I didn't realize how much the city and state are going to have to put into this NGA site.... $130 million to get a clear site for the NGA. If my maths are right, that is more than $40,000 per job! (I scratch my head on how Slay can just let 900 VA jobs go with just a shrug of the twiiterbird shoulders but the NGA is a matter of life and death.) Anyway, I wish something bold like that would be offered for downtown office, with One AT&T as a prime candidate, whether for NGA or whomever else would like to play ball.dredger wrote:The great McKee empire unraveling continues with latest from Post Dispatch. While it is very frustrating, I have to agree with this move by the city to protect its ability to provide NGA a site. The Feds are going to make a decision on a 1.6 billion dollar investment in the region that involves 3,000 jobs that could be easily be expanding as intelligence and mapping are not going away anytime soon. Maybe even puts the city in a position to go someone like McCormack Baron to utilize New Market Tax credits if all else fails.
Unfortunately for people on this blog and tea partiers alike, offering the ATT One center is not on their list no matter how hard anyone wishes it was. Offering ATT one center would make way too much sense, be great for the region, urban density and the re-use of space that has transit in place, a fiber network in place and a rebuilt & upgraded Ameren/electric gird in downtown Plus, for tea partiers it would save American taxpayers probably a billion dollars easily in this boondoggle of NGA plan.
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 0b47b.html
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^ some folks are saying that NGA would double its work force in the new building
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^ I hadn't heard quite a doubling but I think the figure of 5,000 has been thrown around, which itself would certainly change the cost/benefit calculus itself. Anyway, I find it odd that this significant price tag of $130 million hasn't been covered too much in the media... it may be worth it but this is a big deal and probably one of the biggest contributions from the State of Missouri for city jobs that I can ever recall. (And I'm still upset by the lack of fight for the VA jobs.... that mayoral tweet was a low point for me.)
Some comments out of McKee for what it is worth
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... -paul.html
McKee said he’s planning 235 new homes for an area bounded by St. Louis Place Park to the north, North 22nd Street to the west, Cass Avenue to the south and North Florissant Avenue to the east. McKee said he would meet with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust about the project July 9 in Washington, D.C. The homes, McKee said, would cost between $125,000 and $215,000, and about half would be occupied by renters. Alderwoman Tammika Hubbard said the LCRA is offering residents in the NGA site twice what their properties are worth, but some residents at the meeting questioned whether they could afford a $125,000 home even with that payout.
Development of the houses is dependent on about $9 million from the area’s TIF, a $975,000 grant from the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and $1.2 million in Missouri Housing Development Commission tax credits, McKee said.
McKee also said he’s planning a 20,000-square-foot food market for 13th Street and Cass Avenue. A gas station would be located across the street, McKee said. Seventy-two people would be employed at those two businesses, which could open by Easter, according to McKee.
McKee said an urgent care facility would be located at the southwest corner of the former Pruitt-Igoe site; construction could get underway in November. The Business Journal reported on the facility in February.
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... -paul.html
McKee said he’s planning 235 new homes for an area bounded by St. Louis Place Park to the north, North 22nd Street to the west, Cass Avenue to the south and North Florissant Avenue to the east. McKee said he would meet with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust about the project July 9 in Washington, D.C. The homes, McKee said, would cost between $125,000 and $215,000, and about half would be occupied by renters. Alderwoman Tammika Hubbard said the LCRA is offering residents in the NGA site twice what their properties are worth, but some residents at the meeting questioned whether they could afford a $125,000 home even with that payout.
Development of the houses is dependent on about $9 million from the area’s TIF, a $975,000 grant from the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District and $1.2 million in Missouri Housing Development Commission tax credits, McKee said.
McKee also said he’s planning a 20,000-square-foot food market for 13th Street and Cass Avenue. A gas station would be located across the street, McKee said. Seventy-two people would be employed at those two businesses, which could open by Easter, according to McKee.
McKee said an urgent care facility would be located at the southwest corner of the former Pruitt-Igoe site; construction could get underway in November. The Business Journal reported on the facility in February.
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^ Interesting. Who knows how much stock you can put into anything he says, but that housing plan sounds a lot more realistic on price points than he was tossing about earlier. Also, assuming there isn't mass demo, 235 homes would infill a considerable amount of the vacant land within that footprint.
If this and the NGA plan somehow do proceed that certainly would remake a decent chunk of the Northside Regeneration area. And South of Cass I'm really hoping McCormack Baron lands a Choice Neighborhood grant that can transform the O'Fallon Apartments area.
If this and the NGA plan somehow do proceed that certainly would remake a decent chunk of the Northside Regeneration area. And South of Cass I'm really hoping McCormack Baron lands a Choice Neighborhood grant that can transform the O'Fallon Apartments area.
^ Yeah, definitely looks like McKee is looking to piggy back on the anticipated choice neighborhood grant (which I'm sure is a slam dunk, considering they heavy federal involvement in the area) and dare I say.....N-S Streetcar (apparently those plans aren't finalized either and phase 1 could look a little different, like more N-S emphasis). One thing is for certain the choice neighborhood project has real potential to change the area, most of the cities that have won the grant have had great success and the focus is urban. Another upside, the massive TIF approved for the near Northside would likely allow McCormick Baron to do something very similar to North Sarah (which is urban regeneration done right), only on much larger and probably nicer scale.
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^ I wouldn't say getting a Neighborhood Choice grant is a slam dunk as they are extremely competitive, but we do have an advantage with the Promise Zone, etc. Here is a bit of background on what McCormack Baron is doing as the lead for an ambitious $400 million plan for Pittsburgh's East Liberty/Larimer neighborhood aided by a $30 million Neighborhood Choice grant:
http://www.post-gazette.com/business/de ... 1504080115
A new day is dawning in Larimer, with the city getting ready to plant the first seeds in a massive effort to revitalize the neighborhood with the help of a $30 million federal grant.
Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board members are poised to give the go-ahead Thursday for construction of 85 mixed-income residential units in Larimer and East Liberty, the first phase of a broader $400 million revitalization strategy...
They were made possible in part because of a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant awarded last year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Pittsburgh was only one of four cities in the country to win a grant. Forty-three had applied.
The money will be used as part of a strategy to replace 155 units of deteriorated federally subsidized housing over the next seven years with the construction of 334 units of mixed-income rental units scattered throughout Larimer and East Liberty...
The difference though I'd say with this footprint McCormack Baron is working on in Pittsburgh versus O'Fallon Apartments/Carr Square is that the former is more proximate to strong anchors in the rejuvenating East Liberty neighborhood like the Bakery Square mixed-use tech project and a well-designed urban Target and growing population.... somehow we need to not only improve O'Fallon Apartments/Carr Square but also build momentum in northern Downtown West and get a more cohesive connection between the two.
http://www.post-gazette.com/business/de ... 1504080115
A new day is dawning in Larimer, with the city getting ready to plant the first seeds in a massive effort to revitalize the neighborhood with the help of a $30 million federal grant.
Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board members are poised to give the go-ahead Thursday for construction of 85 mixed-income residential units in Larimer and East Liberty, the first phase of a broader $400 million revitalization strategy...
They were made possible in part because of a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant awarded last year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Pittsburgh was only one of four cities in the country to win a grant. Forty-three had applied.
The money will be used as part of a strategy to replace 155 units of deteriorated federally subsidized housing over the next seven years with the construction of 334 units of mixed-income rental units scattered throughout Larimer and East Liberty...
The difference though I'd say with this footprint McCormack Baron is working on in Pittsburgh versus O'Fallon Apartments/Carr Square is that the former is more proximate to strong anchors in the rejuvenating East Liberty neighborhood like the Bakery Square mixed-use tech project and a well-designed urban Target and growing population.... somehow we need to not only improve O'Fallon Apartments/Carr Square but also build momentum in northern Downtown West and get a more cohesive connection between the two.
^ I think we have a much better chance than most cities for various reasons. Correct East Liberty/Larimer is akin to having West End or Fountain Park right next door to the the FPSE, CWE, or Skinky D. Basically, a really distressed neighborhood right next to an upcoming neighborhood with a lot of infill going on. By the way my wife is from Garfield and she cant believe all the positive press that Pittsburgh gets in comparison to St. Louis. I've been to Pittsburgh more than a couple of times and was surprised how many of their neighborhoods are just as rundown as North St. Louis. I told her that I think the major difference is that St. Louis has a massive amount of violent crime and is much more like Baltimore, Detroit, or New Orleans on a street level. I know St. Louis is often compared to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, but St. Louis is really a major drug crosswords which leads to a lot violent crime by drug gangs.
One thing I will say that helps Pittsburgh and to an extent Cincinnati is that they are really hilly cities. So many of their commercial strips were built to be a lot more dense than St. Louis'. It gives many of their neighborhoods and almost island effect. The walking culture is also way more deliberate in Pittsburgh. It seems like Pittsburgh is deliberately trying to retain its urban identity. St. Louis for along time chased the suburban dream, strip malls, gas stations etc. I think that is changing, but you really see the benefit its had on Pittsburgh in comparison. I will say that St. Louis feels like it has a larger in more contiguous urban fabric than Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh has many denser nodes though. I think Pittsburgh is living up to it potential more, St. Louis could easily surpass it with half the effort, in my opinion.
One thing I will say that helps Pittsburgh and to an extent Cincinnati is that they are really hilly cities. So many of their commercial strips were built to be a lot more dense than St. Louis'. It gives many of their neighborhoods and almost island effect. The walking culture is also way more deliberate in Pittsburgh. It seems like Pittsburgh is deliberately trying to retain its urban identity. St. Louis for along time chased the suburban dream, strip malls, gas stations etc. I think that is changing, but you really see the benefit its had on Pittsburgh in comparison. I will say that St. Louis feels like it has a larger in more contiguous urban fabric than Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh has many denser nodes though. I think Pittsburgh is living up to it potential more, St. Louis could easily surpass it with half the effort, in my opinion.
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^ Agreed.... hopefully it won't come down to a coin flip between Baltimore and Saint Louis.
As for the potential streetcar system running through, I kind of envision the line being subsidized going up north while TDD funding more or less carries the weight in the Central Corridor (not sure why it would stop around Grand as I'd think CWE stakeholders very much would want to see it run through the area). Running South seems sort of mixed on TDD opportunity.
As for the potential streetcar system running through, I kind of envision the line being subsidized going up north while TDD funding more or less carries the weight in the Central Corridor (not sure why it would stop around Grand as I'd think CWE stakeholders very much would want to see it run through the area). Running South seems sort of mixed on TDD opportunity.
Very disappointed that we failed to land the one of this year's Neighborhood Choice grants.... we lost out to Kansas City, Atlanta. Milwaukee, Memphis and Sacramento. McCormack Baron Salazar was a partner on at least the Memphis project, if not others. There's always next year but the delay just plain sucks. (And a reminder that the Carr Square area targeted for this is within the NorthSide footprint but is a McCormach Baron initiative and not McKee.)
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What exactly are the plans for the 22nd Street Interchange? Maybe not plans from McKee but in general...
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Pretty fascinating article here about the 5th Ward Alderwoman opposing a Dollar Store despite strong community support:
North side residents fight for a Family Dollar
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/nor ... ily-dollar
Residents in the St. Louis Place and Old North neighborhoods rallied and gathered more than 200 signatures in support of the store. Several attended a conditional use permit hearing last week at City Hall....
Some attending the hearing wonder whether the alderwoman’s relationship with developer Paul McKee has led to her opposition for the store. Her brother, Rodney Hubbard, runs the nonprofit Carr Square Tenant Corporation, which owns a 2.5 percent stake in McKee’s Northside Regeneration.
While the North Florissant location is not within Northside Regeneration’s massive project area, it’s just blocks from a site at North 13th Street and North Tucker Boulevard where the developer has long talked of putting a food market.
North side residents fight for a Family Dollar
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/nor ... ily-dollar
Residents in the St. Louis Place and Old North neighborhoods rallied and gathered more than 200 signatures in support of the store. Several attended a conditional use permit hearing last week at City Hall....
Some attending the hearing wonder whether the alderwoman’s relationship with developer Paul McKee has led to her opposition for the store. Her brother, Rodney Hubbard, runs the nonprofit Carr Square Tenant Corporation, which owns a 2.5 percent stake in McKee’s Northside Regeneration.
While the North Florissant location is not within Northside Regeneration’s massive project area, it’s just blocks from a site at North 13th Street and North Tucker Boulevard where the developer has long talked of putting a food market.
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I mean, from an outside perspective this looks EXACTLY like favoritism by an Alderman/Alderwoman. Especially since her letter basically said "I don't like this. Thanks ahead of time for denying it." I would bet $2 that this is coming from McKee or her brother to benefit their financial interests.
And people are still mad at Megan Greene for claiming there's corruption with Aldermen/women. Amazing.
And people are still mad at Megan Greene for claiming there's corruption with Aldermen/women. Amazing.
Time for aldermen/alderwomen do the right thing and break it up TIF into separate areas and solicit competing proposals.
First and foremost, land the NGIA. Second, rebundle the 22nd street interchange/Union Station area to make it appealing for a MLS stadium group & or any interest from Wells Fargo/or expanded data center corridor. It should be a lot easier to get 22nd interchange rebuild and some street grid back if NGIA n city site is chosen and you got a solid MLS stadium & team ownership group together to kick start. Third, give Clayco a shot at an expanded bottle works area to include the new N. Tucker approach which will come together with a solid CVC convention updgrade plan.
The remaining areas can be smaller housing and commercial blocks that McKee can compete against other developers. In other words, seek out the parties, stakeholders and developers who have specific interest in specific areas and the means to make something happen.
First and foremost, land the NGIA. Second, rebundle the 22nd street interchange/Union Station area to make it appealing for a MLS stadium group & or any interest from Wells Fargo/or expanded data center corridor. It should be a lot easier to get 22nd interchange rebuild and some street grid back if NGIA n city site is chosen and you got a solid MLS stadium & team ownership group together to kick start. Third, give Clayco a shot at an expanded bottle works area to include the new N. Tucker approach which will come together with a solid CVC convention updgrade plan.
The remaining areas can be smaller housing and commercial blocks that McKee can compete against other developers. In other words, seek out the parties, stakeholders and developers who have specific interest in specific areas and the means to make something happen.
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^^ I saw some of Ald. Hubbard's tweets in response to the story... basically that they demean residents by charging high prices and putting merch behind lock and key and that the neighborhood needs a Target and not another Dollar Store. Not very convincing, imo, and it's not Dollar Store's fault McKee hasn't been able to do anything for the neighborhood to date. From the outside, it looks like the proposal would be a step up from what is there and her opposition just doesn't look very good.
She also got into a defensive mode on twitter with one of her constituents, who runs the Venture Cafe and Cortex.
She also got into a defensive mode on twitter with one of her constituents, who runs the Venture Cafe and Cortex.
I have not talked to a single neighbor that is opposed to the Family Dollar. Design and planning wise it could be a little better, but they will bring desperately needed services. Family Dollar doesn't have anything locked up. That's actually Walgreens. Target (or a full service grocery) and Family Dollar are not mutually exclusive, and holding out for a Target right now over Family Dollar or anything else shows a complete lack of understanding of how retail development works and what sites are available nearby that could accommodate big box retail. That's as much as I will say. Anyone else is free to draw their own conclusions on why the Alderwoman is opposed.
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(Per BizJournal sub article) it looks like we can expect an announcement tomorrow revealing more deets on McKee's plans to build a gas station and food mart at 13th and Cass. Apparently asking for $2M in subsidy. The food mart sounds good (and surely the reason for the Alderpeep's dubious opposition to the Family Dollar license discussed above. which fortunately I believe was granted by the city) but a gas station? There already is a Mobil at the corner. C'mon!
Here is BizJournal earlier coverage of some of McKee's plans from last July that included this project:
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... -paul.html
McKee also said he’s planning a 20,000-square-foot food market for 13th Street and Cass Avenue. A gas station would be located across the street, McKee said. Seventy-two people would be employed at those two businesses, which could open by Easter, according to McKee.
Here is BizJournal earlier coverage of some of McKee's plans from last July that included this project:
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news ... -paul.html
McKee also said he’s planning a 20,000-square-foot food market for 13th Street and Cass Avenue. A gas station would be located across the street, McKee said. Seventy-two people would be employed at those two businesses, which could open by Easter, according to McKee.
^ I think this is a bridge landing proposal. I bet QT will make a lot of money off people coming over from Illinois for work or gassing up before they go home on I-70.
What worries me the most is that St. Louis has a lack of proactive planning and seems to support development no matter what form it comes in. I would hate for the near northside to become a graveyard for old gas stations and drive thru restaurant in 20 years, because we didn't have a real vision for this area.
On the bright side, I know that the choice neighborhood grant is still in full effect for this area. Which means we will likely see something similar to North Sarah develop just north of downtown (which wouldn't be a bad thing), but the areas North of Cass are pretty much anyone's guess at this point.
What worries me the most is that St. Louis has a lack of proactive planning and seems to support development no matter what form it comes in. I would hate for the near northside to become a graveyard for old gas stations and drive thru restaurant in 20 years, because we didn't have a real vision for this area.
On the bright side, I know that the choice neighborhood grant is still in full effect for this area. Which means we will likely see something similar to North Sarah develop just north of downtown (which wouldn't be a bad thing), but the areas North of Cass are pretty much anyone's guess at this point.
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^ It'll be so Saint Louis if we subsidize a gas station that'll put another one across the street out of biz. For north of Cass, I can see landing NGA helping get McKee's plans for housing off the ground; as the article I linked to above mentions he has/had in mind "235 new homes for an area bounded by St. Louis Place Park to the north, North 22nd Street to the west, Cass Avenue to the south and North Florissant Avenue to the east... The homes, McKee said, would cost between $125,000 and $215,000, and about half would be occupied by renters." That sounds more reasonable than the 400K homes he was dreaming of back in his glory days... if this does move forward hopefully he partners with McCormack Baron, which actually knows what it's doing.
Also, unrelated to McKee, presby notes the city looks like it is planning to set up its homeless shelter on Tucker and Biddle at what I believe is a forestry building... I really don't know where the best place is for a shelter but I'm concerned about bringing even further concentrated poverty to that area.
Also, unrelated to McKee, presby notes the city looks like it is planning to set up its homeless shelter on Tucker and Biddle at what I believe is a forestry building... I really don't know where the best place is for a shelter but I'm concerned about bringing even further concentrated poverty to that area.
Tough to get excited about anything that comes out of McKee these days but looking forward to NGIA picking North St. Louis site. Now only if city could wrestle some more area back from McKee if indeed NGIA does stay in the city. It would be nice to hand it over to developers who are actually get something built.
^I agree. Once NGA is decided they should take legal action against McKee and force his hand.
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So a gas station and a food market? Sounds like a typical QT to me. Just what this area needs... an auto centric, cheaply built gas station!
Update on McKee's latest as well as some more background on the proposed urgent care or what is being called hospital
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 2d3a0.html
Developer Paul McKee says he has more developments lined up for his long-awaited NorthSide Regeneration Project.
On Wednesday afternoon, McKee, alongside Mayor Francis Slay, will announce two more projects for the area: a fresh food market and a gasoline station.
The market will be run by Good Natured Family Farms, which provides fresh food from small family farms around the Kansas City area, said Jim Gradl, spokesman for McKee.
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 2d3a0.html
Developer Paul McKee says he has more developments lined up for his long-awaited NorthSide Regeneration Project.
On Wednesday afternoon, McKee, alongside Mayor Francis Slay, will announce two more projects for the area: a fresh food market and a gasoline station.
The market will be run by Good Natured Family Farms, which provides fresh food from small family farms around the Kansas City area, said Jim Gradl, spokesman for McKee.
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Contrary to yesterday's reporting, it looks like this will be more in that bend area at 13th & Tucker. Makes more sense I think than Cass.
Edit: The $20 million project is being financed by Iowa-based Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, with backing from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is getting some $5 million in New Markets Tax Credits from the city of St. Louis, said Paul McKee, NorthSide’s leader. The project also is contingent on $2 million in tax increment financing that must be approved by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/morn ... ml?ana=twt
