Doing the Riverfront Right
Date Posted: August 4, 2015
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas, Projects,
by Tom Finan, Executive Director, Construction Forum STL
Much is being made of the efforts to make use of our Mississippi riverfront north of the Arch. Forum Studio has been engaged by Great Rivers Greenway to devise a master plan. It’s a tremendous idea and Forum’s efforts look very enticing and impressive. But one has to ask, “What took us so long?”
Bicycling along the north Mississippi flood wall toward Alton a decade ago, it was readily apparent to those of us who took the time to look that there was potential. It was clear that a great deal of natural beauty and raw, historic riverfront architecture that was being wasted.
To see what can happen when you don’t overthink things I recommend that you take a trip few hours south South to a small Kentucky city along the Ohio River.
We were taking our kids and grandkids to the Holiday Land amusement park in Santa Claus, IN (See the Griswolds in National Lampoon’s Vaction or the recently-released remake, also Dante’s Inferno). It was a last-minute trip, and all the cute little cottages in the middle of nowhere near the amusement park were booked, which turned out to be a fortunate thing.
We made a reservation for the Waterfront Hampton Inn in Owensboro, KY. We came into Owensboro a back way that was about as rural and Southern as it gets. By the time we arrived, I’m sure the kids thought we’d be staying a tarpaper shack. In fact it is a gorgeous Hampton Inn, and the staff are amazingly friendly and helpful, as was everyone we met in Owensboro, a city of about 50,000 people.
We got into town about 8 p.m. without having eaten dinner, and our first stop was at Old Hickory Bar-B-Q . People were standing around in the parking lot and we were afraid that there would be a wait. Actually, they had finished their dinners and were standing around socializing. Imagine that.
They hold the “International Barbecue Festival” in Owensboro in May and the city calls itself the “Barbecue Capital of the World.” John Forman, the owner of Old Hickory has been the champion Kentucky pit master and has appeared on television food programs. His family started the place in 1918. They are currently in their sixth generation of management. Our waitress wasn’t too sure about whether the owner’s teenaged daughters are up to the task.
The atmosphere is family-friendly and laid back. The staff there is VERY personable and helpful, and the food is amazing. I had a combo of ribs, brisket, and mutton (their specialty) with slaw and mac and cheese. I bought a shirt and two bottles of sauce (their baste is vinegar-based and I got the “hot and sweet” as well). We fed seven people, with tip and all that merchandise, for $150.
The next morning I walked on Owensboro’s River Walk. This is what St. Louis SHOULD be doing with the riverfront near the Arch. Every weekend there’s live music on the on multiple, stylized, LED-lit stages. There’s a playground with massive faux trees that look like they belong in Disney World. It’s just really well thought out and executed, with landscaping that takes full advantage of views of the river and the nearby Glover H. Cary Bridge. They also have a sleek, contemporary convention center with decks where area residents gather on Friday nights.
The neighborhoods around the River Walk are welcoming. There are no noisy bars, but plenty of shops, nice gathering places, and pleasant surprises like the “Drive Through Shoe Hospital” and a wrought-iron-fenced herb garden in the middle of a city block. There are people living in the neighborhood in second floor apartments and condos with
rooftop gardens. It’s what was envisioned for Laclede’s Landing in the early ’70s.
Returning from Holiday World we had a 9 p.m. sidewalk dinner at the Famous Bistro (everything around Owensboro is “famous”). Gorgonzola/steak pasta, perfect scallops, tomato/basil pesto, house made Greek desserts, were served by a diverse, friendly, helpful staff.
Owensboro has found a balance that works. The city’s great architecture and friendly, helpful people feel very much like home to a St. Louisan. If you’d like to see what the future could look like, it’s a great place to spend a weekend. And if you’re adventurous, a one-way ticket to Owensboro from St. Louis is $29 on Cape Air. Our waitress said that it’s a lot more fun than riding the roller coasters at Holiday World, and there’s no wait in line.
Did I mention that Owensboro is the home town of Johnny Depp and Florence Henderson?