mark.gifLessons Learned
When the Gateway Council left UMSL one year ago, I thought, "What am I going to tell donors?" We moved the linens, biking program equipment, office computers, and phones. Every morning as I went to The Office-in-Exile, I would read the vision sign on the wall: "to open a world-class hostel in St. Louis." In attempting to acquire our next hostel, we will add partnership and politics to our efforts.

Real Progress
We looked at a number of sites in St. Louis County. Real estate there is too expensive! We went back to our original thinking for a hostel near Metro Link in St. Louis City. Old North St. Louis Restoration Group (ONSLRG) invited us to look at their neighborhood and The Mullanphy Emigrant Home (MEH). They presented letters of support from various City agencies and politicians to our Board at our January retreat. Some of us attended a February session on redevelopment in their neighborhood. Our Hostel Working Group did a period of due diligence. We relocated the office in July to 2810 N. 14th Street, St. Louis, 63107, across from Crown Candy Kitchen and next door to ONSLRG. We are in the final stages of presenting a letter of intent to ONSLRG.

mullanphy_orig.jpgWhy ONSLRG and the Mullanphy Emigrant Building?
Bryan Mullanphy was a philanthropist, lawyer, and bachelor mayor of St. Louis who assisted immigrants coming through St. Louis. Mullanphy's passion for helping travelers go west still lives on in the Travelers' Aid Society. Money from his will built The MEH in 1867. ONSLRG became involved with saving The MEH when wind storms knocked down walls in April, 2006, and March, 2007. Mullanphy Emigrant Home, LLC (www.savemullanphy.org) chartered by ONSLRG is committed to raising $350,000 to stabilize the Italianate structure. The mission of HI-Gateway Council, "to help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling," is a wonderful fit with the legacy of Bryan Mullanphy and The MEH.

ONSLRG has a proven track record for 27 years of revitalizing Old North St. Louis. New and market-rate housing, a weekly Farmers' Market, and numerous urban gardens are just some examples. Crown Square Redevelopment, a $35 million reinvention of the old 14th Street Mall, promises occupancy next year. As owners of The MEH, ONSLRG is passionate about its adaptive reuse as a youth hostel.

The MEH is a prime location for a hostel. It sits 1.2 miles north of the Transportation Hub for Metro Link buses and light rail, Amtrak, and Greyhound at 14th and Spruce. The Riverfront Bike Trail, the Trestle Bike Trail, and several other bicycle trails criss-cross the neighborhood. There are two convenience stores and several fast food restaurants nearby. The projected path for Metro Link north from downtown is along North Florissant which runs in front of The MEH.

Next Steps
Next steps include fleshing out the Letter of Intent with ONSLRG to define sole ownership, co-development, or leasing The MEH. The hostel development path is clear and includes financial feasibility study, fundraising, pro-forma, legal acquisition, business plan, permits and license. YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! You may choose to support the stabilization of The MEH (www.savemullanphy.org) or acquisition of The MEH (www.moonlightramble.com) by donating cash, stocks, or a bequest in your will. Thousands of bicyclists saw The MEH on the August 16th Moonlight Ramble® ride into Old North St. Louis. Drive by 14th and Mullanphy to see this historic building. Better yet, come by the office at 2810 N. 14th Street, St. Louis, MO, 63107, to see the architectural plans drawn up for conversion of The MEH into an 86 bed youth hostel. Above all, stay passionate, like I am, about hostelling and its future as we go into 2009, the 75th anniversary of HI-USA and the 100th anniversary of Hostelling International!