My husband is always itching to move. It is something left over from his first few years out of school when he had a new apartment every year. These days he wants to live downtown. He wants to be closer to work and within walking distance to restaurants and shops. And most importantly he doesn’t want to do any maintenance. My only concern is that we have trouble committing to living anywhere for more than two years. Based on all the choices available right now downtown, I think it is great time to buy. There are ample new projects coming up and more than enough MOTIVATED sellers with re-sales for any serious buyer to negotiate a good deal.

Below is one we just viewed in the Terra Cotta Lofts. It has the same basic floor plan as the many others that are currently listed, but is has more square footage than other 2 bed, 2 bath units making the rooms larger and easier to design. Also the taxes in this building are abated and the condo fee for this unit is relatively low. There is only one downside. Whenever the first owners picked out the upgrades, they stuck with the base package. So there’s nothing really exceptional about the finish. For a person with style and vision though this is a great blank slate. You won’t have to undo someone else’s questionable taste.

#709 in the Terra Cotta building.

This is a CMA Portrait of the other available condos at 1501 Locust including two listings that just went under contract. Looking at price per square foot, this unit is priced well for the building. The average per square foot price in the building is about $164, this one is listed at $143.87 per square foot.

This article was in last week’s Biz Journal. Their information came from the city Assessor’s Office.

Year ……………. Number of Condos Sold in Downtown

2003 ……………. 116

2004 ……………. 140

2005 ……………. 288

2006 …………….. 336

2007 ……………… 362 (not including November or December)

Today City Diner is serving an all-you-can eat Thanksgiving dinner for $15.95

My class, Planning the Metropolis, conducted an asset evaluation for the Southwest Garden Neighborhood as group project. We looked at the physical, community, economic, environmental and transportation assets of the area. Overall we discovered that it is an incredibly livable neighborhood, very well positioned, walkable to Tower Grove Park and the Botanical Gardens and affordable. Below are several active listings in the neighborhood. Check out their neighborhood website here.

This home on Reber Place is at the center of the neighborhood. It sits on a boulevard street and is an easy walk to Tower Grove.

The Southwest Garden District has great variety of rental opportunities. This multi-family building is in great shape and due to its location near the Botanical Gardens, STL public library and public transportation would be an easy building to fill.

This condo is on Kingshighway. There is parking in the rear of the building so you wouldn’t have to worry on parking on the busy street in front. It has been completely renovated and the finishes are superior to other spaces in the price range. From here it is an easy walk to Tower Grove Park or hop on the bus and be in CWE in minutes.

Southwest Gardens has an active neighborhood association. And they are currently working with operation Bright Side to develop the vacant lot at the corner of Southwest and Kingshighway into community green space. Please view their website for more neighborhood information.

Last night I went to the public unveiling of the Art Museum Expansion. You can check out the full story on the museum website. The expansion will be on the south side between the museum and the zoo. The parking will be located under the new building and there will be a dedicated entrance in the rear for tour and school buses. In addition to the new exhibition space the main floor of the expansion will host a restaurant. A new, fully accessible entrance will be located directly off Fine Arts Drive.

Present last night was David Chipperfield the design architect. He discussed his process and the practical and philosophical goals of the project. Practically, the museum needs to create gallery space, expand visitors amenities and add to the supportive infrastructure. Philosophically the goals are much more complex. First there is the need for the expansion to be compatible with its counter part and equally important it must be incorporated into the landscape. The desire was for a building appropriate for its time, a modern structure. The expansion requires a distinct, architectural character of it own yet needs to comfortably stand side-by side with Cass Gilbert.

Incorporating the expansion into the landscape means creating a long, low building with pavilion quality and allowing the park into the museum with light and strategically placed windows. These goals, of course, produce a few obstacles for the architect. 18th century paintings and sunlight have a contentious relationship and placing the car-park under the expansion requires attention to the new arrival sequence. Most confounding though is how to give stature and prominence to the low-rise expansion. The new structure has to have the presence of a public building and cannot be bullied by its older counterpart. The architect’s solution will be in the finish materials. The exterior wall will be made of polished concrete panels which will made on site from Missouri river aggregate.

I can’t wait until 2011!