The Chase Park Plaza is a St. Louis institution, a grand old hotel at the northeast corner of Forest Park. There are actually two connected buildings. The Chase is the tower in the center of the picture. The Park Plaza is half as tall and you can just see its top to the Chase's right. The mid and upper floors of the Chase itself have been converted into luxury condominiums, breathtakingly expensive by local standards. (New Yorkers would probably scoff that they are bargains.)PS: I love my Lensbaby.
TOMORROW: I crashed the barge.
TOMORROW: I crashed the barge.
I remember a story going around when I lived by there that this was also the building that was modeled for GhostBusters. Have no idea if it is true or not.
ReplyDeleteHad a visiting prof who lived in one of those condos who hosted a dinner for us students there. Very nice view!
Jen - the upper floors used to be rental apartments, I think, affordable by real, if prosperous, mortals. It's just in the last couple of years that they have been converted to very upscale condos.
ReplyDeleteThe building does look sort of like the one in Ghostbusters. However, I read somewhere that it was modeled on The Dakota, a snooty old building on Central Park West in NYC, where John Lennon and other notables lived.
Dude - my immediate first thought was of the Ghostbusters building. But I think part of that was the kind of innate spookiness of the lensbaby.
ReplyDeleteI like the effect of this lensbaby in this picture. I tried before but it seems I need a lot practice before got it right. I am looking forward for more pictures from this lens. Interesting shot!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking I love this lensbaby too. Finally, some blue sky to look upon, even though it is virtually. It's been cloudy here for weeks.
ReplyDeletej'aime beaucoup cet effet, cela met bien en valeur l'immeuble, on dirait qu'il sort de terre
ReplyDeleteI love this effect, it puts much value the building, it looks like he sort of earth
Thank you for posting this lovely photo of the Park Plaza tower. My father and I (and our team) have been redeveloping The Chase Park Plaza for the past several years, and the epitome for us will be The Private Residences (in the historic Park Plaza tower), which will welcome home its first residents this summer. As an avid photographer myself, I love your use of the Lensbaby. We’d love to have you visit The Chase and get to know some of its other hidden gems.
ReplyDelete-Marcia Smith Niedringhaus
Thank you all for your comments about this interesting landmark. Ms. Niedringhouse: I apologize for mixing up which building is the Chase and which is the Park Plaza. I would welcome the opportunity to photograph what I understand to be your superb restoration work, just for use on the blog - a little plug for you.
ReplyDeleteThe Lensbaby seems very popular on your side of the pond, don't see them on sale here. Looks like a lomo effect.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your recent comments
from South Shields Daily Photo
The Chase is definitely one of the jewels of St. Louis. I've been so excited to see it come back to prominence these last few years!
ReplyDeleteProspective buyers beware! We have had great difficulty in dealing with the Private Residences sales staff. Most recently they have refused to respond to the following concerns:
ReplyDelete(1) The Original Sales Certificate anticipated that the entire condo would be developed and platted at one time, as apposed to staging the development.
(2) This staged development exposes owners of existing condos to greater risk because, if the developer would cease development for any reason, the condo owners could be left with a structure containing completely undeveloped portions.
(3) In addition to the issue of changes requiring notice, we also believe that the Certificate was inadequate in at least the following aspects (i) the budget information provided to prospective purchases of condos does not include any information regarding costs that may be incurred by condo owners as a result of being subject to the Master Declaration of Condominium; (ii) while it appears that the condo owners have no established rights to use the swimming pool and the health club, the budget information provided for condos includes a line item for pool care; (iii) we believe that the condo contains a “conversion building” and therefore the Certificate is required to contain a statement of work done, including the nature thereof, on the foundation, structural members, roof, chimney, gutters and downspouts, exterior and interior walls, ceilings, floors, windows, attic and wall insulation, sewers and stacks, plumbing system and related fixtures, electrical system and related fixtures, and furnace and heating system and related fixtures.
We are entitled to notice of the change in the condo documents with respect to staged development and are entitled to certain information under the Act which was not included in the Certificate.
To see the full letter and status of my complaint, please visit the Better Business Bureau website.