History and Challenges

The city of Saint Louis has a long history of interconnection and discovery. Nicknamed the “gateway to the west”, the city has been the epicenter for business, travel, and innovation. However, as cities across the United States begin to develop towards a more sustainable future, Saint Louis has made very few strides away from its carbon dependency and unsustainable practices. To better understand why the city functions differently from other metropolitan areas and determine best practices for the development of a sustainability district in order to catapult more widespread environmental change, it is first important to understand the construction, redevelopment, and history of both the city and the proposed sustainability district along Delmar Boulevard.

Located just west of the Mississippi River and centrally located in the Midwest, Saint Louis has served as a major transporter of products throughout the country. For residents in the late 1800s, residents traveled frequently utilizing the streetcar running along Delmar Boulevard stretching east to the Mississippi to the edge of city limits west with a loop around back to the east downtown area. Along the streetcar track were places to shop, dine, and visit with friends and family with the majority of development at the streetcar’s end known as the “Delmar Loop” (UCPL, 2014). As the streetcar increased in popularity, Delmar Boulevard began to diversify economically with the addition of an amusement park, horse race track, and many taverns and restaurants (UCPL, 2014). Soon after, in 1904, the city of Saint Louis hosted the World’s Fair with further development just south of Delmar in Forest Park. Pictured below is the streetscape of Delmar in 1925.

After the peak of the World’s Fair, development began to change in the city as well as just outside in University City as Edward Gardner Lewis, the founder, began to change the perception of the western end of Delmar and beyond. Lewis established the City Hall, pictured to the left as the host of the American Women’s League Convention in 1910. Business changed along the streetcar line as well, with the closing of the race track and the implementation of multi-family mixed-use commercial buildings (UCPL, 2014). However, by the 1950s, the streetcar which had drawn in the majority of commercial traffic, began to become obsolete due to the invention of the automobile until the streetcar ultimately closed down in the late 1960s (UCPL, 2014). As a result, businesses across the streetcar’s former track also began to suffer and close.

Business owners across Delmar began to rally up, however, to create a plan to incentivize business and rebuild the area that had once been prosperous. A redevelopment plan was first put in place just after the closing of the streetcar, demolishing old buildings and redeveloping others (UCPL, 2014). By the 1980s there was such a strong alliance of Delmar business owners that a special benefit tax district was created for the Loop section of Delmar, the very western end of the boulevard (UCPL, 2014). The efforts by business owners were successful and the area remains economically prosperous to this day, serving as a hotspot for university students, residents, and tourists alike.

The geography for the city of Saint Louis today encapsulates a much larger region than the streetcar served prior to the 1960s. While the city boundaries remain unchanged, a large proportion of residents and businesses have expanded outside the city’s boundaries into the larger Saint Louis County. This expansion was partially made possible due to a greater availability to the automobile. The graph shown below shows just how much the car has taken a grip on Saint Louis County. While the data used in the chart only shows transportation to work, the city and greater county has an overall high rate of car dependency.

While the city of Saint Louis contains a population of 301,508 residents the overall county contains a population of 1,004,125 as of 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Not only is the population much larger within the county, the racial breakdown also varies greatly from the city. The city of Saint Louis has a 46.5% white population and a 46.4% black population versus a 69.7% white population and 25% black population within the county as a whole (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). The graph below shows the geographical breakdown of race within the city. While there are many reasons for this variation, redlining and white flight remain two primary and long lasting factors. The maps below show the breakdown of both race throughout the city.

Despite Delmar Boulevard serving as a major source of interconnection within the city, it is also to this day still a major reminder of segregation within the city. Starting in the 1930s, housing was denied to people of color south of Delmar due to redlining, the purposeful denial of mortgages, to specifically black residents (Abello, 2019). As a result of this, residents north of Delmar still face lower house values, lower incomes, and less access to resources. For example, Washington University found that as of 2021, the median home value north of Delmar is $73,000 compared to $335,000 south of Delmar (Woodruff). Not only is the gap coined “the Delmar Divide” monetary, it is also a racial divide as well. The population south of Delmar is 73% white while the population just north is 98% black (Woodruff, 2021). The map below shows the geographical spread of the black population in St. Louis which also points back to the Delmar Divide’s relevance today.

While the city of Saint Louis contains a myriad of unresolved issues due to the city’s history, there is potential for the city and the county to resolve these issues through sustainability incentives. Given Delmar Boulevard’s close ties to historical issues of both segregation, and economic vulnerability, the Delmar Loop would be an ideal first location for a sustainability district in the city. The location, current infrastructure, and economic activity make it perfectly suited to adapt to sustainable changes which can help to further incentivize the rest of the city and county to follow along.

Delmar Loop Current Conditions

Geography

The Delmar Loop is located on the central western portion of the city, with the very western section located within University City in the greater Saint Louis County region. Just to the south of the Loop sits Forest Park, containing over 1,300 acres of green space including museums, skating rinks, sports fields, and the Saint Louis Zoo. Zoning in the area is mainly single-family residential, with Delmar itself being the exception zoned as a neighborhood commercial district allowing for residential space above the first floor (St. Louis Data Portal). Directly north of the Loop is a large industrial district for Metrolink use. Below shows the population distribution throughout the city with Delmar Boulevard emphasised in the black line.

Demographics

The two census blocks containing the Delmar Loop are shown below with the median household income. The total population between both areas is 2,558 residents (OnTheMap). The western portion of the site has a median household income of $206,607 and eastern portion of the site has a median household income of $17,524 (OnTheMap). The gap in income is most likely related to the issues discussed above in the Delmar Divide as the western tract is more south of Delmar and the eastern tract is mainly north of Delmar. Aside from the large gap in income, the area has a wide diversity in occupations as well with 24% of residents working in health care, 13.6% in education, 9.1% in food services, 8.3% in technical services, and 7.6% in finance and insurance (OnTheMap). An estimated 149 residents in the area receive supplemental assistance from the state and over 60% of residents have received a high school diploma or higher (OnTheMap). 68.2% of residents living in the area are white, 17.2% are black, 11.6% are asian, and 5.6% identify as Hispanic (OnTheMap). Despite a majority of white residents, the area is quite diverse in comparison to many other areas of the city.

Affordable Housing

Below is a map showcasing affordable housing units in relation to ___ throughout the city of St. Louis. While affordable housing is available throughout the city, there are relatively few developments located on the western boundary near the Delmar Loop. In AHTF’s grading of affordable housing within St. Louis, households falling below 50% of the AMI or area median income or an annual income of $37,350 had an “F” grade for affordable housing access (2021, p. 5). For renters, there are currently less than 20,000 units available for less than $599 per month and for homeowners there are currently only a little over 70,000 homes with a mortgage less than $600 per month (2021, p. 11). There is actually currently a surplus of homes and units available for residents falling above 50% of the AMI with a 35,000 unit gap for those falling below (2021, p. 14). Simply put, residents with lower incomes are failing to find affordable housing and with only 40 developments currently housing residents, this gap will only continue to grow. The map below shows vacancies in the area in proportion to total population, and can possibly give indication of where affordable housing is needed and where there is adequate space for it.

Business

A variety of retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, and hotels line Delmar on its western side. Many historic buildings also lie on the street including the University City City Hall constructed in 1903, the University City Public Library constructed in 1939, and the Tivoli Theater constructed in 1924 (UCPL, 2014). The map below from the St. Louis Walk of Fame shows the building layout along the street as well as some of the most visited locations. Overall, business in the area is strong and the site is a highly visited destination for both tourists and residents.

Transit

The Loop is accessible via several modes of public transportation including the Metrolink and several bus lines. A Metrolink stop, named after the loop, sits at the eastern side of the proposed sustainability site. The Loop is also a short walk from the #2 Red Line, #16 City Limits, #91 Olive and #97 Delmar Metrobus stops (CMT, 2011). A map shown below shows the bus and Metrolink stops in relation to important locations within the city. As it can be seen, the Metro public transit access in the city allows for easy travel between all of the important locations to allow for students, residents, tourists, and workers to go without car travel. As a whole, however, the city is incredibly car dependent. The map below shows the means of transportation to work for residents within the city. Overwhelmingly, the car is the main mode of transportation. In order for the sustainability district to be successful, it is crucial that public transit becomes a more utilized resource within the community. Ridership along the Metrolink is and has been struggling for a long time. As of 2011, the Delmar Loop Metrolink station saw an average monthly boarding of 51,900 which is higher than the entirety of the Metrolink which averaged at 36,500 monthly boardings (CMT, 2011). Given the higher boardings for the Loop location, it may be a great starting point for widespread development and a perspective change on switching away from solely car transit.

The Great Rivers Greenway, a sales tax funded program started in 2000, also serves the Loop and beyond with bike paths as a form of transit (2022). The program has already constructed over 120 miles of bike path and plans to construct a total of 600 miles throughout the St. Louis County area (GRG, 2022). There are currently two greenway stretches near the proposed site allowing for relatively easy access to the Loop. However, currently the Loop does not contain any bike paths along Delmar Boulevard or any surrounding streets.

The Loop is also served by a trolley system running southwest from the site down to Forest Park with a total of ten stops covering a distance of 2.2 miles (Puckett, 2021). The trolley line is an ode to the original Delmar streetcar which served the area in the early 20th century and was hoped to be a historical hit for tourists. The trolley began operation in 2018 and was shut down just over a year later due to ticket sales only meeting 10% of predicted values (Puckett, 2021). It is still unclear when the trolley will resume operation.

Streetscape

The current streetscape of Delmar, as pictured above, contains very little street furniture and natural elements. The sidewalk is extended out to allow for outdoor dining in the summer months and there are street lights which allow for safer use during the nighttime. Trolley tracks cover over half of the current street, causing an uneven driving surface for car users. There are several murals and sculptures up and down Delmar donated by the Regional Arts Commission also located in the loop. The St. Louis Walk of Fame also lines the sidewalks on both sides of the Loop with famous past and present St. Louisans as an ode to the city’s history and achievements in art. In terms of sustainability, there are few signs of environmental developments. There are no green building requirements for the area, there is little permeable surface nor green roofs, and there are no current plans for requiring any sustainable initiatives in the near future.

Goals

In order to turn the Delmar Loop from a commercial hotspot into a sustainability district there are several short and long term goals developers will need to accomplish.

  1. The Delmar Loop Metrolink station should be redesigned in order to be more inviting to residents. This includes added landscaping and street furniture, permeable pavement installation, and added street signage.

  2. All car traffic should be removed on the four block stretch of Delmar from Trinity Avenue where the turnabout is located and Hodiamont Avenue where the Delmar Loop Metrolink station is located.

  3. One-way bike lanes should be installed on either side of the trolley tracks in place of the previous car lanes and the bike lanes should be interconnected with the two Great Rivers Greenway bike paths located to the west and east.

  4. The sidewalks should be further extended to allow for the planting of a biophilic barrier between the sidewalk and bike path including native plants with high stormwater retainage.

  5. All existing parking lots and parking garages on the site should be revitalized into mixed-use affordable housing developments with further commercial first floor space. The first floor commercial space should be retained for community organization use or for local business retail or restaurants.

Pedestrian Street

Blocking off the sections of Delmar Boulevard between Trinity Avenue and Hodiamont Avenue for expanded sidewalks and bike access is crucial to maintaining the sustainability district. The section of the street is already difficult to drive along due to the trolley track installation, and the street is hardly wide enough as is to support street parking as well as two-way traffic. Removing car traffic from these few blocks will make the Loop safer for pedestrians, minimize noise, and allow for the installation of the interconnected bike trail. Economically, this is important for the Loop as it creates a new type of space for residents which is inviting and can help boost business. Socially, the pedestrian street allows for better conversations amongst community members dining and shopping along the sidewalk. Environmentally, this could further help reduce unnecessary driving between shops along the Loop to help limit car emissions. Overall, this step will allow for further goals to be reached as well as to create a cohesive sustainability district which can be further expanded in the future.

Bike Lane Interconnection

As mentioned above, once the street is clear from all car traffic, a two-way bike lane can be created on either side of the trolley tracks. The bike lane will be properly labeled with clearly marked white lanes as well as bike symbols to ensure minimal pedestrian interference with bikers. The path will eventually be extended out to two nearby Great Rivers Greenway bike paths located to the west and east of the site. Collaboration with the Great Rivers Greenway will also be undertaken to add further bike lanes to Delmar Boulevard on car traffic streets as well to provide safer interconnection. Street signage will also be added giving direction and distances to popular locations nearby as well as directions to interconnect with other Great Rivers Greenway bike paths. Environmentally, the added bike infrastructure will open up another form of transportation for residents and encourage the use of the Greenway system. Socially, the bike lanes will allow for more community members to use the space recreationally as well, allowing for safe bike rides for families and biking groups to travel together and see the sites of the city. Economically, the added transportation element can bring in new demographics to shop and dine along the Loop. Below are photo showcasing the street and sidewalk in its current state followed by A sketch-up rendering of the proposed redevelopment initiatives for both the bike lane and biophilic barrier discussed below.

Biophilic Barrier

After the expansion of the sidewalks, there will be more space for street furniture and landscaping along the sidewalks of the Loop. In order to further separate the uses for bikers and pedestrians to make the street even safer, a biophilic barrier will separate the two. Utilizing native plants with strong root systems and slow growing native trees, the barrier will serve as both a buffer zone as well as a natural element for both bikers and pedestrians to enjoy as they ride, dine, or stroll the site. The expanded sidewalk will also include grates on the outermost side to allow for direct draining into the soil and further stormwater retention for the asphalt surfaces. It is estimated that the planting will result in a further 73,000 gallons of annual runoff reduction at 292 gallons per tree and 250 trees planted (Gallet, 2011). Environmentally, this is an additional way to both reduce stormwater runoff, flooding, and water infrastructure needs while also reducing the urban heat island effect during the summer months. Socially, the biophilic barrier creates a better looking street where more residents will want to sit and chat with one another and strengthen community bonds while also economically benefiting local shops.

Parking Lots to Affordable Housing

To give the area the extra push it needs away from car dependency, the current parking lots and parking garages located on the Loop will be redeveloped into multi-use affordable housing units. The units will follow the same zoning as the rest of the site with commercial use on the first floor with residential units above. For the use of the commercial space, local businesses and community organizations will be prioritized for leases. Grocery stores and public spaces will also be prioritized to allow the space to be more cohesive in use and make the site more appealing to potential residents. The buildings themselves will utilize green building practices and be LEED certified to lessen emissions. Green roofs and solar panels will also be utilized for the buildings with a total estimated energy savings of 147,500 therms per year (Gallet, 2011). The parking lots surrounding the site on the exterior will remain for car transport to and from the area, however, as the site begins to progress and public transit becomes a more popular option for residents, the parking spaces can further be developed for more commercial and residential mixed-use spaces. Environmentally, this redevelopment will allow for decreased emissions as well as a starting place for future retrofitting of older buildings located on the site. Socially, the affordable housing additions will open up better conversations among community members about green buildings as well as give further space for community building within the commercial spaces. Economically, the additional residential units will increase the amount of shoppers along Delmar and the additional commercial units will draw in new residents. Above is a picture of a mixed-use building currently on Delmar Boulevard which can serve as an architectural muse for future affordable housing developments.

Criteria for Evaluating Success

In order to measure how successful the sustainability site is in both the short and long term, three areas of measurement have been determined for each area of sustainability in order to measure the success of the site overtime. Differing goals for differing time periods allow for city planners to determine which aspects are the most successful and which areas need to be further improved through better implementation or further community engagement. Below are the questions that will be evaluated for each term. The chart also shown belows shows some examples of hard data that can be utilized to address each question.

Economic

How have profit margins for local businesses been affected?

How many new businesses are/have been located near the site?

How have real estate prices been affected in the surrounding area?

Sustainable

How have emissions reduced?

How many of the garden plots are being utilized? What is the yearly yield?

How has Metrolink/bike ridership been affected?

Social

In what ways has the space been used for community development?

How long is the average stay on the site?

What is the atmosphere of the streetscape?

References

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AffordableSTL. “St. Louis Affordable Housing Report Card.” 2021, Affordable Housing Trust Fund Coalition, static1.squarespace.com/static/60eddb50269142014fbe288a/t/618ef5c62a24101b11a8945c/1636758995120/AHTF_ReportCard_FINAL_web.pdf.

CMT. Delmar Loop Station. 2011. https://staging.cmt-stl.org/app/uploads/2011/10/Delmar_Station+Profile.pdf?_ga=2.240805188.676185495.1647119738-2106101770.1645922784&_gl=1*19wju5c*_ga*MjEwNjEwMTc3MC4xNjQ1OTIyNzg0*_ga_PTCCST5NRZ*MTY0NzE0NjcyNi4zLjEuMTY0NzE0NjkwMC4w.

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United States Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: St. Louis City, Missouri. 2020, www.census.gov/quickfacts/stlouiscountymissouri.

Woodruff, Emily. “What Is the Delmar Divide?” Washington University Political Review, 7 May 2021, www.wupr.org/2021/05/07/what-is-the-delmar-divide/.