Reclaiming a city's edge : a design study to redevelop the St. Louis Riverfront

Abstract

Urban waterfronts are unique in their potential to provide various opportunities for economic development, public enjoyment, and civic identity (Wrenn). These precious resources have been one of America's most neglected assets. Cities today are detached from their water's edge, forgetting the rivers' historical importance. Reclaiming this edge reconnects the city as a whole, combining history with opportunity. Several cities have begun this extended planning process, however, there are still many cities that need to be reunited with their rivers.Historically, settlement was directly dependent upon the accessibility of waterways. As patterns of commerce have changed, the nature of these waterfronts has been altered. Due to increased public awareness and appreciation of urban open space, these untapped resources are being reclaimed to provide civic green space. The profession of landscape architecture is increasingly aware of the significant, benefits this reclamation movement may bring to an urban community. This study attempted to define these benefits, determine design principles necessary to achieve such benefits, and apply these guidelines to a specific site. State of the art designs such as Boston's Charles River Basin, Cincinnati's Central Riverfront Park, and Louisville's Waterfront Park served as model projects representing current and emerging design trends, principles, and theories of urban riverfront redevelopment and design.This riverfront reclamation project was focused on the redevelopment of St. Louis' Mississippi Shoreline. This existing section of the Mississippi River is currently home to the Arch and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Previous riverfront developments have provided the city with many positive assets. However, the river's edge has been overlooked in all these master plans. Today the levee serves solely as a parking lot for visitors. The cobblestone slopes are in poor condition, broken and uneven, especially directly on the river's edge. What was once appropriately Wharf Street, now named Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard, runs parallel to the river connecting the East terminus under the Poplar Street Bridge, through the historic Eads Bridge, to the West terminus, Laclede's Landing (the only remaining semi-intact historic district in this area) and the floating casinos. The present conditions of the site provide several opportunities for design enhancements as well as potential new developments to reunite the city with the river. These enhancements include recreational trails, historic information, and additional public plazas and green space. This study sought to identify design guidelines to this partially developed site in order to produce a visually pleasing and physically inviting riverfront park while re-establishing St. Louis' urban waterfront.