Wow... Development projects like this are exactly why TIF exists. Godspeed and good luck.

It's interesting comparing and contrasting the early 90's FPSE/the Grove to today's Fountain Park. Both have proximate geographies to the central corridor and have major arterial roads with empty legacy retail storefronts ready to develop and a couple large buildings keeping activity going (noting that pre-development Manchester held a lot more retained storefronts). Now, FPSE had the significant advantage of proximity to significant institutions that helped stabilize its borders and later invest in the area, including the BJC complex, the Botanical Gardens, and SLU High & the Kings Oak neighborhood. It was still quite a few years before this was followed by Cortex coming into being. Meanwhile, Fountain Park just has Ranken Technical College as its big institution, definitely a comparative disadvantage. However, it also has the price stability of the CWE, including the giant mansions near Portland Place. Another advantage it would have is the building stock within Fountain Park, which includes some real treasures in relative states of decay. If the Hodiamont Trail does come into being in the near term, furthering non-resident pedestrian traffic in the area, it could definitely help the area's viability. Has to be said out loud that both areas have comparable levels of street crime, although the game is definitely more fierce these days in Fountain Park. My personal confidence in this area's potential and viability is tied directly to the new economic development groups in the area which can act like smaller institutions, including the Elevation co-working space & the planned business training center, as well as continued growth for LaunchCode and the MADE maker space a couple blocks west (and Delmar Divine being built a mile or so west). If there's not one already, then someone should create a Fountain Park Opportunity Zone private investment fund and sell the hell out of it to every wealthy mansion owner in the CWE.