Building for the Environment
By Shawn Clubb/St. Louis Post-Dispatch

April 12, 2006 - The group backing a new dog pound for the city has altered its plans to include environmentally-friendly elements in the design. Ed Throop, chairman of the Animal House Fund, presented the new design and other information last week to the Ellendale Neighborhood Association to a mostly positive response. Concerns raised by residents helped the Animal House Fund and its architect, HOK, develop a better design for the building, which will occupy part of Arsenal-Ellendale Park, said Kathernie McGowan, executive director of the Animal House Fund.

The new design calls for building the structure into the bank of a hill, so that only one wall is visible. The building also will meet the requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Buildings Council. McGowan said this could make the structure the first city-owned green building in St. Louis "The project is going to be better on several levels, because we had a proactive dialogue," she said. "It's a marriage of social issues—pet overpopulation and environmentalism."

Janet Kuhl, president of the neighborhood association, said a lot of residents who had been skeptical were swayed by the presentation last week. She said more than 50 people attended the meeting—twice the usual amount. They mostly came to hear about the project. "A lot of people were upset about giving up part of the park, but that portion of the park itself has never been used for anything," Kuhl said.

Kuhl called the design "gorgeous." She said the plan calls for an addition of a walking track, flowering trees, benches, an expanded playground and picnic tables at the park. She said the parking lot would be repaved and the fields would be regraded and resurfaced.

"They're giving us something we have not had in 35 years - someplace the neighborhood kids and neighborhood families can go for rest and relaxation," Kuhl said. "I'm very impressed. Two of our members who were staunch opponents said they're starting to understand it." "I think we changed people's minds," McGowan said. "We hope the park will have better usage. The neighbors will be proud of the park and feel that it's complementing their neighborhood."

The neighborhood association is scheduled to vote on whether it approves of the plan at its next meeting at 7 p.m. May 2 at Wilkinson School, 7212 Arsenal St.

McGowan said solidifying the site for the project should help attract donors. She said the fund needs to raise $3.5 million for the project. It recently raised $68,000 with a dog fashion show called "Dressed to the Canines." Once the building is constructed, it will be turned over to the city to replace the existing pound on Gasconade Street.

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