PROPOSED LAFAYETTE SQUARE SPECIAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (SBD)
Survey and investigation on the desirability and possibility of forming a Special Business
District
I. Background and Existing Conditions
The Lafayette Square neighborhood is located in St. Louis City and is bounded by Chouteau
Avenue on the north, Jefferson Avenue on the west, Interstate Forty-Four and Lafayette Avenue
on the south and Truman Parkway on the east. The neighborhood is bisected by Park Avenue
and includes Lafayette Park in the center with retail shops and restaurants all surrounded by
residential areas along with the remnants of industrial development in the northwest corner.
Additional commercial development runs along the north side of the neighborhood.
In 2001, as part of a sustained community effort led by an urban planning team from Washington
University, Lafayette Square residents and business owners developed and secured City of St.
Louis approval of an official Urban Plan for the neighborhood. A key part of the plan was a todo list of critically needed neighborhood improvements, with cost estimates for each. The to-do
list was designed to: (a) ensure the long term viability of Lafayette Square's often-fragile
infrastructure, (b) recognize both its unique heritage and its contemporary urban culture, (c)
support intelligently-planned future development, and (d) enhance the quality, safety, and
security of life in the neighborhood.
Neighborhood fundraising events and collaborative efforts with the city realized important
improvement projects in Lafayette Park such as stabilization of the original wrought-iron fence,
restoration of the Park House and other enhancements contemplated by the Urban Plan for the
neighborhood. These efforts are ongoing today and reflect the high level of neighborhood
participation in the well-being and continued improvement of the community and subsequently,
the city. However the neighborhood fundraising events are insufficient to support ot her much
needed efforts in the neighborhood including greater efforts toward maintaining the character of
the neighborhood and a safe atmosphere for all who live in and visit Lafayette Square.
II. 2001 Urban Plan
During 2014, a group of Lafayette Square residents has been working to propose and promote a
comprehensive strategy for maintaining the historic neighborhood including completion of the
remaining 2001 Urban Plan projects. Community meetings were held in September 2014 and
October 2014 to serve as public forums during which an SBD Study Group made a fact-based,
formal presentation followed by a Q&A session. More than 150 people attended these meetings
to discuss the need and importance of institution an SBD for the neighborhood.
The original Urban Plan to-do list included the following items:
1. Replacing the sprawling automobile junkyard at 18th Street and Park Avenue with a
plaza and fountain, and upgrading streetscaping for the adjacent Business District.
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2. Reconfiguring the 18th Street/Dolman/Chouteau neighborhood streets and parking for
future development.
3. Upgrading key intersections and streets throughout the Square with traffic calming
measures.
4. Installing historically compatible entrance gate features at key neighborhood entry
points to visually and architecturally define the neighborhood.
5. Installing historically compatible lighting for streets, pedestrian ways, and key
landscaping features which would have the added benefit of enhancing safety and
security throughout the neighborhood.
6. Restoring, rebuilding, and sustaining featured elements of Lafayette Park, the Square's
key anchor and one of the nation's best remaining examples of a Victorian Walking Park.
7. Providing for on-going maintenance and preservation of the Square's unique physical
assets, old and new.
8. Investing in appropriate neighborhood safety and security measures for residents and
visitors.
The first three items on the list have been basically accomplished, with dramatic transformative
effects on the neighborhood. Several more of the handsome entry features referenced in Item3
above will be installed at key access points, helping to emphasize the neighborhood's visually
distinctive and organic architectural character. The Park's resounding renovation success stories,
like the new Kern Pavilion, the restored Park House, and the beautifully rescued Rock Garden
and Grotto areas have all been impressive accomplishments. Items 5, 6, 7, and 8 on the list,
however, have seen little or no progress, held back by funding shortages and the challenge of
raising the substantial funds needed. Many other projects have been long deferred or abandoned.
In addition, critical new items have presented themselves for addition to the to-do list over the 14
years since the development of the Urban Plan for Lafayette Square.
III. Current Problems & Ongoing Needs
1. Need to Address Safety
Neighborhood safety and security add another layer of unresolved challenge that will be very
expensive to deal with. In an era of increasingly constrained city budgets, no funds are available
or likely to become available to address these kinds of challenges. Recent events in the
neighborhood highlight the need to have a routine, high profile security presence to keep
residents and visitors to the neighborhood safe. The neighborhood is a destination for many and
increased security patrols and presence would help visitors and residents to take full advantage of
the shops, restaurants and other retailers located within the neighborhood while generating
revenue.
2. Need to Address Beautification and Infrastructure
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Portions of the neighborhood associated with public infrastructure have become neglected and
are deteriorating. These features are not just esthetic or historic. They directly affect the quality
of life in the neighborhood, ongoing development prospects, property values, and the long-term
vitality of the neighborhood. Lafayette Park, a priceless one-of-a-kind anchor that gives the
neighborhood much of its unique character, is itself increasingly at risk. While the park has
benefitted from tireless volunteer efforts, its infrastructure is fragile. Areas that suffer from
chronic deferred maintenance and need serious attention soon include the ornate 1869 iron fence,
the imposing limestone gate fixtures, the lake and fountain systems, and the walkways.
Restoration of the park's lighting system, removed long ago, would bring back the unique
ambience it once had at night and would offer major safety and security benefits as well. The
park's potential as a national heritage attraction and a gem-like destination for residents and
visitors has been documented, but can only be realized if its infrastructure problems are resolved.
These problems will cost millions of dollars to fix and are far beyond the scope of the most
dedicated volunteer efforts.
IV. Proposed District Boundaries
Beginning at the point of the intersection of the south line of Chouteau Avenue and the east line
of Jefferson Avenue; thence eastwardly along said south line of Chouteau Avenue, to its point of
intersection with the west line of Truman Parkway; thence southwardly along said west line of
Truman Parkway to its point of intersection with the north line of Lafayette Avenue; thence
westwardly along said north line of Lafayette Avenue to its intersection with 18th Street; thence
southwardly along the extension of the east line of said 18th Street to its intersection with
Interstate Forty-Four; thence westwardly along the north line of said Interstate Forty-Four to its
intersection with Jefferson Avenue; thence northwardly along the east line of said Jefferson
Avenue to the point of beginning.
(See attached Map).
V. Proposed Uses of Additional Revenue
The SBD must be prepared to respond to the current needs of the neighborhood as well as those
that may arise in the future. Therefore, the SBD’s use of additional revenue will be as set forth
in R.S.Mo. 71.796 and listed below:
(1) To close existing streets or alleys or to open new streets and alleys or to widen or narrow
existing streets and alleys in whole or in part;
(2) To construct or install pedestrian or shopping malls, plazas, sidewalks or moving sidewalks,
parks, meeting and display facilities, convention centers, arenas, bus stop shelters, lighting,
benches or other seating furniture, sculptures, telephone booths, traffic signs, fire hydrants,
kiosks, trash receptacles, marquees, awnings, canopies, walls and barriers, paintings, murals,
alleys, shelters, display cases, fountains, rest rooms, information booths, aquariums, aviaries,
tunnels and ramps, pedestrian and vehicular overpasses and underpasses, and each and every
other useful or necessary or desired improvement;
(3) To landscape and plant trees, bushes and shrubbery, flowers and each and every and other
kind of decorative planting;
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(4) To install and operate, or to lease, public music and news facilities;
(5) To purchase and operate buses, minibuses, mobile benches, and other modes of
transportation;
(6) To construct and operate child-care facilities;
(7) To lease space within the district for sidewalk cafe tables and chairs;
(8) To construct lakes, dams, and waterways of whatever size;
(9) To provide special police or cleaning facilities and personnel for the protection and
enjoyment of the property owners and the general public using the facilities of such business
district;
(10) To maintain, as hereinafter provided, all city-owned streets, alleys, malls, bridges, ramps,
tunnels, lawns, trees and decorative plantings of each and every nature, and every structure or
object of any nature whatsoever constructed or operated by the said municipality;
(11) To grant permits for newsstands, sidewalk cafes, and each and every other useful or
necessary or desired private usage of public or private property;
(12) To prohibit or restrict vehicular traffic on such streets within the business district as the
governing body may deem necessary and to provide the means for access by emergency vehicles
to or in such areas;
(13) To lease, acquire, dispose of, construct, reconstruct, extend, maintain, or repair parking lots
or parking garages, both above and below ground, or other facilities for the parking of vehicles,
including the power to install such facilities in public areas, whether such areas are owned in fee
or by easement;
(14) To promote business activity in the district by, but not limited to, advertising, decoration of
any public place in the area, promotion of public events which are to take place on or in public
places, furnishing of music in any public place, and the general promotion of trade activities in
the district.
VI. Proposed Initial Uses and Budget
(See attached.)
VII. Conclusion
The Lafayette Square neighborhood is in need of additional resources to ensure future
improvement to the community and the historic significance of the neighborhood is maintained.
Establishing the SBD is in the best interest of the neighborhood and would provide for much
needed additional funds to carry on the traditions of Lafayette Square. For additional
information, please see the Study Group’s website at http://lafayettesquare.org/sbd/.
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Map of Lafayette Square SBD
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Proposed Initial Uses and Budget
Income
2015 Tax receipts (projected)
280,000
Total projected income
$280,000
Expenses
Public Safety and Other Services
Capital Improvements, Beautification and Maintenance
Administration
Total projected expenses
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152,000
114,000
14,000
$280,000