Nearly 100 firms or designers vie for Arch corridor redevelopment project

According to a Jan. 12, 2010 report from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 90 designers or firms thus far have expressed interest in the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which is a National Park Service (NPS) project to redevelop the parkland around the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

The NPS and a local fund-raising organization, CityArchRiver2015, still are waiting for Congressional appropriations but intend to choose a winning design by October 2010, with expectations that construction will be completed in time for the 50th anniversary of the "topping off" ceremony for the Gateway Arch on Oct. 28, 2015.

"This competition is a unique and important opportunity to integrate the Arch and the park surrounding it into the fabric of the city and region and embrace the Mississippi River and its east bank," said Tom Bradley, superintendent of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, in a news release. "It's an opportunity to energize the park with new amenities and attractions. By achieving these objectives, we will design people into the area - and establish a national model for urban parks."

The competition - "Framing a Modern Masterpiece: The City + The Arch + The River 2015" - is called for in the NPS's new General Management Plan, which was developed with extensive public input and approved in late November of last year.

The competition invites teams to create a new design for the Arch grounds and surrounding areas with 10 goals in mind:

Create an iconic place for the international icon, the Gateway Arch.
Catalyze increased vitality in the St. Louis region.
Honor the character-defining elements of the National Historic Landmark.
Weave connections and transitions from the city and the Arch grounds to the Mississippi River.
Embrace the Mississippi River and the east bank in Illinois as an integral part of the national park.
Mitigate the impact of transportation systems.
Reinvigorate the mission to tell the story of St. Louis as the gateway to national expansion.
Create attractors to promote extended visitation to the Arch, the city and the river.
Develop a sustainable future for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
Enhance the visitor experience and create a welcoming and accessible environment.

Additional information can be found at www.cityarchrivercompetition.org.

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