MoDOT will close up to two lanes in both directions on the Route 141 bridge over the Meramec River this weekend. Crews will close one lane of Route 141 in both directions at the river, around the clock, starting at 10:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26.  They will close a second lane in both directions as follows: 

~ 10:00 p.m., Friday to 6:00 a.m., Saturday

~ 9:00 p.m., Saturday to 6:00 a.m., Sunday 

~ 8:00 p.m., Sunday to 5:00 a.m., Monday.

All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday.  During the lane closure, crews will be completing preventative maintenance on the Route 141 bridge over the Meramec River. Work on the project will continue until late October.

Downtown Kirkwood's new Fall Harvest Festival includes some of your favorite activities along with some very appealing new festivities. On Saturday, September 27, visitors to Downtown Kirkwood will enjoy the annual Dog Days Celebration and Parade, which steps off at 9:00 a.m., from the corner of Kirkwood Road and Argonne Drive. Then it's the Apple Festival at Kirkwood Farmers' Market. At the "core" of the Apple Festival will be the opportunity to taste and compare a variety of locally grown apples and pick your favorite. Cooking demonstrations and samples, live music and a special appearance from STL Veg Girl Caryn Dugan are also planned. Visitors to the farmers' market will also be treated to a preview of Kirkwood Farmers' Market Pumpkin Patch items.

Katie Burckhalter (L) and Donna Poe (R) staff the 2013 Apple Fest Tasting!

Shoppers will find fall fashions, decorating ideas and in-store specials at participating Downtown Kirkwood boutiques and specialty stores. Visitors can explore our unique shops, and then visit one of our locally owned restaurants for a delicious snack or meal.   

TOUR DOWNTOWN ON FOOT:  A guided historic walking tour of the Downtown Kirkwood area will depart from Kirkwood Train Station at 1:30 p.m. The tour is free, but walkers are asked to pre-register with the Downtown Kirkwood business office at (314) 822-0084. Please provide your name, phone number, and the number of those in your group. Visitors to the historic Kirkwood Train Station during the festival may enter-to-win two round-trip tickets from Amtrak on the Missouri River Runner line.   

The 2013 Dog Parade in Downtown Kirkwood led by Dingo and Kirkwood Police Officer Jimmie Patterson

Recent Approvals:

~ CVS Pharmacy received Planning & Zoning approval to construct a 13,592 square foot pharmacy with drive-thru at 1085 N. Kirkwood Road.

~ Green & Clean received City Council approval to operate a home cleaning business at 632 W. Woodbine Avenue.

~ Namaste Yoga & Spa, received City Council approval to operate a yoga studio and day spa at 200 S. Kirkwood Road, Suite 240. The business will provide yoga instruction (conventional and innovative) as well as day spa activities (facials, waxing and sunless tanning).

Current Construction:

The new McDonalds restaurant under construction on Kirkwood Road.

~ McDonalds, which received City Council approval in January to operate a restaurant with drive-thru, is currently under construction. Targeted completion is mid-to late-October.

~ Greentree Church received a building permit to construct a place of worship at 100 Kirkwood Place. The main sanctuary will include seating for 422 individuals, and a separate fellowship hall will provide seating for 120 individuals. Classrooms will be located on the lower level. A large outdoor amphitheater will be the main focus on the west side of the facility and will allow for special church and public activities.

Under Review:

~ Fresh Thyme Market received approval for a re-zoning to B-4 Planned Commercial and a Preliminary Development Plan. A Final Development Plan will be forthcoming later this year. The proposed store, which is 27,977 square feet, will be located at 1018 N. Kirkwood Road. Fresh Thyme is a specialty grocer and will offer organic, locally sourced fruits and vegetables, store-created sausages, premium coffee beans, and local craft beers.

~ Domino's Pizza submitted a Special Use Permit and Site Plan Review application for a restaurant use at 11240 Manchester Road.  

WEST MADISON WILL BE REBUILT STARTING WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 29 

West Madison Avenue, running along City Hall and in front of the Police Department, will be rebuilt over the next five to six weeks, by M & H Construction.  The street will be blocked off, one lane at a time, in sections.  There will always be one lane open, and there will always be one entrance/exit open to the City Hall and Police Department parking lots.  Depending on which end of Madison they are working on, there may be no entrance from Kirkwood Road at all (if, for example, they are working on the north lane at the City Hall end of the street).  Likewise, when they are working on the Clay Avenue end of the street, there may be no entrance from Clay onto Madison.  Detour signs will be posted.

MAIN WEST ENTRANCE TO CITY HALL WILL BE OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION

The City Hall Enhancement project will move to the west side of the building, where the main entrance is, over the coming weeks.  A temporary sidewalk has been built so that access to the building will be unimpeded.  However, some parking may be restricted due to construction vehicles.  Please check the City's Facebook page for updates as the work progresses.  

The City will begin a comprehensive water meter replacement program in October that will upgrade or replace approximately 10,340 meters. Residents were notified earlier this year in utility bills that the City would implement an automatic meter reading (AMR) system starting in the Fall.  The City has hired Utility Metering Solutions (UMS) to perform this upgrade and replacement project.  This improvement to the City's water distribution system adds an electronic meter-reading capability and allows the City to replace meters that have served beyond their estimated useful life.

The new "smart" meters will minimize the need for personnel to go onto property or inside the home, and they will eliminate the need for estimated bills. With the new system, Kirkwood Water will have the ability to detect if a leak or backflow problem is occurring in a resident's plumbing system.   The project is predicted to take about six months to complete. A list of frequently asked questions and answers will be posted on the City's Website within the next few weeks.

It may seem early, but we are hearing that it will be an early and WET winter, so we thought we woul run this now as a reminder, and then again in a month or so.  

When snow falls, City plowing crews focus first on the main roads, such as Kirkwood Road, Geyer Road, Essex, Woodlawn, Woodbine, Couch, etc.   Cleaning these streets first allows emergency vehicles to get through when needed. During this first stage, street crews also work on hills and bridges. Crews do not begin to work on secondary streets until the snow stops. Secondary streets include Taylor, Fillmore, Dickson, Quan, Rose Hill, Clay, Lindeman, Harrison, Peeke, and Ann. When all those are done, crews move to subdivision streets and clear those. PRE-TREATING: When possible, crews pre-treat all City streets when a storm has been predicted. However, in some storms, when the temperatures are very low, pretreating may not work very well.

~ Right Brain Drawing. Mary Feagan. Learn to access and use the right side of your brain the more creative, less judgmental, clearer-seeing side. Contact registrar for supply list. Kirkwood OASIS 311. Friday, Oct 10-Dec 5, 1:00-3:00 p.m. (no class Nov 28). Fee: $65; Sessions: 8

~ Folk Song Sing-A-Long. Lukas Simpson, Folk School of St. Louis. Come and join the living tradition with this fun class that will explore old and new folk songs! Bring an instrument or just bring yourself. All levels are welcome! Kirkwood OASIS 322. Thursday, Oct 2-Nov 20, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Fee: $65; Sessions: 8

~ Line Dancing. Mary Brauninger. Learn line dancing moves and get some mildly aerobic

exercise while having fun. Kirkwood OASIS 328. Tuesday, Oct 7-Nov 11, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Fee: $50; Sessions: 6

~ Spain in Southeast U.S. During the 16th Century.  Tom St. John.  These classes will shed light on along-neglected epoch in American history and give you a "clearer picture" of Spanish culture in our historical past. Kirkwood OASIS 313. Wednesday, Oct 1, 8, 15 & 22, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Fee: $48; Sessions: 4

~ Harry Truman: Much More than an Ordinary Man. The story of Missouri's most famous son includes his difficult early life, his bravery in war and his rise in the powerful Pendergast political machine. Truman proved himself to be a man of great integrity in the US Senate and then as president.  Kirkwood OASIS 316. Tuesday, Nov 11, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Fee: $13

For additional classes, more information, or to register, visit the OASIS Website at: http://www.oasisnet.org/Cities/Central/StLouisMO.aspx

Kirkwood Public Library is proud to announce two new technology services:  Grab-a-Geek and Mobile Print service. Our Grab-a-Geek program offers patrons a chance to schedule a free one-on-one training sessions with our friendly and knowledgeable IT staff.  Staff can assist with basic computer skills such as getting started with Windows 8, the internet, email, and more. Patrons can also use this time to get other computer assistance tailored to their needs and schedule.  Appointments and inquiries can be made by calling 314-821-5770, ext. 1020, or by filling out the  online form (click here).

Chief KPL Geek, Nick O'Neal, Kirkwood Public Library's Director of Circulation, Technology & Teen Services, gives a presentation to City Staff on September 24.

Our Mobile Print service allows users to send print jobs to the library from any Internet-accessible device.  Patrons can upload documents or URLs to our online printer portal; forward an email and attachment to kpl-public-bw@printspots.com for Black & White, or kpl-public-color@printspots.com for Color; or download the  PrinterOn App!  Print jobs are sent to the library where they will be available for 12 hours and can be picked up from a public service desk.

For more information on either of these services contact Kirkwood Public Library at (314) 821-5770, ext. 1020.