St. Louis 2015...II

Day two found me in the Washington Avenue Entertainment District and Neighborhood. This was a pretty cool area which reminds me of Division Street in Chicago...lots of outdoor restaurants and stores overseen by a huge flag flying above. Up the street, I walked past the old Bee Hat Company Building, which is now Bee Hat Lofts. My next stop was the America's Center Convention Complex, which also encompasses the Edward Jones Dome. Stifel Financial Building's "Forces" statue of a battling bull and bear garnered lots of attention downtown. I saw a decked out Dodge RAM truck on the grounds of the dome while I was taking photos of the downtown skyline. While walking along the cobble-stone streets at Laclede's Landing, I came upon Vatterott College Extreme Institute by Nelly. This is the school Nelly showcased on his show, "Nellyville". If you have a passion for music and want to make your mark in the entertainment industry, Vatterott College Ex’treme Institute by Nelly is the place for you. Working in conjunction with acclaimed hip-hop artist Nelly, they have developed a series of degree and diploma programs designed to help aspiring professionals follow their dreams. Still in Laclede's Landing, I caught some Cargo trains passing under the Eads Bridge. This was the closest I could get to the Riverfront because of the heavy construction. And being the bridge freak that I am, I drove nearby to photograph the Martin Luther King Bridge and the newly opened Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge. Three other buildings downtown that caught my eye were the Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse, Peabody Energy and The General American Building. These buildings are true architectural gems. After a quick lunch at Imo's Pizza, I head back over to Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village where I get more skyline photos and other buildings. My last stop of the afternoon took me to the top of the Gateway Arch. It had been raining off and on all day, so I wasn't sure of the visibility once I got to the top. Once up top, the visibility was actually pretty good. I was able to get great photos of downtown and other select buildings. Part of the construction going on below under the Gateway Arch could be seen as well. And in looking below, you could see part of the new park, and the extension over the expressway. You can visualize how easy access will be getting to the Arch and the Riverfront. While walking back to the car, I take some final photos of the Arch, which I won't see again until its construction is complete.