A rendering has been released depicting what we can expect when the new Ronald McDonald House opens at Tower Grove and Chouteau in Late 2020/Early 2021. This comes after seeing a massing diagram of the building since September, when the project was first presented to Park Central Development. The design, by Trivers, is meant to form a sizable streetwall on both Chouteau and Tower Grove avenues while creating a design that mimics surrounding structures.
The proposal must go before the Preservation Board due to the fact that a historic church will have to be demolished as a result of the project. The semi-church design of the new structure, along Tower Grove Avenue, is meant to be a symbol to the old church that once stood on the site while also providing a “house” look. The brown brick is also meant to mimic the surrounding buildings. Further, buildings along Chouteau are designed to look like FPSE’s brick, 4 family buildings. The largest portion of the building is at Chouteau and Tower Grove and will stand 4 floors tall. The design there is comparable to some of the older commercial buildings along Manchester and other houses in the neighborhood.
According to Trivers, the building follows the recently implemented Form Based Code for the neighborhood. However, a parking lot is located behind the building, which is ok due to the fact that a large structure will block the parking lot when viewed from Chouteau and Tower Grove. The only indication of the parking lot will be the curb cut located along Chouteau. The main entrance to the Ronald McDonald House will also be on Chouteau.
The main downside are the higher windows at street level. So depending on how you view it, it can lead to a dead wall, but the corner will seem slightly more inviting than a large grassy lot and industrial building.
The cost of the project will be roughly $22 Million.
