Items Tagged ‘Missouri’
County Partnership Announces RFQ For Chrysler Site Adaptive Reuse Study; Creation of Alternative Energy Research Park To Be Studied
Publication Date:
July 27, 2010Written By:
Nancy SchnoebelenSource:
St. Louis County Economic CouncilRead more...
Synopsis:
A request for qualifications has been placed to study the potential adaptive reuse of the former Chrysler manufacturing plant in Fenton, Missouri. The St. Louis County Economic Council is interested in the potential of reusing the 300-acre site and buildings for a multi-use commercial, industrial research park and/or renewable alternative energy technology park. The study will also incorporate analysis and recommendations for business diversification and employment opportunities for those affected by the plant closure. This study, funded by a $1,575,000 Economic Adjustment and Planning Grant, should in turn help to identify the appropriate mix of uses for the site. The large scale of the site, buildings, and its impact on the city and region are sure to make this a very important project.
CITY MUSEUM
Synopsis:
History
The building was once home to the International Shoe Company. At 600,000 square feet, it included a shoe factory and warehouse.
(Re)Developer
Purchased in 1993, the site found a new purpose and life thanks to Bob and Gail Cassilly. Bob, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur, spent four years reworking the site for his new vision.[1]
Outcome
Opened in 1997, the museum is not only an example of adaptive reuse itself but its displays and elements are repurposed architectural and industrial objects. It includes such features as old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile, and two abandoned planes. “CITY MUSEUM makes you want to know,” says Cassilly. “The point is not to learn every fact, but to say, ‘Wow, that’s wonderful.’ And if it’s wonderful, it’s worth preserving.”[2]
Some of the exhibits include: shoelace museum, World Aquarium, Enchanted Caves and Shoe Shaft, Skateless Park, and MonstroCity. Thanks to the success and vibrancy of the museum, Cassily has used the City Museum as a neighborhood anchor to help develop several nearby commercial and residential buildings as well as include lofts within the shoe factory.[3]
