The West Pine Laclede Neighborhood Association will meet on Tuesday, October 8th at 7 pm at Northwest Coffee, 4251 Laclede (at Boyle). All are welcome!
Our featured speakers will be representatives from RecoVET, the new owners of the former Ronald McDonald House properties in the 4300 block of West Pine.
In addition, Alderman Browning plans to discuss the proposed changes to the City Charter that will appear on the November ballot.
The minutes from our September meeting and copied below and will be presented for approval at the upcoming meeting. Please note that to save on paper and ink, only a minimal number of hard copies will be printed for review and approval, so you are encouraged to read the minutes on line prior to coming.
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.
West Pine Laclede Neighborhood Association
Northwest Coffee 7 PM
September 10th, 2024
General Assembly Meeting Minutes
CALL TO ORDER 7:01pm
President; Harold Karabell karabell52@gmail.com
Review and approve July 2024 Minutes- The August minutes were posted online and sent out with the monthly announcements. Harold requested a motion be made to accept the minutes. Terry made the motion to accept the minutes, motion 2nd by Dug. All in favor. Motion passes unanimously.
Vice President; Dug Feltch bkmarionnettes@charteret
Treasurer; Terry Werner terryfwerner@gmail.com
Secretary; Nicole Ewing postonni@gmail.com
GUEST SPEAKERS
Jeff Winzerling Neighbor; developer with Versa Development
- Plans for the Optimist Building on Lindell- Mr. Winzerling is proposing a development of a small boutique hotel to reinterpret the current Optimist building with historical preservations in mind.
- Proposal is for a hotel with approx. 129 guest rooms, a small terrace in the rear, and food and beverage service.
- Plans do not include meeting/board rooms or a pool.
- Plans are to keep 2 lower floors of the original 1961 building and some of the 1979 additions.
- Proposal includes removing the current façade and replacing with floor to ceiling glass. It is the plan to keep the columns, raised gravel, and some aspects of the original development from 1961.
- Some of the façade of the glass does not currently meet the form-based code of the Board of Adjustment, but the developer communicates that he wants to create a smooth transition from the 1961 and 1979 renditions to the current, modern plans.
- Plans include some guest rooms on the Lindell side of the building with a small garage underneath.
- Plans include adding a vehicle arrival area with a curb cut on Taylor Ave.
- Winzerling is meeting with the Board of Adjustment to propose the development of the hotel.
- Tentative plans are for construction to begin after Jan 1st 2025, pending approval of the neighborhood organization, alderman, and Board of Adjustment.
- Developer is requesting an approval of the neighborhood organization to approve his appeal to the Board of Adjustment.
- Neighbors in attendance at the meeting have some concerns about the glass facade, pavilion, and potential traffic congestion issues on Taylor Avenue with the arrival area.
*Harold asks for a vote of the neighborhood organization to approve ONLY the use of the building as a hotel. Harold communicates that this is NOT approval of the appeal to the Board of Adjustment, but only to approve the potential of the development of a hotel at this location. Vote to approve a potential hotel was taken, and all in attendance were in approval.
Yusef Scoggin Office held? Email?
- Communicated that from the most recent tax increase, all the new street light lights have been replaced. Our neighborhood has had many street improvements, and other city services improvements in the city and in our neighborhood. Look for additional improvements in the neighborhood in the coming year.
9th WARD ALDERMAN REPORT Michael Browning mbrowning@stlouis-mo.gov
- Not in attendance
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION UPDATES
Treasurer Terry Werner
Update on financials:
- Checking $1,633.66
- Savings $2,855.94
- Time Deposit $4,498.09
**If you are a neighbor interested in contributing to the neighborhood organization, please check with Terry to make sure you are up to date on your yearly dues.
NEW AND ON-GOING BUSINESS
- RecoVET has purchased the old Ronald McDonald House on West Pine and is proposing the use of this building to serve as a recovery/housing center serving military veterans with mental health diagnoses and substance abuse issues.
- The RecoVET organization is attending the October neighborhood meeting to propose their housing permit request and will be available to answer questions.
*Many neighbors in attendance communicate great concerns with this housing permit request and have questions for the organization before permit is approved.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Beautification Committee Chair Lorraine Simpson lorraineline@msn.com
- Nothing new to report
Development Committee Chair Dan Hellmuth dhellmuth@hellmuth-bicknese.com
- Not in attendance, nothing new to report
Security Liason Open position
- Not in attendance, nothing new to report
- Alvin Ferguson 314-904-6979 can be reached for concerns with unhoused or other local disturbances and concerns.
Neighborhood Improvement Specialist Ron Coleman
- National Night Out is Tues Oct 1st and Ron is encouraging neighbors to participate! The neighborhood organization has participated in years prior and can be organized how neighbors see fit. Contact Ron for more information or questions. You may reach out to your block captain if you want to help organize or participate!
Block Captains:
4100-4200 Laclede: Dug Feltch (314) 531-3313
4300 Laclede : Scott Gilbert (314) 406-3536
4100-4200 West Pine: open position
4300 West Pine: David Maltby (816) 516-9818
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Next General Meeting: November 12th @7pm @Northwest Coffee
Meeting adjourned at 7:46 pm.