urbanSTL

roger wyoming II wrote:One thing the Feds can deliver and I suspect will deliver is transit. Look for Saint Louis Streetcar to get done. And I think we can bank on a TIGER grant(s).

My thoughts exactly, the Feds could definitely put the streetcar on the fast track. I wish the region and city had the foresight to get the Feds and City around a fully built out North-South Metrolink line (270 to 270), talk about a game changer.

Did anyone see the Nine Network's panel discussion on Northside last night? From today's twitters, it looks like Antonio French, Scott Ogilivie, Todd Swanstrom, Michael Allen, Natalie Self, Alex Ihnen, and Jessica Eiland were all part of the conversation. That's a heckavu panel.

And apparently McKee was a no-show?

What was the takeaway?

McKee to speak at the next Stl Construction Forum scheduled for March 18th. Not sure if he will have much to add as the agenda is 40 minute presentation. Construction Forum open to those who will register.

http://www.stlouiscnr.com/features/arti ... ctfor_stl/


Paul McKee, chairman, and Midge McKee, owner, of McEagle Properties , LLC developer of the NorthSide Regeneration project will present their plans for the largest urban project ever to come to St. Louis at the second event presented by the recently-formed Construction Forum STL. The McKees' presentation, scheduled for Tuesday, March 18th at the Missouri Botanical Garden

This project will be a much needed game changer. I can understand concerns about such a development on a massive scale. In particular, given the other projects such as Winghaven, which are very suburban in nature. We must hope this is done with community involvement and on an urban, walkable scale with mixed types of housing with mixed income.

I agree with pat, that getting the Feds involved in any such project is a bit offsetting, as we know the outcome when the government becomes too involved in these massive, top-down projects. Their track record is horrendous and in my view the better outcomes come from private development. There is a profit to be made by McKee, no doubt, but that's what works and produces results.

Again, I just hope the designs are decent! When will we see some kind of concrete plans and renderings? I have searched quite a bit and can't seem to find much.

I hope a lot of it looks like the North Sarah development! Throw in some of those town homes from Southwest Gardens, those new contemporary homes in Gaslight Square (I think that's where they are), and some of those new ones in Lafayette Square (except ALL brick), and I'll be happy. I hope UIC does a lot of the work.

In the interview, he mentioned hiring a Danish firm. That is promising! It would be great if they did some unique things with the development instead of just row after row of cheap looking houses, as a lot of the more modern developments in other parts of the city have turned out.

After watching the interview, it seems they have the right ideas and elements, i.e. neighborhood input, jobs, mixed income, and community feeling. I liked what McKee said pretty much right off the bat that to have a community, you need to be able to bump into your neighbors.

^ The big question is if McKee can land a major job generating tenant like he did with MasterCard for Winghaven. I hope he does, I think the idea of a signature office tower anchoring the west end of Gateway Mall as the focal point of a rebuilt 22nd interchange street is dead on for West Downtown and the immediate area.

^ I agree. Having a big name tenant there will be a big help. The redesign of the 22nd street interchange area is going to really sew things up on the East/West corridor. Now it seems the obstacles are out of the way, the lawsuits won and things are ready to go. I hope he is able to break ground this spring and get this thing rolling.

Have to love journalism, BizJournals article makes note that McKee's northside land assembly tax credit is renewed. However, the article notes that it passed the house which still leaves the state senate and Gov Nixon, I'm I correct or I'm missing something?

It also included additional tax credits that would certainly help CORTEX and downtown's tech scene as well as add an export cargo tax credit

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/morn ... hside.html

Senator Lamping is an idiot, the guy is moving to Kansas in June but he will do his best to ruin Missouri before he goes

Not much offered when McKee and his wife gave a speech to the St. Louis Construction forum a few weeks ago but an article on it none the less

http://www.stlouiscnr.com/features/arti ... de_puzzle/

With $300 million in TIF financing now in place, the project is ready to begin streetscape enhancements on Jefferson Ave. this summer and street cameras.

^I'd love to know who/what those companies are. 5,000 is a very large # of jobs for a single organization.

Secondly, I wonder what type of oversight he faces on the 259 home demos. That is a very concerning #, especially when you take into account that many if not most of those homes are in demo condition due to his lack of maintenance.

roger wyoming II wrote:Update on Northside Regeneration:
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... l?page=all

McKee said he has been courting two different companies to build on the site; One that would bring 5,000 jobs, and the other would bring 500.[/i]

I hope those 5500 jobs happen. Jobs solve pretty much everything. Other than being an older white man, I don't see another reason to dislike him (unless he builds something ugly). Much like our President, it appears McKee has a laser-beam like focus on jobs (this would be about 5500 more jobs on the North Side than the President's efforts unless you count seasonal campaign volunteers but that's beside the point).

Sure he let a few houses deteriorate. It's laughable that in a vast area that has seen tens of thousands of houses deteriorate over the course of 30 years people all of a sudden were up in arms about deteriorating houses.

If McKee succeeds in bringing economic opportunity to the North Side then they better start building a bust of him because there really should be some sort of monument to the guy somewhere, maybe on Page or N. Grand or King or Natural Bridge - I don't know, we'll let the local community decide.

^ My gut feeling and totally speculative guess is that he is courting Wells Fargo hard for a major back office relocation from the West Coast. First, they have a significant presence already in Wells Fargo Security. Second, San Fran business costs are high and continue to go up. Beyond their executive offices and global/local business they have no pressing need to have back office in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Third, airlines are ramping up service. I can't help but think some in the corporate world is telling them that they need more seats. Fourth, I believe St. Louis financial leaders have been actively pursuing other firms to relocate to St. Louis. Ron of Stifel Nichols and likes understand very well that more is the merrier when it comes to having top notch talent and resources available to pull from. Finally, he did have success in bringing MasterCard to the region.

The other fascinating part of the 5,000 employee comment is a relocation that size would involve incentives from Gov. Nixon on down. Remember how much they were willing to give Boeing over Christmas. I would imagine something would filter out in the near future if he is willing to go public with a comment like that.

I have heard a rumor that the 5,000 jobs are a federal government agency.

I assume the 5,000 job company would bookmark the end of the gateway mall and not be in the center of the northside regen- footprint.

Regarding the recycling center - does anyone know how much it costs to build one? I'm curious how big a $35M building would be.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure those mid-rise residential units near Union Station are the first or one of the first phases.

It says on their website that the whole NS Regeneration construction will be urban in design. Hopefully it will look like North Sarah's new stuff! Imagine that with retail and 5,000+ jobs!

stlhistory wrote:The McKees noted that North St. Louis has been blighted for 70 years, which is roughly accurate (it's been on a definite downward trend since the late 1940s). Can you all think of any other parts of American cities that have been blighted for this long?

Good question. Detroit and Flint didn't start their downward trend till a good decade later at least I believe.

Not sure if any rustbelt cities in Ohio, Pennsylvania or upstate NY might have blight that started back then depending upon what industries their economies were dependent on.

Even East St. Louis was a "model American city" or whatever distinction it earned as late as the late 1950s.

East St.Louis earned the distinction of All-American city. Not sure if they still even give out those awards anymore besides E.St.Louis isn't only a product of it's own corruption but utter state neglect and corruption.. From what i read Family Dollar will be closing 370 stores country wide and laying off mass's of people so forget about any more family dollars coming to the region .. As far as NS i applaud McKee for what he's doing sometimes i feel like I'm his secret big supporter when most people including the one's that filed the lawsuit against him didn't give a damn about N. St.Louis until this man started buying up property that the LRA wasn't even taking care of and most if not all these buildings were in horrible shape in the first place. The entire area is in need of a major makeover and this was and is the only person that was willing to step up and take a risk. So kudos to him and hope he's very successful...