Ferguson launches Plaza at 501 with Friday concert

At the epicenter of revitalization efforts in downtown Ferguson, the Plaza at 501 is a new community gathering space and live music venue.

In 2005, when members of Ferguson’s downtown business district took my humble advice and adopted the name Ferguson Citywalk, the idea was to promote walkability and a greater sense of vibrancy along Florissant Road. Rather than just serving as a drive-by locale on a busy thoroughfare, Citywalk, it was hoped, could become a prime destination for dining, arts and entertainment…a place where people could enjoy a nice meal, maybe hear some live music or attend a festival, and essentially get out of their cars and discover all the beauty and charm of Ferguson close up.

Not surprisingly, this idea had its naysayers. “Where is there to walk to?” some folks asked. But little by little, as great new businesses have popped up in the district, especially on the southern end, the notion of taking a stroll (or riding your bike) along Florissant Road has actually become much more appealing.

Until recently, the heart of downtown Ferguson was Victorian Plaza, the parking lot that generally only springs to life during the Farmers Market and occasional special events. But today, it’s definitely the booming intersection at Suburban/Paul and S. Florissant, where you’ll find Marley’s Bar & Grill, Hill Brewing Company, Cork Wine Bar, Free Range Cookies and the Streetcar Lofts, all within easy walking distance of one another.

The true spirit of Citywalk really shines on this hot corner, and it’s about to shine even brighter this Friday. That’s when the Plaza at 501, a new outdoor gathering spot at the southwest edge of the intersection, will officially host its first concert!

To make way for the new Plaza at 501, crews demolished the former Turner's custard stand and removed two large billboards.

As some may remember, 501 S. Florissant was once the site of Turner’s Custard and before that Montrey Park. But in recent years, the property had become a magnet for fly-by-night businesses and, quite frankly, an eyesore. When Ferguson officials had a chance to acquire it in 2006, they jumped at the chance, and what followed was an intensive design process intended to make the most of this prime (albeit flood-prone) location next to Maline Creek.

For a while, city leaders considered relocating the Farmers Market to 501, but ultimately they tapped the talented Austin Tao to create a versatile, multi-use park that could serve as an event venue, a resting spot between the Ted Jones Bike Trail and the soon-to-be-built Maline Creek Greenway, and a pleasant place for residents and local day workers to enjoy a nice picnic.

With financial help from Emerson, Great Rivers Greenway and the downtown district’s TIF fund, work on the 1.58-acre Plaza at 501 got underway in 2008 and is actually still wrapping up to this day. But most of the major construction is complete, and the park – which is much larger than it appears from the street – is ready to host not only this Friday’s concert but also a new concert every second Friday through October! You can peruse the full lineup of the 2010 Citywalk Concert Series here.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Plaza was built with many “green features: rain barrels, rain gardens, bio-retention cells, and the largest pervious concrete installation in the St. Louis area!

I know I’m not the only one in Ferguson who is super excited to see this once pie-in-the-sky vision finally come to life, so if you’d like to join me in celebrating, show up this Friday with your lawn chair and a glass-free cooler, ready to buy fresh-cooked food from the North County Chamber of Commerce! Or better yet, grab some dinner and drinks at a local restaurant and walk down to 501!

Set to perform is Fanfare with Kittie Moller. The concert is free and runs from 7-9pm at 501 S. Florissant, 63135. On May 15, the Plaza at 501 will also host Live Well Ferguson’s Twilight 5K, for which NOCO is a proud sponsor!

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