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Businessman hopes to bring foot traffic back to Clayton
(by Kara Krekeler - October 28, 2009)
John Oates would like a better view out of his office window.
Over the past few years, Oates, who owns a corporate research company based in downtown Clayton, said that from his 13th-story office, he’s watched parking spaces open up, foot traffic slow down and local businesses close as the economy has slowed.
While cities across the country have suffered similar troubles during the recession, Oates thinks there’s a simple way to help get more people in Clayton shops: make the streets more pedestrian-friendly, starting with North Central Avenue between Forsyth Boulevard and Maryland Avenue.
“By simply reconfiguring North Central Avenue, Clayton can create a ‘destination spot’ that will draw people back into Clayton,” Oates said, citing the Delmar Loop and Central West End as similar local pedestrian-friendly districts.
To create that destination spot, Oates recommends narrowing the street to one driving lane in each direction and creating a Parisian streetscape, with wider sidewalks, more outdoor dining space and more trees, bushes and other greenery.
“People want to go where they will see or be seen by others. They can eat and drink anywhere, and there are undoubtedly 10 restaurants between their homes and their destination, be it Clayton, Soulard or the Central West End,” Oates said. “So Clayton can tweak one street and create a vibrant street scene while adding 250 to 300 more restaurant seats to its sidewalk.”
He estimated that the addition of so much outdoor seating would increase sales on that street by about $3.5 million. There are about 30 businesses on that block, including several restaurants. The only costs, he said, would be for pouring a synthetic sidewalk in the current parking lanes and perhaps changing a stoplight or two.
While Oates originally came up with the idea about a year ago, he’s recently begun an online campaign via e-mail blasts, a blog — at http://centralavenuegarden.blogspot.com — and Facebook to drum up support for his plan. He’s also delivered a copy of what he’s dubbed the North Central Avenue Garden plan to Gary Carter, economic developer for the city. So far, however, he has yet to hear from the city.
Paul Zemitzch, of Sequel LLC, a consulting company contracted by the city to help rework its master plan, said that the city supports the idea of making its streets more pedestrian-friendly.
“We as a city agree with it [but] Oates thinks it’s simpler than it is,” Zemitzch said, noting that the city would have to figure out infrastructure issues, including water drainage and ADA compliance.
He confirmed that no one from the city had yet met with Oates, although Zemitzch said he hopes Oates will weigh in on the issue during the master plan process later this year.
Zemitzch did, however, take issue with Oates’ “confrontational” publicity methods, which include directing the public to contact Clayton Mayor Linda Goldstein directly about the plan, while leaving his own name and contact information off of the e-mails, blog and Facebook page.
“He’s saying, ‘Call the mayor and tell her you want this.’ Well, the mayor never said she didn’t want this,” Zemitzch said.
Some of that confrontational style comes from Oates’ assessment that the city has been dragging its feet on helping the small businesses that populate the city. Oates estimated that of the 50 or so standalone restaurants in downtown Clayton, about 40 are on the verge of closing their doors.
“As a municipality, the city of Clayton needs to get its act together or it will lose its small businesses,” Oates said. “The city has chased big developments like Centene [which is currently building its headquarters in Clayton]. In the meantime, it’s allowed small businesses to suffer.”
Without saving those businesses, and particularly the restaurants, Oates said he fears downtown Clayton will go the way of downtown St. Louis in the 1970s — the district would “roll up its sidewalks” at 5 p.m., when workers leave their offices to head home. The North Central Avenue Garden plan, or something like it, might help stop that though.
“I don’t care who does it or who carries the mantle. It just needs to be done,” he said.
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