Jan 30

Accessibility To Food Trucks Is Often Lacking Due To Location Issues

More than two decades after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed, the ongoing food truck revolution remains largely inaccessible to those of us who use wheelchairs. Not because of the tricks themselves, but because of where they park.

From a 2013 post — Foods trucks at Third Degree’s open house require lining up on grass — a challenge for some.

In early September a proposed food truck park was in the news:

St. Louis may soon get its first food truck park — a regular gathering spot for some of the area’s best-regarded mobile kitchens. The proposed site is on a stretch of South Vandeventer Avenue — not far from the popular Grove entertainment district — that officials hope to regenerate with new businesses.

Some planning remains, and the park’s developers have yet to choose the project’s name. But they have a site and hope to conduct a food truck pop-up event there this fall.

If plans work out, next spring a rotating assemblage of food trucks will begin to operate daily on what is now an overgrown lot next to the long-ago home of Liberty Bell Oil Co. The vacant building at 1430 South Vandeventer will be redone as the joint commissary for the food trucks. (Post-Dispatch)

My hope is if this moves forward it’ll be designed so everyone can patronize the food trucks. Often I can’t reach the trucks parked downtown at one of my favorite spots: Citygarden.

Even downtown many access problems exist. Just walk up right?

Even downtown many access problems exist. Just walk up right?

No, in this case the window isn't lined up with the walk shown in the previous picture.

No, in this case the window isn’t lined up with the walk shown in the previous picture.

Market next to Citygarden is a very narrow strip of concrete. Enough to stand on but not enough for a wheelchair.

Even when the window is lined up it can still be a challenge if there are others in line.

When I started blogging 12+ years ago I argued for more food carts to activate streets — food trucks weren’t a thing yet. I still wish food carts were more common because they trend to be easier to access in a wheelchair. But trucks have replaced carts so now we need to ensure the public can access them.

— Steve Patterson

 

Jan 28

COCA Announces $27M Expansion, Parking Garage in U-City

At its 30th anniversary celebration, the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in University City announced plans for a $27M renovation and expansion to its home at 524 Trinity Avenue. COCA says more than $25M has been raised toward a $40M campaign which includes $13M toward its endowment and reserves.

Founded in 1986, COCA transformed the B’nai Amoona Synagogue, designed by notable architect Eric Mendelsohn and completed in 1950. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. An 11K sf addition in 2004 created a new entrance and expanded capacity.

The newly announced expansion is planned to begin in 2018 and be completed late the following year. A new 450-seat theater will be built on the existing adjacent surface parking lot and require the removal of the 2004 addition. Other planned amenities include new studio, instructional, and community space.

A 200+ parking space will be constructed in conjunction with Washington University across Washington Avenue, replacing the approximately 80 existing COCA space, and 70 at 560. That garage will serve both buildings. 560 was completed in 1930 as the Shaare Emeth Temple. The building has seen a variety of uses since and was acquired by WUSTL in 2006.

These two buildings and others highlight a challenge noted in the National Register nomination form, “Since this part of University City already has a super abundance of institutional facilities and a shortage of parking spaces, the future of B’nai Amoona is in doubt.”

Indeed, it’s been a challenge to find new uses for some of University City’s institutional buildings. Today, City Hall occupies the “Women’s Magazine Building”, originally built as the headquarters of a publishing company. Next door, the Church of Scientology occupies the 1924 Assumption Greek Orthodox Church.

Today, the former Harvard Delmar School building is vacant, and the magazine press building, long the city’s police headquarters, has been vacated after being deemed unfit for use. The former school building at 721 Kingsland is now utilized by WUSTL’s Sam Fox School.

Mendelsohn, architect of B’nai Amoona Synagogue (COCA), left Germany in 1933 following the rise to power fo the Nazis. He eventually immigrated to the US in 1941.

According to the National Register nomination form, Mendelsohn had a friend in St. Louis for whom he had designed a store in Gleiwitz, Silesia, in 1922. Connections made via his friend led to showing his work, giving lectures, and then the B’nai Amoona commission. The building proved popular and led to commissions in Cleveland, Ohio (1946- 1952); Washington, D.C. (1948); Baltimore, Maryland (1948); Grand Rapids, Michigan (1948-1952); St. Paul, Minnesota (1950-54); and Dallas, Texas (1951).

Design team for the $27M COCA theater and expansion project: Design Architect – Axi:Ome, Associate Design Architect, Architect of Record – Christner Inc., Structural Engineer – OES Inc., Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Engineer – Buro Happold, Lighting Design – Buro Happold, Civil Engineer – Engineering Design Source, Inc., Theater Consultant – Schuler Shook, Acoustic Consultant – Kirkegaard Associates, Audio Visual Consultant – Kirkegaard Associates, Construction Manager – Wilson TW Joint Venture.

Model and images (1980) from National Register nomination form:

Jan 27

Sneak Peek: Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits in St. Peters

Sneak Peek: Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits in St. Peters

January 27th 04:01pm, 2017

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Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits opens doors with brunch service this Sunday, Jan. 29. As The Scoop reported in June, the 7,000-square-foot restaurant is located at 7337 Mexico Road.

Executive chef Lee Gustin worked with co-owners Joel and Jill Ragan to develop a menu focused on chop house cuts of beef and pork, smoked meats and twists on classic fare like nachos, flatbreads and sandwiches. Gustin, who has spent time in kitchens from Cedar Lake Cellars to the St. Louis Blues, uses a Big Green Egg, a ceramic charcoal grill, to smoke and sear many of the meats.

The main dining room seats 140 guests and features a large gas fireplace. A large patio offers additional seating in warmer months. A private dining room seats 20 for special events and connects to a private patio space with room for 40.

Cork & Barrel will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Here’s what to expect when it opens this Sunday:

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Photos by Michelle Volansky

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By Tiffany Leong

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This entry was posted on Friday, January 27th, 2017 at 4:23 pm and is filed under Sneak Peek. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jan 27

First Look: New Day Gluten Free in Clayton

First Look: New Day Gluten Free in Clayton

January 27th 02:01pm, 2017

NewDay_01

New Day Gluten Free has a new home in Clayton. After closing their Ellisville location three months ago, co-owners Garrett and Kelly Beck have reopened their gluten-free, peanut-free restaurant and bakery at 7807 Clayton Road on Monday, Jan. 16.

Kelly Beck said the kitchen is twice as big as the Ellisville location, which makes it possible to hire more staff and expand its offerings. The menu is currently the same as the Ellisville location, though with the addition of a deep-fryer, Beck has added house-made chips and is developing recipes for gluten-free doughnuts.

The 3,800-square-foot space seats 40 inside and will seat an additional 25 when the weather warms. “It’s almost triple the seating we had in Ellisville,” Beck said. “We learned a lot at the other space, but [the new space] is what I always envisioned when we first started talking about opening a gluten-free cafe.”

New Day Gluten Free is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Here’s what you’ll find when you visit the new space:

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Photos by Michelle Volansky

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This entry was posted on Friday, January 27th, 2017 at 2:05 pm and is filed under First Look. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jan 26

The Scoop: Snax Gastrobar to open in former J McArthur’s space

J McArthur’s An American Kitchen opened doors July 10 at 3500 Watson Road in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood.

{ The future home of Snax Gastrobar }

Arlene Maminta Browne and Stanley Browne have announced their first non-Robust Wine Bar concept: Snax Gastrobar, set to open in early March, as reported by St. Louis Magazine.

As The Scoop reported last month, the Brownes, who own both locations of Robust Wine Bar in Webster Groves and downtown St. Louis, announced in December that they would open a new restaurant in the space that once housed J McArthur’s An American Kitchen at 3500 Watson Road. J McArthur’s shuttered on Dec. 31 after a year-and-a-half in business.

While the term “gastropub” often indicates a substantial beer list, Arlene Maminta Browne said “gastrobar” is intended to reflect not only a large beer selection, but plenty of wines and classic cocktails as well. “We were in Chicago and talking about this concept,” she said. “And the name just came into my head.”

Browne said Robust executive chef Joseph L. Hemp V will oversee the development of an “upscale, humble food” menu. “He loves fine dining, but he has a real passion for this type of food,” she said, adding that no specific menu items have been decided upon yet. Hemp also has an ownership stake in the new restaurant.

Browne said there will be approximately 45 seats inside the space, 50 seats on the enclosed patio in front of the building and 25 seats on the back patio. Though the space does require some décor changes, Browne said no major renovations are needed. Initially, Snax will only be open for dinner, but lunch service is a possibility. Browne said it’s possible that other Snax locations may open up around town if the concept proves popular.

Photo by Michelle Volansky 

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By Matt Sorrell

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 26th, 2017 at 5:20 pm and is filed under The Scoop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jan 26

New Residential Infill Nears Completion in Old North St. Louis (1323 Monroe)

A three townhome project at 1323-39 Monroe Street in Old North St. Louis is nearing completion. The 3BD, 2.5BA homes are listed for $155K by Rome West Realty. The three corner lots are three blocks south of the 14th Street project and Crown Candy Kitchen, the urban center of Old North. The neighborhood saw an incredible 27.7% population increase, gaining 416 residents from 2000 to 2010.However, momentum then slowed as the economy faltered, and the big idea, the $4B, 1,500-acre NorthSide Regeneration plan immediately to the neighborhood’s west, never got off the ground.

However, momentum then slowed as the economy faltered, and the big idea, the $4B, 1,500-acre NorthSide Regeneration plan immediately to the neighborhood’s west, never got off the ground. Now two-thirds of the way through this decade, the $2B NGA headquarters project and planned or hoped-for nearby development may return growth to the area. In the meantime, project like this one offer an affordable option and quality infill to an area with high vacancy.

All photographs via Matt Fernandez. Renderings via Rome West Realty.

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Jan 26

The Scoop: Fire breaks out at Giovanni’s on The Hill

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Giovanni’s On The Hill at 5201 Shaw Ave., was damaged by fire on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Co-owner Carmelo Gabriele said no one was hurt, but the building did suffer substantial damage.

Gabriele said the fire most likely started as a result of some electrical work being done on the restaurant’s second floor. He said that level sustained “extensive damage,” and there was also some smoke and water damage on the first floor, though the kitchen itself was untouched. Gabriele said initially he expects the restaurant to be closed approximately 60 days.

“Initially, it looks like it’ll cost more than $500,000 to get us up and running,” he said. He had no estimate as to when the second floor would reopen.

St. Louis fire department Captain Garon Patrick Mosby confirmed that investigators believe the fire was electrical in nature and accidental.

Gabriele said the company has insurance to help cover employees who will be out of work during the rebuilding, and the company is also working to find positions for them at its other restaurants, Giovanni’s Kitchen in Ladue and Il Bel Lago in Creve Coeur. “Our employees are covered. No one is going to be left out in the cold,” he said.

The restaurant was fully booked for Valentine’s Day, so Gabriele said he and the staff are in the process of contacting those customers and finding them reservations at other places. “We’re making this as easy as possible for our customers,” he said. “They’ve been so good to us for 44 years.”

Editor’s note: This post was updated at 11:15 a.m. Jan. 26 to include information from the St. Louis fire department. 

Photo by Allyson Mace

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By Matt Sorrell

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 26th, 2017 at 10:59 am and is filed under The Scoop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jan 25

The Scoop: White Rooster Farmhouse to open brewery in Sparta, IL

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White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery is set to start brewing in Sparta, Illinois, in the near future. Co-owner Mike Deutschmann said the brewery should be up and running at 113 W. Jackson St., this spring.

White Rooster will specialize in wood-aged beers in a variety of styles, including saisons, sours, stouts and barleywines. The name of the brewery is an homage to a certain white fowl that hung around while Deutschmann and his partners, Eric Ogilvie and Chris Van Horn, were doing some homebrewing at Ogilvie’s barn. He said it also references the rooster on the flag of Wallonia, a region of Belgium well known for its beers.

Deutschmann estimated he, Ogilvie and Van Horn have completed 75 percent of the construction at the brewery, which formerly housed a Kroger’s. The 7,500-square-foot building includes enough space for a two-barrel system, a cellar for barrel aging and a tasting room, which will have approximately 75 seats and feature some snack-type options, but not a full kitchen.

Deutschmann said initially the White Rooster Farmhouse will focus on bottling, with maybe a few kegs here and there, and all the offerings will be available through the brewery. He added that eventually the brewery might self-distribute on a limited basis in Illinois.

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By Matt Sorrell

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2017 at 3:57 pm and is filed under The Scoop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jan 25

The Scoop: Smokin’ Monkey food truck has closed

The Scoop: Smokin’ Monkey food truck has closed

January 25th 12:01pm, 2017

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The Smokin’ Monkey food truck, which specialized in “barbecue with a tropical twist,” is officially off the road.

“It was just time,” said co-owner Kimberly Patterson. “The market is oversaturated. There are a million food trucks now, and people aren’t as excited about it as they used to be.”

Patterson said she and her husband and business partner, Kyle Patterson, who also works in the kitchen at Boundary, will still maintain the business and may do some catering. The Pattersons plan to sell the truck, which they’ve operated since 2013. Patterson said they might revisit the food truck concept in the future or possibly a brick-and-mortar location.

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By Matt Sorrell

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2017 at 12:10 pm and is filed under The Scoop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Jan 25

The Scoop: James Beard Foundation declares Gioia’s Deli an American Classic

011216_gioias

The James Beard Foundation has announced the five recipients of its 2017 America’s Classics award, and one of St. Louis’ longtime favorites has landed on the list. Gioia’s Deli is the first St. Louis restaurant to receive the honor since the award’s inception in 1998.

“It’s a whirlwind. It’s been crazy,” said co-owner Alex Donley. He received news of the event late last year. “I was sitting in a movie theater with my daughter, and I got this call from New York. I just ignored it. I thought it was someone wanting money or something.”

Gioia’s Deli opened in 1918 and began life as a grocery store. The Gioia family sold the deli to the Donley family in 1980, when it began a second incarnation as a lunch spot famous for its Hot Salami sandwich. The Gioia’s food truck debuted in 2014, and a second location opened downtown, with the same menu as the original restaurant, last year.

To qualify for the award, restaurants have to have been in business for at least 10 years and be locally owned. The America’s Classic award honors restaurants that restaurants that “have timeless appeal and are cherished for quality food that reflects the character of their community,” according to the announcement from the James Beard Foundation.

“In an ever-changing culinary landscape, these honorees have created enduring restaurants and food establishments that have not only stood the test of time, but continue to bring people together in celebration of the unique flavors in America’s vast food scene,” Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, said in the announcement.

Donley said he’s ready for a bump in business once word of the award gets out. “We’re so excited,” he said. “We’re preparing for the storm and making sure the lines won’t be too long.”

The other awardees include La Taqueria in San Francisco; Sahadi’s in Brooklyn; Schultz’s Crab House in Essex, Maryland; and Bertha’s Kitchen in Charleston, South Carolina. Gioia’s Deli and the rest of this year’s winners will be recognized on Monday, May 1 at the James Beard Foundation Awards Gala in Chicago.

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By Matt Sorrell

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2017 at 11:46 am and is filed under The Scoop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.