businesses and community of South Grand for their patience and understanding for this project. The future will be bright for South Grand!"

May 7, 2011

Absolutli Goosed on National Spotlight

May 7- The Official Best Of series will begin filming at Absolutli Goosed [3196 S. Grand] 7-10PM for Missouri’s Best Martini. This show will air on KDNL-TV (ABC) on May 21, and the Travel Channel on May 25. Winners for The Official Best Of awards are nominated through the show’s website, and entrants are investigated to truly see if they are really Best Of. Congrats Absolutli Goosed!

April 16 & 17th

House Tour Tickets Available

The 17^th annual Grand South Grand House and Garden Tour will be held from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday, April 16th and 17^th, 2011. The tour will showcase the architectural and personal styles of grand living through five neighborhoods: Compton Heights, Compton Hill Reservoir Square, Shaw, Tower Grove East and Tower Grove Heights, linked by South Grand Boulevard, dubbed the “Best Mile of St. Louis” by the Riverfront Times. Visitors will have the opportunity to see inside homes and gardens many only admire from the outside. For tickets or more information, please call (314) 567-2030

April 2, 2011

Water Tower Views

The Compton Hill Water Tower and its amazing, unique view of the city will be open from Noon to 4pm on Saturday, April 2, 2011. The tower is open to the public monthly. Admission is $5 per person for adults, $3 per child 6 -12 and children 5 & under are free. Water Tower & Park Society Members are free. (You must present your Water Tower Society membership card.) You can reach them via email, or call (314) 552-9000.

April 2011

Compassionate Sushi

Sekisui Sushi Bistro [3024 S. Grand] is collecting donations for Japanese tsunami victims. The next time you sit down for a tasty futomaki or their delicious sea bass, please inquire about how you can help those in need. (314) 772-0002

April 2011

South Grand- At Your Doorstep

South Grand Delivered is St. Louis's leading bicycle delivery service, offering a variety of options from South Grand, including Wei Hong Bakery & BBQ, St. Louis National Pizza Company, The Vine Mediterranean, and Al Waha.

April 2011

Creamery Offers Designer Frozen Yogurt

Be on the lookout for frozen yogurt, which will soon be offered at Tower Grove Creamery [3101 S. Grand]. The yogurt is Missouri-local and will be available in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. A variety of toppings are available, and the product will be priced according to weight. Forget the impersonal chain stores, get your next cone with Tower Grove Creamery! (314) 772-2456

January 19, 2011

South Grand Parking Lot to Open February 2011

The South Grand Parking Lot located at 3500 Hartford Ave should be complete by February. Due to the wintery mix in the past months has delayed the opening of the lot. The lot will consist of 95 free parking spaces for visitors to the district, only one entrance and exit has been designed for the lot located on Hartford. Also, a pedestrian entryway has been installed linking with Commerce Bank pedestrian walkway. The pedestrian entryway will be well lit as well as the rest of the parking lot increasing the previous light standards from two to six. The district is currently looking into grants to fund events in the lot on typical slower nights in the district during the summer months. Any questions about the South Grand Parking Lot, please contact Rachel Witt Executive Director, South Grand Community Improvement District at (314) 772-5750 or via email rachel@southgrand.org.

January 19, 2011

South Grand Great Streets Initiative Update

The South Grand Great Streets Initiative has been put on pause due to the weather. It is estimated at the latest the construction will begin again March 2011. Phase one construction consisting of new sidewalks and bump outs aiming to be complete by May 2011. Phase two construction consisting of trees, lighting, benches, bike racks, and plantings, and light synchronization is aiming to be complete by September 2011. Any questions about the South Grand Parking Lot, please contact Rachel Witt Executive Director, South Grand Community Improvement District at (314) 772-5750 or via email rachel@southgrand.org.