urbanSTL

The end of that garage that was supposed to connect to the auditorium looks horrible as it was never designed to be seen, I wonder what the plan is.


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Maybe years of sitting unfinished until Clayton coerces then into “beautifying” it, as they did with the big concrete edifice on the western edge of the Centene campus.

The Mayor wrote: I'm still very flummoxed by this.  Why hasn't there been any news coverage of the changing plans?  You would have thought the BJ would have had at least a blurb.  Maybe things are on hold during the WellCare acquisition?

I am a little confused also. Why are all these things getting cut? Or are they just getting delayed or what exactly? Are they putting anything between the new building and the parking garage where the hole is still? or is that not happening also. 

Clayton Lake won't go away without a fight, is seems. 

jshank83 wrote:

The Mayor wrote: I'm still very flummoxed by this.  Why hasn't there been any news coverage of the changing plans?  You would have thought the BJ would have had at least a blurb.  Maybe things are on hold during the WellCare acquisition?

I am a little confused also. Why are all these things getting cut? Or are they just getting delayed or what exactly? Are they putting anything between the new building and the parking garage where the hole is still? or is that not happening also. 

Confusion is a good word as you literally got Forsyth and Kummer developments in the works that suggest the demand is there for more Clayton CBD square footage.   So take away the performing arts, auditorium part and seems like the rest of the phase development would continue to progress.   Maybe I'm missing some there as well as it relates to demand.   

As far as BJ reporting, I'm assuming Centene at this time isn't willing to quote or comment on the record and therefore it is tough for the biz journal to put out an article without a legitimate quote or source to work off.  Otherwise they might as well give me a shout or quote me for the less than two cents its worth.   But it would sure be nice if Centene would give an update.  

After reviewing the docs. No PAC = No $75 million in incentives.

A few theories:
1. Centene is having trouble recruiting here and is moving offices elsewhere.
2. Monies are needed for WellCare deal, this postponing.
3. After WellCare deal, Centene needs this space for more office.

Sorry to nitpick but they didn't buy it.  They are leasing it.

moorlander wrote:

wabash wrote:Maybe years of sitting unfinished until Clayton coerces then into “beautifying” it, as they did with the big concrete edifice on the western edge of the Centene campus.

Centene pulled the plug on that too.

Didn't realize that. Sorry to hear it. 

So is all that is being scrapped the performing arts center? Just trying to nail down exactly what is and isn't being built. What is going between the parking garage and new building? I couldn't find a updated site plan (it has changed multiple times and I can only find the really old ones)

jshank83 wrote:So is all that is being scrapped the performing arts center? Just trying to nail down exactly what is and isn't being built. What is going between the parking garage and new building? I couldn't find a updated site plan (it has changed multiple times and I can only find the really old ones)

The residential building and the PAC are out. The area between the building and the garage will be another garage. Apparently Centene will be “beautifying” some of these blank walls eventually but what was proposed earlier this year, https://nextstl.com/2019/01/new-mural-p ... za-garage/ , went back to the drawing board.

moorlander wrote:

jshank83 wrote:So is all that is being scrapped the performing arts center? Just trying to nail down exactly what is and isn't being built. What is going between the parking garage and new building? I couldn't find a updated site plan (it has changed multiple times and I can only find the really old ones)

The residential building and the PAC are out.  The area between the building and the garage will be another garage.   Apparently Centene will be “beautifying” some of these blank walls eventually but what was proposed earlier this year, https://nextstl.com/2019/01/new-mural-p ... za-garage/ , went back to the drawing board.

I guess i didn't realize it was a sea of garages going in there. Fun

I don't even want to think of the worst-case-scenario of them maybe moving their HQ out of STL?

I'm hoping the WellCare operation is halved in Tampa, with a bunch of it coming to St. Louis/Clayton. 

Moving HQ from the region would be extremely unlikely. They've had numerous occasions to do so and clearly have a preference for the region. Most recently before they started construction on the new HQ building. Things change all the time, but IMO that's the far, far, far least likely scenario at this point.

A pure guess would be that the WellCare acquisition and subsequent (almost) doubling of the company, some planning is likely occurring as to where this company will be sitting 10 years down the road. There is plenty of room to build in the StL metro and in downtown Clayton for that matter, but I imagine they would want to re-evaluate and optimize their existing real estate while they can.

framer wrote: I don't even want to think of the worst-case-scenario of them maybe moving their HQ out of STL?

No way they spend half a billion dollars to leave. A large number of board members half deep stl roots.

Screen grab from Clayco's construction cam directory:

Sadly, the garages are looking much worse than even the renderings portrayed.

Agreed. There's a serious need for something substantial on the South end of this area. I have a hard time thinking Centene wont use the land as they already own it and are expanding exponentially. Hope that ends up being the case. If not, this will still be a win overall, but just barely IMO.