Carondelet Coke Site

midcoaststl · PostJul 28, 2005#12005-07-28T15:31+00:00

From Martin V's section of the PD

THIS COKE'S FOR WHO?: With a new casino about to be built next door, interest in the site of the former Carondelet Coke plant at the southern tip of St. Louis is suddenly surging.

The city awarded Clark Properties the rights to redevelop the property more than two years ago, but the company never signed an agreement. The city plans to rescind the rights next month and throw the 40 acres back on the block for bidding by developers. It is one of the largest city-owned parcels left.

"There is a sense of urgency to keep things moving," says Rodney Crim, executive director of the St. Louis Development Corp. "There has been so much development momentum in the city that people are asking what else is available."

The plant, on the Mississippi River just north of the River Des Peres, used to produce coke, a coal product often used in making steel. It has been idle since the mid-1980s.

Clark Properties President Mike Clark did not return calls seeking comment.

Many question marks surround the property. A conclusive environmental assessment has never been done.

[/b]

thewayofthearch · PostJul 28, 2005#22005-07-28T16:17+00:00

MidcoastSTL wrote:From Martin V's section of the PD

The plant, on the Mississippi River just north of the River Des Peres...

This could be prime for a plaza/hanley station, riverfront community, perhaps with some mid-high rise views of the river, etc...There are so few placs to live on the river...wow.

probably be a suburban style office parkthough...

urbanstlouis · PostJul 28, 2005#32005-07-28T18:52+00:00

There was also a small mention of this in the South Side Journal. The article was about the new access road to the casino in Lemay and how the road will improve access to the southern part of Carondelet. Pinnacle will pay the expected $20 million construction costs necessary to build the road and the county will maintain it. The road will basically be an extension of Carondelet Blvd. and is expected to heighten interest in the Coke property.

debaliviere · PostJul 28, 2005#42005-07-28T22:36+00:00

Where exactly is this plant? Off Broadway?

southslider · PostJul 29, 2005#52005-07-29T13:30+00:00

It's at the far southern tip of the City, where River Des Peres meets the Mississippi.

Look up St. Louis, MO 63111 on <A HREF="http://maps.google.com/">maps.google.com</A>, and you can clearly see this large abandonned industrial site on their satellite maps.

The site is also immediately north of the old National Lead site just inside St. Louis County, where the Pinnacle casino development is planned.

canoeboy · PostOct 21, 2005#62005-10-21T14:11+00:00

I hope they do not develop this area for some time. This is a little wildlife oasis in an urban jungle.

I have heard there are deer in that area. Yes, DEER. Deer in the City of St. Louis. Has anyone seen them?

http://riverdesperes.com/foundry/index01.html

CB

southcitygent · PostOct 21, 2005#72005-10-21T16:28+00:00

A couple of years ago a deer crashed through the front window of the grocery store at Grand and Iron

suburban lou · PostNov 28, 2005#82005-11-28T06:09+00:00

City seeking bidders for Carondelet Coke 40 acres

Lisa R. Brown

The city of St. Louis is seeking proposals to redevelop the largest single piece of dormant property it owns -- the 40-acre Carondelet Coke site in south St. Louis. At least one developer, Clark Properties, is looking at the site for an undetermined use.

The city's Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the property, at 416 E. Catalan St., with a Jan. 5 deadline. The property borders the Mississippi River where it meets the River Des Peres.

The city has owned the property since 1992. The St. Louis Development Corp. (SLDC), the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have spent the past 13 years readying it for development. The site is eligible for real estate tax abatement, brownfield tax credits, tax increment financing and transportation development district funds.

Read More

PostDec 22, 2005#92005-12-22T01:35+00:00

City seeks developer for abandoned Carondelet Coke site

Jim Merkel

Of the Suburban Journals

South County Journal

12/21/2005

For sale: 40.1 acres of industrial land at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the River Des Peres. Price: At least $875,000. Some cleanup needed.

The city has posted a want ad sort of like that on its web site, asking for proposals for the former Carondelet Coke site at 416 E. Catalan St. in the Carondelet neighborhood.

The abandoned coal gasification coke site was used by industry as long ago as 1870. It was last used by the Carondelet Coke Corp. from 1980 to 1988, when the marketplace for coke products dried up and the company couldn't meet air emissions standards.

The city's Land Reutilization Authority acquired the property in 1992. It is the largest piece of unused city property in St. Louis.

Now the city is trying to put it back in use.

"We have attempted to seek developers on at least two previous occasions," said Otis Williams, deputy director for real estate of the St. Louis Development Corp.

The last time, the city selected Clark Properties, but the real estate development company was unable to find a company to build on the site.

For developers, there are a lot of advantages to the site, Williams said.

Read More

smsplanstu · PostDec 22, 2005#102005-12-22T03:09+00:00

Sam's Club and a Wal-mart anyone?

Large auto-dominated or car sappy big box development is the boring and less profitable choice.

Forty acres could be transformed into a new multi-unit mixed housing development with a planned future Metrolink station. It's northern border I think is Bellerive Park, but the Coke plant sits down hill probably on a flood plain. How about a New Urbanist town like New Town St. Charles. I know New Urbanism is another kind of sprawl but it attracts families and offers a solid middle to upper middle class socioeconomic level neighborhood with its own school that would likewise offer a similar education level that meets the money level. Literally, one's socioeconomic status actually affects their edicational economic opportunities since education is an economic good.

MattnSTL · PostDec 22, 2005#112005-12-22T03:18+00:00

I have a feeling the contamination there is so bad that residential use would require a massive cleanup, much more than industrial or commercial uses would require. I don't think residential use is feasible, but I wouldn't mind being wrong.

My grandpa worked at the plant as the head chemist near the end of it's operations, and he has written a short documentary of the site, and he has video of one of the stacks being brought down, and some other stuff at the site. I'll have to talk to him Saturday and try to get some info about contamination levels. I know he has talked about some pretty serious stuff being in the ground from other chemicals produced as byproducts and for other uses.

ecoabsence · PostDec 29, 2005#122005-12-29T21:25+00:00

I would love to talk to your grandfather, so I can expand and revise my site on Carondelet Coke:

http://www.eco-absence.org/stl/car/

If there's any chance he would share information with me, please e-mail me or send a private message.

MattnSTL · PostDec 29, 2005#132005-12-29T21:35+00:00

^I'll see what he says. I actually didn't even think to ask him anything on Saturday.

doug · PostJan 12, 2006#142006-01-12T20:25+00:00

Have a line coke and smile. -Bill Cosby

Deer in St. Louis, well thank jesus we git right to bear arms! Lets git down ther and xterminate those animals! Deer got not belong in da Louie, jeezus, git-r-done, and be sure to git da pick'er'up truck.

publiceye · PostJun 30, 2006#152006-06-30T13:21+00:00

MayorSlay.com: Developer selected.

debaliviere · PostJun 30, 2006#162006-06-30T16:14+00:00

Great news! Let's keep those tax dollars rolling in.

framer · PostJul 02, 2006#172006-07-02T05:03+00:00

Sounds like a good use for the site. The city really needs to work harder to assemble sizable plots of ground for light-industry. We've got to bring more jobs into the city.

rustedhinge · PostJul 02, 2006#182006-07-02T18:20+00:00

Yes, it is great news. I'd like to know what y'all think about the proposal of light industrial buildings being so close to the new casino.

I am glad that the city will get more jobs as a result of this BUT I really believe the development should play off of the new casino. Retail, some entertainment, a little housing, a cool little golf course! I would just hate to see more concrete tilt-up buildings around there. With light industrial business - you WILL see concrete tilt-up buildings. That part of town is losing it's Neighborhood feel. A proposal with direct connection and views to the river could be something spectacular!!! How many places in Stl City have public access to the river? Not many.

Also, on a lighter note, what will happen to the little stone historic building on Marceau St. at (Water st.?). I hope the developer doesn't demolish it! I think it may be on the property or very close to it.

All in all, I hope it turns out well

jcity · PostJul 04, 2006#192006-07-04T00:33+00:00

any other areas the LCRA owns in the city? Where else might be good sites for industrial redevelopment?

drunkrusski · PostSep 07, 2009#202009-09-07T02:10+00:00

I saw an article for this in stltoday the other day. Haven't seen this mentioned anywhere. Small news but still good to hear...

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/buildi ... -coke-site

citysoul · PostSep 07, 2009#212009-09-07T04:22+00:00

Funny thing...when I first read the subject line of this thread, I thought it was going to be about some drug bust in the Carondelet neighborhood!

Anyhoo, I think it's great that this unused piece of land may be given a new purpose. And I hope residents of The Patch are in favor of the plan.

southcitygent · PostSep 08, 2009#222009-09-08T18:46+00:00

I would rather see this piece of valuable riverfront real-estate turned into a park and promote industrial and office use further inland. What I wouldn't give for the city to launch a long range plan to turn the South Broadway riverfront into a park from the River Des Peres to Bellerive. Clear all industrial use from Broadway to the river, perhaps using Federal Flood buyout money if available.

matt drops the h · PostSep 08, 2009#232009-09-08T19:33+00:00

^ I am a bit concerned too.

Does the city need another industrial park? Is there a way to be urbanize such developments? For example, what about encouraging infill along South Broadway in the business district?

I'm happy to see the site cleaned up, but I agree that recreational use would be better than an industrial park if its effect is to keep S. Broadway littered with vacant lots.

I have heard that the activity from the business park will likely cause a boom along S. Broadway, but I am skeptical.

citysoul · PostSep 09, 2009#242009-09-09T00:36+00:00

South Bdwy is certainly in need of a boom. Or some sort of miracle.

A couple days ago, I was just thinking about how other formerly-depressed business districts in the city--ones which seemed quite hopeless at one time-- have bounced back (Grove, MoFo, Cherokee, even Wash Ave.) Yet, SBdwy has not. At one time, it was a thriving business strip. Today, it's mostly empty. If this new development is what it will take to bring South Bdwy back, then hey, who stands to lose?

framer · PostSep 09, 2009#252009-09-09T04:47+00:00

Parks along the river would be nice, but the city needs industrial development too.

Tough call.