Busch II Infield

I'm switching to typing because 1) my handwriting is terrible and 2) I was getting frustrated with how slow it was going. 

Screw it, I'm going to just type what I already wrote tonight. I started this blog to type up some of what I've already written, anyway. 

    I walked to Ballpark Village tonight. I've beene drawn to it a lot during the COVID-19 downtown walks with Taylor. He always wanted to go to the Arch, which was understandable. It's also an incredible public space. I was primarily drawn to BPV because I like investment. I like places that are the result of a lot of money. I like glamorous hotels. I like that mix of modern & postmodern. I like gaudy postmodern, it's an easy way to show glamour. BPV isn't the most glamorous. The Loews Hotel is nice and the Walk of Fame has some nice materiality. Overall though, it's just a lot more fine tuned than a public street, which is sadly what constitutes most of our public space. As for gaudy gimmicks, I love the STL and commissioners trophy items. They're great landmarks, they're great for instagram, and they're a sign of activity, which our cities need. When you're walking down the street and you see something entertaining like that, you see that a city has life.

    But ultimately what won tonight was the sound. You have an enclosed space but it's large. You have people enjoying a drink. It's a space designed for large gatherings and concerts but it's quiet except for the extremely important 30 people enjoying a drink. (This is when I switch from writing to just typing). 

    During my last few days of my study abroad in Greece, I went down to the waterfront as much as possible. I would go down there before I went to bed and forced myself to sit until I got bored. I probably only sat for 10 or 12 minutes but without any headphones, it felt like forever. I loved looking at the boats, the stars, the moon, the old lamp posts, and of course, the water. But I also loved hearing the water and the boats. I loved hearing the murmurs of those at the bars facing the waterfront. It was an amazing public space to begin with but the combination of a bench facing a show (the water), the street just wide enough and calm enough to be a public space, and the guaranteed activation that comes with not just one but a whole row of bars is the perfect combination. 

    The public square in Nafplion was the same way. It didn't face the water but it's was an enclosed space with a row of bars loaded with outdoor tables. The slight echo of people having a drink is relaxing. It feels like a Friday night. Ballpark Village, more specifically the Busch II Infield is now the closest thing St. Louis has to that town square in Nafplion. The crowd was small so the murmur was extremely quiet but I think it will still be great with 150 people instead of tonight's 25. The presence of the Loews Hotel might forever force the space to be quiet, which is great. The hotel balconies add the always necessary see-and-be-seen component. Hell, the gym even has a balcony overlooking the space. I hope they don't ruin it by playing loud music at any given opportunity. Just let the space stay quiet. Let it be a slightly echo-y beer garden european town square. 

I'm not going to say that every good public space needs to row of bars on one side or every side. I'm not saying that every outdoor bar needs to be an element of a greater public space. I'm simply saying that the combination of a defined public space and the automatic activation of a few bars is something magical. It should be striven to be achieved. It makes me thing that places like Maryland and Euclid need major improvement. They're very well activated with outdoor dining (or at least they were before COVID) but the greater public space doesn't offer a place for people to stand and linger. I think the corner of Laclede and  Sarah has much greater potential. The street surface and usage needs to be completely redesigned to create that european town square. The buildings are tall enough to create an echo. There's even some balconies too. 

    I'm moving to Philadelphia in less than a week. I'll be pretty near some public spaces that I hope to enjoy. I'll be pretty near the Delaware River, which might be a terrible place to enjoy. I do need to find that place to just go and sit until I'm bored. Ballpark Village isn't as magical as the Aegian Water front but it's still something. Go figure I'd just come to find it a week before I leave.