The West Pine Laclede Neighborhood Association will meet on Tuesday, December 10th at 7 pm at Northwest Coffee, 4251 Laclede (at Boyle).  All are welcome!

The minutes from our November meeting and copied below and will be presented for approval at the upcoming meeting. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday. 

WEST PINE LACLEDE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Minutes:  11.12.19

President Harold Karabell opened the meeting at Northwest Coffee at 7:00. The normal order of business was suspended to allow our visitor to present. 

SPECIAL GUEST: 

Sam Chimato, Principal of Cornerstone Realty, acting landlord for the property at 4150 Laclede, told of plans for a new tenant in the space formerly occupied by Childgarden Early Childhood Center.  Higher Ground Education hopes to open a Montessori school for children from infants to 6 years old.  They are headquartered in California where they currently operate several schools.  Locally they have a school in Clayton and on North Grand Avenue. The lease would be for 20 years. He doesn’t know if they are interested in leasing the parking lot to the east, as Childgarden had done.  The lease could begin as early as in 60 days with some retrofitting/renovation over another couple of months.  

MINUTES from the September meeting were approved unanimously as written.    

TREASURER’S REPORT – Terry Werner: 

 $7,288.51 – time deposit account (due for renewal soon) 

$2,267.86 – checking ($50 for 2 new membership dues, $700 spent for mulching the cul-de-sac on West Pine at Sarah, and $100 donation to Brightside.) 

$1,061.52 – savings

BEAUTIFICATION:  

Diana Gualdoni, Sue Nauert and Marshall Mitchell told of efforts to build support and find funding to plant and maintain the median planters on Forest Park Avenue between the east side of Newstead and the east side of Sarah. Questions were asked as to whether Ikea, the Foundry, and/or either of the new hotels might support expanding the footprint of this project to the planters just east and west of Vandeventer.  These are early efforts and the association will be kept abreast as it moves forward. 

DEVELOPMENT – Ron Coleman: 

Ranieri Construction, developer of the Artizen Townhouses at 4101 West Pine, says the issues with the fill of land have been resolved and they expect to re-start work in December.  

Paul Provan, owner of the property at 4308 Laclede died in an automobile accident.  He had demolished the existing house and was in the process of rebuilding.  It is unknown what will happen to the property. 

The crosswalk at Vandeventer and Laclede has been repainted and striping on on Vandeventer in front of the Gerhart Lofts has been repainted, funds provided by SLU and the Special Business District. 

Full license application (till 1:30 am, including outside seating) for 10 N. Newstead (formerly J&A’s), originally scheduled for 11/6  has been rescheduled due to a formal protest.  The new hearing will be on 12/6 at 4:30 pm.  

Due to short staffing, the City has a backlog of c. 8,000 dangerous trees to be removed.  St. Louis hired a company from Minnesota to remove about 2,000 trees between now and next summer.  The City of St. Louis is responsible for replanting trees in those locations.   

Elite Detailing car wash water runoff has been pooling on Boyle before it reaches the sewer grate.  It has been agreed that the car wash will modify their space to contain the water by installing drains on the property.  This should be accomplished by this spring or summer. 

SECURITY – Marshall Michener:

There was a hit-and-run accident on Taylor and West Pine, resulting in injury.  It was captured on camera and an arrest is expected.  

Our taxing district reported a 27% drop in crime last month. 

ALDERMAN REPORT by Joe Roddy: 

Alderman Roddy was unable to attend. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Diana Gualdoni

Secretary