Park Planning

Ropes going out the hatch at the top
Ropes and safety straps leading out of the hatch at the top of the Arch. This was part of the Industrial Rope Project that was looking into the stains on the Gateway Arch.

Sue Ford/NPS

 

Foundation Document

To effectively manage a national park unit and plan for its future, a basic understanding of a park's resources, values, and history is needed - a foundation for planning and management. These are called foundation documents. Foundation documents are at the core of each park's planning portfolio. Each foundation document aims to answer critical questions such as:

  • What is the purpose of this park?

  • Why was it included in the national park system?

  • What makes it significant?

  • What are its fundamental resources and values?

  • What legal and policy requirements, special mandates, and administrative commitments apply to this park?

  • What are the park's key planning and data needs?

Gateway Arch National Park's Foundation Document is linked here.

 

General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement 2009 (GMP/EIS)

The General Management Plan examines four alternatives for managing Gateway Arch National Park and also analyzes the impacts of implementing each of the alternatives. The General Management Plan and documents related to the creation of this plan are available at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Policy website.

Other Planning Documents

Old Courthouse

  • Historic Structure Report 2013 Special Issues, available on npshistory.com. The goal of this report is to better understand the significance of the design and construction history of the Old Courthouse, identify detectable deficiencies with various systems and explore and provide treatment recommendations for a number of contemporary issues.
  • Paint and Finish Analysis East Courtroom, available on npshistory.com.The stated goal for this project was to provide a comprehensive paint and finishes analysis for the historic painted surfaces of this courtroom, with the specific aim of identifying the paint or color scheme most closely associated with the period after 1903 as represented by available historic photo documentation
  • Historic Furnishings Report 2006, available on npshistory.com. This provides an extensive review of the building’s architecture, layout, and furnishings. Each room’s history, physical evidence, floor plans, and documentation and references are provided.
  • Historic Structure Report 1982, available on npshistory.com. The focus of this study was restricted to the physical features of the interior and grounds of the Old Courthouse. It includes building plans and a detailed description of building features and their histories.

Gateway Arch

  • Corrosion Investigation 2015, available on npshistory.com. The stainless steel exterior of the arch has shown some discoloration and streaking over the previous few decades, so the project team was engaged to conduct a phased corrosion study. They found that the exterior stainless steel of the Arch is in serviceable condition without significant structural distress or deterioration. The visual anomalies, including a variety of blemishes, deposits, and discoloration, are not causing significant corrosion or distress to the stainless steel at this time. In addition, many of these visual anomalies are from the original construction.
  • Historic Structure Report 2010, available on npshistory.com. The goal of this report is to develop planning information for use in the preservation of the Arch. The report includes the findings of research, investigation, analysis, and evaluation of the historic structure. It also includes notes, plans, and descriptions and results of various studies.

Gateway Arch Grounds

  • Emerald Ash Borer Strategy Environmental Assessment 2010, available on parkplanning.nps.gov. Due to the arrival of Emerald Ash Borer, the ash trees lining the walkways of Gateway Arch National Park needed to be removed. The environmental assessment was done to identify a proposed action and a no-action alternative for the replacement of these trees.
  • Cultural Landscape Report 1996 and 2010, both available on npshistory.com. Cultural Landscape Reports are intended to provide site managers with a comprehensive, detailed history of a designed landscape and its character-defining features, and recommendations for future planning decisions. The report was updated in 2010 to address changes in conditions and management issues.

 
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Video shot during the course of the corrosion investigation showing the 360 degree view from the top of the Gateway Arch

 

Future Projects

Gateway Arch National Park does not currently have any plans or projects that are open for comments, but you may wish to visit the the NPS planning website to weigh in on plans for other sites. This page will be updated when Gateway Arch National Park has plans open for comments.

Last updated: March 15, 2024

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Contact Info

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11 North 4th Street
St. Louis, MO 63102

Phone:

314 655-1600

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