Arch planning nods, but doesn’t bow, to Wall Street
Huy R. Mach | Post-Dispatch
Michael Allen’s terrific blog Ecology of Absence reported that “Late last week, John Danforth sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne stating that the Danforth Foundation no longer intends to build a museum on the grounds of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. According to Danforth, his foundation’s financial health has weakened in the current economic downturn.”
Not so, says a spokesman for the Danforth Foundation.
The foundation did write a letter to the Interior Department saying that the stock market drop would make it difficult to fund such a project at the $50 million it had pledged, according to the spokesman, but the Foundation “remains as interested in ever in the museum concept” and “if and when the (National Park Service) comes back with a proposal that the Foundation can support, the Foundation will support it at the level its finances will permit.”
I think Mr. Danforth’s excellent concept — which seeks to connect the Arch to the city and riverfront and develop a world class cultural institution that complements the Arch — and the planning process around it (which still is ongoing) will benefit from the breathing room.
Eddie Roth writes about education, social justice, public safety, transportation, legal affairs and historic preservation. He joined the Post-Dispatch editorial page in 2008 after six years as an editorial writer with the Dayton Daily News. But he is not new to St. Louis. Eddie grew up in Webster Groves and south St. Louis County. He's a lawyer who for many years practiced with a downtown firm, and was active in civic affairs, including serving a term on the St. Louis Police Board. He and his wife, Jeanne, and their three daughters, Emily, Julia and Alice, live in the Shaw Neighborhood.
When it comes to community organizing, he endorses Quentin Crisp's advice: Rather than keeping up with the Joneses, it's better to pull them down to your level. 
roth once again playing Ellsworth Toohey to danforth’s Gail Whinin’.
Oy.
That money would be much better spent elsewhere.
Maybe the danforth boys would settle for 18 holes and a few sandtraps. Ok, ok—and a clubhouse [but underground, mind you].
Mr Roth and I have exchanged views on the subject of the Gateway Arch before and, to a substantial extent, we still disagree. Given recent developments,however, I’m feeling much more comfortable with the General Management Planning effort which will guide the long-range management of our National Memorial. First, the discussions between Senator Danforth and Secretary of Interior Kempthorne make clear that the National Park Service, NOT the Danforth Foundation, will have the final say on what goes on within the boundary. Second, as a result of the recent election, it can be reliably expected that a NEW Secretary of Interior, (and senior managers of the National Park Service), will be allowed to be much more protective of our National Parks in general, and much less likely to approve any intrusive development on the “arch” grounds. Third, whether or not the recent Danforth decision was made on economic grounds,or recognition of political realities, it’s clear that they will play dimished role. Forth, and perhaps more important, there is much more opportunity for agreement here than may appear on the surface. I can readily agree (and I think NPS management under President Obama will too), that we need improved connections between the arch, the city and the riverfront. A “capping” over the Interstate, more compatable and supporting facilities on private property adjacent to the Arch grounds would be positive developments. What we DO NOT need, (and would be absolutely unacceptable),- transferring NPS property to control of a private entity, or things like ” a new museum,or a “world-class cultural institution” on the Arch grounds. If such ideas have any merit (and I doubt they do), they must be built by private funds on private property outside the boundary of our National Memorial. The General Management Plan effort continues and is expected to be completed in early 2009. At that time,(whether or not there is a “design competition”), I encourage local interests, including the Danforth Foundation and city hall, to work, constructively, with the National Park Service to assure, first and foremost, that the integrity of the National Memorial and its grounds will not be violated. Once that is done, we should readily be able to agree on some positive steps to guide the Memorial’s future. Don Castleberry