Monday, June 15, 2009

S. Kingshighway Planning Lab

The downturn in the US auto industry has created an opportunity for new development along S. Kingshighway, putting closed auto dealerships up for sale. What would you like to see happen?

Let's use this post as a virtual auction and planning exercise. Name your price and then describe what you would do with the property. We'll start off with some basic assumptions. Let's say the property consists of the following:

3.5 acre site on a heavily traveled commercial corridor in vibrant South St. Louis City, ample surface parking available in front, side and rear.

20,000 square foot showroom building, includes 6,000 square feet of executive/sales offices.

40,000 square foot, high ceiling, concrete floor, shop area.

Buildings recently renovated, all in good to excellent condition.

Some would start the bidding at $1.00. They wouldn't plan to actually build anything though.

They would simply tie up the property and seek another developer to buy it. Call it development in a sort of speculator, ebay sort of way.

Many investors would be willing to pay up to $100,000 for such a bottom fishing, speculative opportunity. So let's say the real planning and development ideas must start with a minimum bid of $100,000.

Name your price, but remember, you must also state your plans for the property.

Let's see how high the bidding gets, and what creative ideas emerge for the property's reuse.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

We would offer $350,000 and turn the property into a modern church. The facility is ideal and would require very few alterations.

It has plenty of space for parishioner parking; the showroom makes a great entry; the offices are ideal for church offices, and the big shop space with the high ceilings becomes the sanctuary.

Dan said...

I would offer $250,000. I would create some kind of kid friendly, yet educational space. Somthing that is a mix of Monkey Joe's (out on Watson) and the Magic House. I realize the space might not be perfectly suited to these uses, and would need some physical modifications, but we need more of these kinds of kid spaces in the City.

Anonymous said...

Bid: $225,000

Use: Charter School

Rick Bonasch said...

I like the idea of converting the facility into a city version of Fast Eddies.

If the lot is on the east side of Kingshighway, most of the area has no people living next door to protest noise or traffic.

The sprawling building layout sets up nice for multiple bar areas and a variety of themes.

The shop area could be converted to a live music venue opening up to a summertime beer garden, party atmosphere.

The large windows of the existing showroom could be decorated with neon signs, and attractive lighting to draw attention from busy Kingshighway traffic.

There really isn't another place like this anywhere in the city.

Cheap food, good people watching, live music, close to home. What's not to like?

Outbid the church and offer $400,000.

Rick Bonasch said...

So far there's a bar, a church, a youth spot, and a charter school.

What about a new Fiat/Chrysler dealership?

Demolition for new condos?

Maybe brick and mortar operations are a thing of the past?

Anonymous said...

I like this great idea so great idea thanks for this link
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