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MAYOR FRANCIS SLAY ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF
GATEWAY MALL CONSERVANCYAND ADVISORY BOARDS

Contact: Gary Bess, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry
314-289-5369 or bessg@stlouiscity.com

March 12, 2010 – Mayor Francis Slay convened the first meeting of the newly formed Gateway Mall Conservancy Board today. The purpose of the Board is to govern the overall planning, design, funding and execution efforts for the entire Gateway Mall, which runs from the Old Courthouse west to past Union Station.

The Gateway Mall Master Plan, formally adopted by the City of St. Louis in July of last year, provides the City with a comprehensive vision for transforming downtown’s central park into an outstanding open space. Building on this long-range vision, the Plan creates an overall framework to guide future individual proposals within the Mall.

“This is an important step in building on the momentum created by the opening of Citygarden last summer,” Slay said. “This Board is made up of individuals who can provide executive, civic, and fundraising energy and leadership. They each have already contributed to our community in so many ways.”

Named to the Gateway Mall Conservancy Board were Peter Fischer, Gateway Foundation; Robert Archibald, Missouri Historical Society; Steve Cousins, Armstrong Teasdale LLP; John Ferring, Plaze, Inc.; David Mesker, retired, A.G. Edwards; Emily Rauh Pulitzer, Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts; Kitty Ratcliffe, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission; Henry S. Webber, Washington University; Josephine Weil, Community Volunteer; and Patricia Roland-Hamilton as Executive Director.

Also announced today was the formation of the Gateway Mall Advisory Board, a group of stakeholders responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Gateway Mall Master Plan and providing ongoing community input about the Gateway Mall. Its composition and responsibilities are outlined by City ordinance.

Its role is to oversee and review compliance with the Plan and provide review of proposed modifications to the Plan. Members of the Board constitute a part of the public review process and have the authority to conduct a public review of any proposed expansion, modification, replacement, relocation, adaptive re-use, or removal of existing roads, paths, parking lots, recreation areas or natural areas.

“It’s critical to ensure we adhere to the vision set forth in the Master Plan,” said Gary Bess, the City’s Director of Parks, Recreation & Forestry. “We will look to this group toassist us in doing so.”

Appointed by the Mayor to the Gateway Mall Advisory Board are A.J. Bruning, Downtown Resident’s Association; Jack Reis, EVS Realty; John Sondag, AT&T; Pat Shannon, Shannon’s Restaurant; Byron Marshall, Union Station; Waller McGuire, St. Louis Public Library; Steve Smith, The Lawrence Group; Mike Kociela, Entertainment St. Louis; Andy Trivers, Trivers & Associates; Chris Fannin, HOK; Sarah Smith, Community Development Ventures; Mike Kinman, Christ Church Cathedral; Steve Patterson, Urban Review; and Les Sterman, Downtown Resident.

Serving in an ex-officio capacity will be Pete Rothschild, Red Brick Management; 6th Ward Alderman Kacie Starr-Triplett; 7th Ward Alderman Phyllis Young; Don Roe, St. Louis Planning & Urban Design; Gary Bess, Director of Parks, Recreation & Forestry; Maggie Campbell, Partnership for Downtown St. Louis; Ann Chance, Special Events Manager; Lynnea Magnuson, Soldier’s Memorial; and Patricia Roland-Hamilton, Gateway Mall Conservancy.

The Gateway Mall Advisory Board will likely convene in April.

For further information about the Gateway Mall, visit www.gatewaymall.org.

The Gateway Mall Master Plan provides the City of St. Louis with a comprehensive vision for transforming downtown’s central park into an outstanding open space that defines the heart and soul of St. Louis. Building on this long range vision, the plan creates an overall design framework to guide future individual proposals within the Mall, directing implementation and long term management.

Cities across the United States and around the world are increasingly investing in their public realm. These substantial efforts focus on beautifying and improving the functionality of streets and open spaces. When successfully realized, these projects can become more than the sum of their parts and result in an improved public realm, a cornerstone for true city building, attracting increased amounts of people and investment.

Downtown St. Louis’ reinvestment in its public realm is underway, and great strides have been made. The 1999 Downtown Plan identified the Gateway Mall, the Riverfront, and the Gateway Arch Connector as three crucial open space elements vital to the revitalization of downtown, and a key piece of this puzzle — the Gateway Mall—is now being addressed in the realization of this Master Plan.

The Master Plan strives to attract visitors and energy from River to Arch to Mall to reinvent this underused green space. The Plan outlines a roadmap to remedy the challenges facing the Mall and to build upon the areas of opportunity that already exist. The Mall will play an active role in the daily life of the City and the Region, comprising varied landscapes, programming and permanent venues to attract and amaze. Here, the Region will come to celebrate and remember.

To view the full Gateway Mall Master Plan, click here.