Category: Events

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Chicago Events Louis Sullivan

Louis Sullivan at 150

by Michael R. Allen

Louis Sullivan was born in Boston on September 3, 1856. Admirers have launched Louis Sullivan at 150, a series of tours, lectures and other events that celebrate the Sullivan sesquicentennial. The festivities happen in Chicago, although there is no stopping folks in cities with other Sullivan buildings of some importance of coordinating celebrations.

Part of the Sullivan at 150 program is a three-day symposium October 13-15; a tour of the interior of the Charnley-Persky House led by John Vinci, who oversaw the home’s restoration; and, most impressive although mostly coincidental, the completion of the replication of the cornice on Sullivan’s 1899 Schlesinger & Meyer Department Store Building (now the Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building).

Categories
Events Granite City, Illinois Industrial Buildings Metro East

Society for Industrial Archaeology in Town This Weekend

by Michael R. Allen

Tonight is the start of the annual conference of the Society for Industrial Archaeology, which meets for the first time in St. Louis. Co-sponsors include Landmarks Association of St. Louis, the Missouri Historical Society and the UMSL History Department. Members are already out and about delving into the fabric of a city that fascinates all of them.

While a ruinous landscape is always of interest to SIA members, their delay in meeting in St. Louis gives them a chance to see some great examples of adaptive re-use of industrial sites. Although a small group, SIA members’ scholarship is at the forefront of interpreting the history of American industrial cities. Perhaps the visit will inspire them to write a little more fondly of St. Louis.

Check out the conference schedule to see what SIA members will be doing while in town.

For the conference, I have been helping create tours, and will be co-leading a bus tour tomorrow to Granite City and the National City Stockyards that will include a rare guided tour of the US Steel facility in Granite City. I will be making a presentation on the founding and history of Granite City that will get posted on Ecology of Absence at some point. On Sunday, Landmarks Association is leading downtown walking tours; guides are Richard Mueller, Joseph Heathcott and myself. This should lead to three very different tours.

Categories
cine16 Events Urbanism

"In the City" this Thursday

The Academic Film Archive of St. Louis and The Missouri Historical Society present:

The CINE16 program
“In the City”

Featuring:

The Challenge of Urban Renewal (1966), directed by Ted Yates

Heritage Homes of St. Louis (1967), directed by Pat Williamson

Detached Americans (1958), directed by Don Matticks

Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Missouri History Museum, Lindell at DeBalivere (lower level)

FREE admission.

The snack bar on the museum’s second level will be open before the show and during intermission.

Categories
Art Downtown Events

Farewell: The Last Opening at Gallery Urbis Orbis

by Michael R. Allen

Friday marks the final First Friday opening at downtown’s Gallery Urbis Orbis. While the art scene is constantly changing in every city and there are little certainties in terms of gallery spaces, Urbis Orbis could not be confused with your ordinary art gallery. Yes, Gallery Urbis Orbis sold art. Yes, it had exhibits and openings with wine and such. But its more significant function was civic in nature.

During its run of over two years, Gallery Urbis Orbis has provided a foundation for progressive cultural life. The gallery has cleverly used the traditional opening to create a monthly night in which some of the city’s smartest people get together and chat. Ideas have been shared and big plans have been made on even the least-attended First Friday opening here. The gallery has mixed these dependable, almost salon-like evenings with other programming that falls outside of the realm of the “art gallery”: a meetup of political activists and artists; a meet-and-greet with aldermanic candidate and urbanist Steve Patterson; a memorial service for a well-loved city booster; countless planning meetings for cultural efforts large and small; and many other things. Much like the late, lamented Commonspace, Gallery Urbis Orbis served as a civic space with a citywide audience. Creating another space like it — and I do hope that someone does — will be a challenge.

Gallery co-owner and painter Alan Brunettin, whose work will be featured at this final opening, has often graced the gallery window on Tenth Street as he works on a painting. As far as I know, Alan has been the only artist to consistently work in a street-level, visible space. His presence has been encouraging to pedestrians, suggesting a liveliness that complements the solid old buildings around the space well (and draws one’s eye away from the hideous hulk of the Renaissance Grand parking garage across the street).

Alas, the gallery closes. Alan and Margie Newman, his partner and gallery co-owner, will depart for Chicago in January. Things change, of course, but this one is truly bittersweet.

We will be serving the complimentary wine, one last time, this Friday at Gallery Urbis Orbis (419 N. 10th Street) from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. I hope the turnout is large and spirits high despite the loss, because this fine space and its creators deserve no less.

Categories
Art Downtown Events

Final Exhibit at Gallery Urbis Orbis

by Michael R. Allen

Gallery Urbis Orbis, the coolest art gallery in St. Louis, will be closing on December 31st (coincidentally or not my 2Xst birthday). This Friday may be the last chance folks will have to enjoy the experience of hanging out at Urbis Orbis, which is almost like a monthly salon for the most active and creative people in town. (I wonder what people will do after it closes — I’m almost sure that any successor space won’t be located downtown.)

Anyway, this Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. is First Friday at Urbis Orbis and Claire Nowak-Boyd and I are the guest bartenders again, even if it is the last time. Come on out and enjoy an evening with great weather.

The farewell exhibit is “Arrivederci, Louie,” featuring paintings and drawings by Alan Brunettin.

Categories
Century Building Downtown Events

S.S.

Guess who dropped in for the Downtown Defense Fundraiser last weekend…

Categories
Art Events

Shmigel at Laumeier

by Michael R. Allen

I attended the opening reception for Christina Shmigel’s latest installtion, Chinese Garden for the Delights of Roaming Afar on Friday and was, as usual, mesmerized by her deep attention to the materiality and constitution of space. Do see Christina’s new installation.

Here’s the official press release:

Please join us for the opening reception of Christina Shmigel’s Chinese Garden for the Delights of Roaming Afar…

Shmigel’s work investigates specific environments and the meditative qualities of repetitive labor. The artist is currently living in Shanghai, China and her work on Chinese Garden for the Delights of Roaming Afar, an indoor exhibition of work for the Laumeier Sculpture Park galleries, is inspired by this experience. Uniting art with craft and poetry with labor, the artist will create a site-specific installation in the galleries of the museum. The exhibit will “unfold” for the viewer the way the Chinese gardens do.

Laumeier Sculpture Park is located at 12580 Rott Road, St. Louis. From I-44 East- or Westbound, take the Lindbergh Blvd. exit South. Follow one-quarter mile to Rott Road, turn right. At the bottom of the hill, on the left, you will see the entrance for Laumeier. For more information call 314.821.1209 ext 10 or visit www.laumeier.org.

Categories
Century Building Downtown Events

Help Our Friends

Dear Fellow Citizens:

As you know, the National Register-listed Century Building in downtown St. Louis was recently demolished to make way for a parking garage. We thought this tragic demolition was the end of an ugly chapter in St. Louis’ history. Now, it’s gotten uglier.

Before the demolition, two Downtown residents, Marcia Behrendt and Roger Plackemeier, took principled action to try to save the Century Building. They were plaintiffs in two legal cases that sought to keep this historic building as part of our architectural heritage. But the buildings came down anyway.

Now, the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri and the project developers have filed a lawsuit against them, alleging malicious prosecution — and seeking actual damages exceeding $1.5 million, plus punitive damages “in an amount sufficient to deter said defendants and others from like conduct.”

Should the City, State and developers prevail, Marcia and Roger could lose all of their assets. Just to defend themselves will cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs, even if lawyers donate some services.

Marcia and Roger stood up for us and for our community. Now, it’s up to us to stand with them.

You can help in one of two ways:

— Write a check for any amount to help with legal costs. Make it payable to Downtown Defense Fund, and mail it to:

Downtown Defense Fund
c/o Scott Kluesner, Treasurer
7480 Cornell Avenue
St. Louis MO 63130

Funds received by the end of June are most important.

— Attend a free fundraiser on Saturday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. at Gallery Urbis Orbis, 419 N. Tenth Street. Bring cash or check in any amount to add to the pot, and enjoy music and good food and the company of people who care about our architectural heritage. No need to purchase tickets — but please do RSVP to mmnewman@earthlink.net so we can plan refreshments.

Let’s show our support for preservation and for citizen action. Let’s show it big.

Best regards,

Margie Newman
Amanda Doyle
Fundraising Co-Chairs, Downtown Defense Fund

PS Note that donations are NOT tax-deductible. Should the lawsuit be resolved before the money raised is spent, remaining funds will be donated to a group or groups dedicated to architectural preservation.

Categories
Century Building Downtown Events

Fundraising Effort Announced to Defend Downtown Residents Sued by City, State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2005

SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI — The National Register-listed Century Building in downtown St. Louis was recently demolished to make way for a parking garage — but that didn’t end the contentious battle between downtown residents, who sought to save the building, and the developers and government officials who wanted it demolished.

“We thought this tragic demolition was the end of an ugly chapter in St. Louis’ history,” said Margie Newman, one of the organizers of the Downtown Defense Fund. “Now, it’s gotten uglier.”

Before the demolition, two Downtown residents, Marcia Behrendt and Roger Plackemeier, were plaintiffs in two legal cases that sought to keep the historic building standing. But the buildings came down anyway. Now, the City of St. Louis, the State of Missouri and the project developers have filed a lawsuit against them, alleging malicious prosecution — and seeking actual damages exceeding $1.5 million, plus punitive damages “in an amount sufficient to deter said defendants and others from like conduct.”

Should the City, State and developers prevail, Behrendt and Plackemeier could lose all of their assets. Just to defend themselves will cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs, even if lawyers donate some services.

The Downtown Defense Fund, formed by neighbors and fellow citizens, is asking for help in raising funds to help cover those legal costs. Those wishing to donate to the Downtown Defense Fund can write a check for any amount to help with legal costs.

Checks should be payable to Downtown Defense Fund, and sent to:

Downtown Defense Fund
c/o Scott Kluesner, Treasurer
7480 Cornell Avenue
St. Louis MO 63130

Or, donations can be made through PayPal at www.downtowndefensefund.com.

Donations are not tax-deductible. Should the lawsuit be resolved before the money raised is spent, remaining funds will be donated to a group or groups dedicated to architectural preservation, Newman said.

The group is also hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. at Gallery Urbis Orbis, 419 N. Tenth Street. Admission is free, but those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to mmnewman@earthlink.net. Attendees are asked to bring cash or check in any amount for the Downtown Defense Fund.

“Marcia and Roger stood up for us and for our community. Now, it’s up to us to stand with them,” Newman said.

###

For more information, contact Margie Newman at 314-241-4950.

Categories
Events

Film: "Confluence: The River Heritage of St. Louis"

From the events listing in the newest issue of The Commonspace:

Thursday, May 19
Film: “Confluence: The River Heritage of St. Louis”
Missouri History Museum, Lindell & DeBaliviere in Forest Park
Free, all ages, 7 p.m., 314-454-3150, www.mohistory.org

Documentarian James F. Scott has made a film exploring our city’s relationship and development with regard to the Missouri and Mississippi rivers (remember them? Yeah, we really are built along rivers, even if we don’t act like it). Big-time Post-Dispatch reporter Bill Lambrecht, author of a new book on a similar theme, will be one of the panelists sticking around after the film to continue the discussion on the relevance of rivers to today’s civic and cultural life in St. Louis.