The Ultimate Bride (under construction)

If you have been on Big Bend between Clayton Road and 64/40 you surely have noticed some changes happening.  Soon you can expect to see a brand new home for The Ultimate Bride! 

Progress is going smoothly transforming an old hardware store into an upscale bridal boutique.  The building had been sitting empty for several years and was quickly turning into an eyesore for the community. 



The exterior has undergone a major overhaul with a new façade to give the building more street appeal.  




new front facade



the abandoned hardware store (view from Big Bend)



The in the front we demolished an old roof that was awkwardly attached.  After the roof was gone we raised the parapet and added a brick and stone veneer.   While we completely transformed the street façade we were able to maintain the original side and rear elevations.  Some of the salvaged elements included some clerestory windows that have been reglazed and will be incorporated into some custom displays. We also added a raised patio to help provide a buffer from the street traffic on Big Bend as well as adding some great outdoor space for the building.  This area will be highlighted with attractive fencing and landscaping. 



original clerestory windows

Progress on the interior is coming along nicely as well.  The walls are up and it is really taking shape.  The owner wanted a high class space on a cost-conscious budget.  We were careful in the selection of materials selecting specific areas to add a punch to maximize the impact.  The focus in the space will be the dresses on display and the finishes were selected to highlight those as much as possible. 

interior under constuction

The Kirk of the Hills

It has been a busy and exciting time at St. Louis Design Alliance.  Our work on the Sanctuary at the historic Kirk of the Hills in Creve Coeur, Missouri is complete and it looks great. 

In the entry foyer we replaced the worn out carpeting with a vinyl tile.  This flooring choice will not only be a functional and easy to maintain product to welcome the members as they come in from the elements, but the vinyl tile provides a perfect transition piece between the existing fellowship hall and the revamped sanctuary. 

The most noticeable difference in the Sanctuary is the new carpet.  Replacing the traditional “church red” carpeting with a blue helped to update the look of the Sanctuary without sacrificing the tradition of this historic church.   A fresh coat of paint helped to highlight the original woodwork and give the sanctuary a fresh face. 

Another large change was the re-configuration of the pews.  By taking out some of the pews in the middle of the sanctuary it helps to break up the long and narrow architecture and bring the congregation closer to the pastor speaking.  It also promotes fellowship before and after the service as people can visit without blocking the aisles. 

There are future plans for an extension of the stage to even better serve the ever-changing trends in worship.  We look forward to working with The Kirk of the Hills on that phase of their project as well

7th Annual Loop Ice Carnival

The 7th Annual Ice Carnival was held last Saturday in the Loop, with several of our own in attendance. A pub crawl, games, ice sculptures, food, drinks, and lucky for us, a balloon artist right in front of Design Alliance!

Thanks to Reggie Victor at Big River Creative for snapping the pictures.  Hope to see you next year!

Confluence Preparatory Academy Gymnasium Ribbon Cutting

We had a blast from the past on Thursday when Jeff, Clinton and Kristin attended a pep rally at Confluence Preparatory Academy...it had been a while since we had gone to one of those!  The gathering was in celebration of the new roof top gymnasium at Confluence Preparatory Academy.  The entire student body, the Confluence Academy Board, Paric Construction and St. Louis Design Alliance were in attendance as the new gym was officially opened, and we could all feel the students' excitement.  Scholar athletes were recognized, games were played, and a bit of friendly class rivalry was exposed.  The Class of 2012 was so pumped about their new digs, they made an impromptu rush from the bleachers to the gym floor! 



A special thanks to Paric for managing all the tricky details of a roof top addition, and to Sarah Smith from Confluence Academy for the invitation.  Congratulations to Confluence Preparatory Academy on your new gymnasium...Go Titans!

Life without tradition would be like….well….

Years ago a tradition started amongst St. Louis architectural and engineering firms.  On the last work day before Christmas, White Castle hamburgers mysteriously showed up on people’s drafting tables.  This would always happen very early in the morning, so the delectable White Castle aroma would fill the office thereby making the offering even that much more irresistible.  The moans and groans of the arriving fellow employees brought true Christmas joy to the unknown deliverer of the “belly bombers.”  The comments were priceless, “this thing smeared grease on my drawing,” or “this is disgusting,” or “am I supposed to eat it,” or just a simple “aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

Mmmm...sliders.

\

8:30 a.m. sharp!



This morning, StLDA was visited by the White Castle Elf, marking our 24th Christmas!  As always, there was a little friendly competition in regard to how many burgers one could eat (reigning champ Kazadi won...8 sliders consumed, down from last years 12!)...

Kazadi is King of White Castle



...and Clinton ate his first slider EVER.



Clintons first slider!

As always, a monumental White Castle breakfast and a great Design Alliance tradition! 

Filling the Red Kettle

For the last three years, StLDA has taken time out to raise money for the Salvation Army's Tree of Lights Red Kettle by ringing the bell at the Schnucks at Clayton and Big Bend. Today was the big day, and we were ready to fill some kettles!  We always enjoy helping out our friends at the Salvation Army!



Our Jolene and Kathy decked out in red!



Click on the links below for details on ways (in addition to donating cash to the red kettles at many grocery stores) you can help the Salvation Army, an organization that reaches so many:

The Cans Film Festival - Free movie!  Donate cans at any Wehrenberg Theatre on Saturday 12/3/11 only!

Online Red Kettle

Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

Salvation Army Tree of Lights Kick-Off

This past Sunday, StLDA had a blast at The Salvation Army Tree of Lights Campaign kick-off. This year the Rams theme couldn’t have been more fitting as we all braved the rain and the chill on our way to the Edward Jones Dome to "kick-off" the campaign as the Rams "kicked-off" their home game against the Seattle Seahawks.

As we tailgated at the Convention Center, we had the opportunity to catch up with some of our old friends from The Salvation Army. There was a celebrity appearance with Rampage the St. Louis Rams mascot who was all decked out in military gear (it just happened to be military appreciation day at the Dome). The Rams cheerleaders also made an appearance and Roman agreed to get his photo taken with them!

The program also included updates about some of the amazing things that The Salvation Army has done in the past year. We learned about their after-school programs, successful food bank, and the extensive relief they provided in Joplin, Missouri after the devastating tornado in May. That doesn't even scratch the surface of all of the things going on throughout their organization.

Unfortunately, the Rams were unable to pull off a win...that would have really been a exciting way to kick-off the Tree of Light’s campaign!

We here at StLDA pray that 2011 Tree of Lights Campaign is the best one yet!