The successful rejuvenation of the Grove continues and now will be in lights.
After 2 years of planning which included design, engineering, fundraising, and approvals; a $60,000, double‐faced neon sign will be spanning Manchester Avenue just west of Vandeventer Avenue marking the entry to the area. The sign measures 24ft wide and 11ft tall and is suspended 30 feet in the air. Installation of the sign will occur throughout the day and should be completed this afternoon.
The goal of the entry marker is to attract visitors to the many new and established restaurants, night clubs, and retail venues within the area, as well as enhance the identity of the Grove as a diverse, appealing and pedestrian‐friendly experience. The entry marker will compliment the $3.5 million streetscape enhancement that is currently underway. Area businesses are so excited about the new entry marker that they have already adopted the sign’s design as the logo for the area.
Chip Schloss, owner of Atomic Cowboy, first brought the concept of the sign to the neighborhood after seeing examples in entertainment districts on the West Coast. Brooks Goedeker, Community Development Manager of Washington University Medical Center, has been the project manager for the sign. Assisting him with the construction details has been Kelly Kenter owner of Sitelines Construction and Don Bellon owner of Bellon Wrecking. “We wanted something unique to St. Louis and the Midwest that would help mark the Grove as a premiere destination point. The Grove has had so much redevelopment and positive energy happening in the past several years that this sign is an indicator to the greater community that the Grove is here to stay.” stated Brooks Goedeker.
St. Louis design firm, Ten 8 developed the concept and worked with Design Communication LTD from Boston on fabrication of the sign. Funding for the entry marker was provided by the Forest Park South Business Association, Alderman Joe Roddy and the 17th Ward Commercial Façade Program, the Grove Community Improvement District, Washington University Medical Center and Tarlton Corporation.
