Michael Van Valkenburgh Team Leads St. Louis Arch Grounds Redesign11-01-10 | News

Michael Van Valkenburgh Team Leads St. Louis Arch Grounds Redesign

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The landscape architecture and urban planning firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA), based in NYC, with an office also in Cambridge, has been selected over four other finalist to lead the design team to renovate the grounds for the St. Louis Gateway Arch. The much anticipated project seeks to connect the Arch grounds to downtown St. Louis, the Mississippi River and the Illinois bank.

The MVVA portfolio comprises many prominent projects, including the redesign of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, the design of Brooklyn Bridge Park, and extensive work on the Harvard University campus.

The competition jury called the MVVA team ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Highlights of MVVA's plan include:

Removing the north end parking garage and replacing it with an amphitheater, playground and new entrance to Laclede's Landing.

Adding a garage on the south side. The top will be an ice rink in the winter and a beer garden in the summer.

Replacing many trees on the grounds for more uniform walkways.

A cobblestone plaza between the Arch and the river for markets and events.
Elevated walkways on the Illinois side, reaching 35 feet and winding through a new bird sanctuary. The sanctuary will be created by capturing East St. Louis stormwater, forming an urban bird habitat.

A lid over I-70 to lead to a new western entrance and into an expanded museum below the Arch.

Over the next three months, the MVVA team will partner with the sponsors, the city of St. Louis, the National Park Service and others to analyze the design concepts and conduct more detailed design explorations. Creating a construction budget and fundraising plan are also on the agenda.

At a minimum, the study will focus on the review of the technical advisory group, the impact on related downtown park properties and the Illinois side of the river, traffic and transportation and federal compliance issues.

The project is scheduled to be constructed by Oct. 28, 2015, the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Arch.

A monthly online progress report will update the public on the progress of the project www.cityarchrivercompetition.org.