The Riverfront, Desolation

With the recent removal and dismantlement of the Admiral, the riverfront has lost one of the last (if not particularly healthy) beacons of activity on what was once a bustling wharf.

When I first moved to St. Louis, there were at least three more riverboats on the levee: the Robert E. Lee, the McDonalds, and the Burger King with its Inaugural minesweeper.

All those are now gone, and all that remains seems to be the riverboat cruises.

Which is sad, because from the riverfront, you can view many of St. Louis's greatest engineering and civic icons; everything is huge down here, built on a scale befitting a great city. What will the future hold? Honestly, probably not much, but at least you can still witness these grand structures without interruption.

Riverfront

I never get tired of the view of downtown St. Louis from the river; maybe most people live out in the red brick neighborhoods out of sight of downtown, but looking at these glass and steel skyscrapers and one of the best monuments in the world still inspires me.

Bellerive Park

Ever wonder what that majestic bridge stretching over South Broadway in Carondelet is for? It is one section of what was to be a glorious "Kingshighway System" of dramatic boulevards that stretched around the entire city, before the interstate highway system put such plans to rest. Small portions of the entire parkway system were actually built, such as Christy Blvd and Bellerive Blvd in Carondelet.At the terminus of Bellerive Blvd is an amazing Renaissance Revival pavilion that overlooks the Mississippi River from high above on the bluffs.
Looking south, you can just see the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, miles to the south.Looking to the north, you can see the Cahokia Power Plant in the distance, as well as much of downtown.

Robert E. Lee Riverboat Staying in St. Louis

The Post-Dispatch reports that local father and son have bought the Robert E. Lee, a semi-historic riverboat that was once the highest grossing restaurant in St. Louis. I remember it fondly, along with White Castle, as the first restaurant I ate at back in 1985. It was really good, and I wish it were still around in that form. But luckily, St. Louisans have decided their heritage should stay here.

Which brings me to the real point: what will happen to the Admiral? It is arguably more historic than the Robert E. Lee, but the writing has been on the wall with the old Albatross for several years; it will be sold for scrap in a decade if no one in St. Louis rises to the occasion as the two gentlemen have for the Robert E. Lee. The Admiral's life as a casino is rapidly coming to a close; it is no longer a question of if, but of when.

Arch Abstractions