Hi-Pointe Neighborhood Update, with the city of Richmond Heights

The sound walls are up on the new Highway 64, and the sound has decreased coming into this neighborhood. This is the first noticeable fact, and the most important one, about the new highway construction. I'm glad they got a sound wall on both sides for the full length of the project.

There is a HNTB vehicle parked on property at 1128 Blendon Place, on the sidewalk of that property, today. So, there's some interest on finishing Berthold Avenue.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch carried an article on the front page, entitled "Boxed in by Highway 40", about this Hi-Pointe neighborhood, in the city of St. Louis, on January 11, 2010. The article had two big pictures of the end of Berthold Avenue, at McCausland Avenue. The Mo. Dept. of Transportation has proposed a cul-de-sac for the top of the hill on Berthold Avenue, cutting off access to McCausland Avenue. See: www.stltoday.com.

In graphic concept drawings, I never proposed cutting off Berthold Avenue from McCausland Avenue, but made other proposals to develop the area, grass and tear down, and create more parking spaces. I ran out of money, and used what I had, and was told by MoDOT to continue working on my proposals, with the St. Louis Development Corporation.
My major concern is parking. There needs to be more parking space on Blendon Place. There's no access to the rear of some properties on the east side of that street. There's no parking for properties facing McCausland Avenue on McCausland Avenue, and they must park in the rear of their properties and not block the alley. Also, the alley they use has the only access to the alley behind properties facing Berthold Avenue. The alleyway going from Ethel Avenue, behind properties on Blendon Place, is blocked by weed, young trees growth, and is not maintained as a traffic thru-way. I don't know why that is, but that needs to be changed.

The 20 year old signs on Blendon Place, that state '1 Hour Parking' are still standing, and are not enforced because there would be no one who would want to or could live here that way. Why are they even there?

The article states that some are driving illegally through the area. Well, let me tell you, there's nothing new about people driving illegally through the area.

This article does little but put an OK on what MoDOT has planned for the area.

In regards to new ownership here - I have noticed that owners have sold and resold their properties to themselves, or to another entity within their family or business, in order to increase the worth of the property. This has nothing to do with the amount of taxes to be placed on property. This has a lot to do with resale value, and with rental amounts, and the ability to rent and/or sell. Taxes are of little concern, since there will always be taxes.

I need money. I'm interested in codes, especially building codes, and the inspection process, following renovation or construction. Parking spaces are allocated to homes and businesses according to code. Notice, that this area situated in the St. Louis area - how could anyone who works in the same business that I do not recognize any of the problems here before I ever moved in and did, starting in 1996? There has been new construction here.

There are bankruptcies and divorces. I see dogs, as if these were a common household members.

The Party on the Highway went well, on opening day, in December. I went there, and had a good time, but that's right outside my door, and just walked or biked over there.