ST. LOUIS, July 3, 2008 – Supporters of improvements to the St. Louis riverfront and the grounds of the Gateway Arch are establishing a friends group and have launched a Web site – www.groundsforchangestl.org – to educate St. Louisans about a “once-in-a-half-century opportunity,” it was announced today.
“Groundswell for Change,” the friends group, also announced the formation of a steering committee made up of civic, business, labor, disability rights, and government leaders, as well as everyday citizens concerned about the condition of the riverfront and under-utilization of the Arch grounds. The committee – whose members are listed under “Steering Committee” under the “About” tab above – is inviting members of the general public to visit the web site and to join the new organization.
The new group is urging the National Park Service, which owns and manages the grounds of the Gateway Arch, to take significant steps to enliven the Arch grounds and riverfront for all visitors, and connect them better to downtown St. Louis.
Specifically, Groundswell for Change believes two key improvements are needed:
* A major, above-ground destination attraction, such as a museum, on the Arch grounds near downtown. The subject and content of this facility should be national in scope and consistent with the theme of westward expansion.
* An improved pedestrian connector between the Arch grounds and the riverfront on one side and downtown and the Old Courthouse on the other.
“By making some key enhancements leading to and on the Arch grounds, we can connect those grounds and the riverfront to downtown and realize Eero Saarinen’s original dream of having a magnificent monument complemented by museums, restaurants, and other attractions,” said Kitty Ratcliffe, president of the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission and a member of the Grounds for Change steering committee. “We would make the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial a more complete experience for visitors, and we would make the whole St. Louis region a more compelling destination.”
“These improvements would position St. Louis as a world-class destination,” said Terry Nelson, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity and a member as well of the Grounds for Change steering committee. “They would give the whole region an economic boost through the creation of construction and permanent jobs. But as a life-long St. Louisan, I’m even more excited to think about the possibility of a riverfront that visitors and our own residents could actually enjoy, tied to the city that grew out of it.”
“Looking across the Mississippi, we hope to see a riverfront where children have fun and learn in a world-class museum, families dine in restaurants, and pedestrians walk from the Arch to enjoy the rest of downtown and surrounding communities,” said Mark Kern, St. Clair County Board Chairman, who also has joined the steering committee. “After years of declining attendance, a bold vision is necessary to bring residents back to the Arch and attract new visitors from around the world, and, for the first time, to connect the Arch and the riverfront with the Illinois side of the region.”
“We’re very pleased with the enthusiasm we have met with this group,” said Peter Sortino, president of the Danforth Foundation. “There is tremendous support among a broad cross-section of leaders from many different walks of life. We hope hundreds large numbers of ordinary citizens will visit groundsforchangestl.org and join our effort to realize the full potential of the Arch and the riverfront for our region and the nation.”
There is no charge for joining and no funds are being sought.
Former Sen. John C. Danforth, chairman of the Danforth Foundation, has said that if the Park Service agrees to make the major changes that Groundswell for Change favors, the foundation will commit substantial funds to the effort and seek to raise additional dollars from other private sources.
The Danforth Foundation became involved in the riverfront and Arch grounds effort about three years ago, after St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay asked it to study what could be done to revive the area and to connect it better with downtown. After the Danforth Foundation issued a long report last summer, the Mayor and the foundation asked three leading citizens of St. Louis — Walter Metcalfe, who is of counsel and formerly managing partner the Bryan Cave law firm, Peter Raven, director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, and Robert Archibald, president and chief executive officer of the Missouri Historical Society – to offer additional advice. They subsequently proposed the notion of the new destination attraction or museum and the improved pedestrian connection, among other recommendations.
The foundation also commissioned research last year that showed strong support in the community for new attractions on the Arch grounds.
The National Park Service is currently seeking public input on possible changes to its General Management Plan (GMP) – its blueprint for management – of the 91-acre Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which includes the Arch, its surrounding green space, and the Old Courthouse. The Park Service, which has been using the same plan for the site since 1960, held public meetings in St. Louis on June 25 and July 1. The Park Service will continue to seek input until July 14.
