LCRA to Consider Adopting Community-Led Redevelopment Plan to Address Blighting in North St. Louis Neighborhoods

On November 1, a community-led Redevelopment Plan for approximately 820 acres in portions of the Carr Square, JeffVanderLou and St. Louis Place Neighborhoods will be presented to the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the City of St. Louis (LCRA) — a development board staffed by the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC).

Earlier this year, LCRA performed a Blighting Study to assess the area near the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Next NGA West campus consisting of vacant lots, occupied and unoccupied residential, institutional and commercial buildings. A Blighting Study provides a factual assessment of vacant and unoccupied parcels, providing the foundation for removing of the defined blight with a Redevelopment Plan. Because a Redevelopment Plan did not accompany the Blighting Study — and in response to the community’s desire to lead the Redevelopment Plan — legislation was held at the Board of Aldermen.

A blighted area is an area which, by reason of the predominance of insanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site improvements or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, retards the provision of housing accommodations or constitutes an economic or social liability or a menace to the public health, safety or welfare in its present condition and use.

The community expressed its desire to participate in and influence the creation of the Redevelopment Plan. So in partnership with the area’s Alderman Rasheen Aldridge, Alderwoman Laura Keys and the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s Neighborhood Advocacy program, SLDC is actively collaborating with community to garner support from the impacted neighborhoods, ensuring the Redevelopment Plan reflects their voice and vision for the future and leverages available tools to activate development.

A Redevelopment Plan is a plan other than a preliminary or tentative plan for the acquisition, clearance, reconstruction, rehabilitation, renewal or future use of a land clearance project area.

The Redevelopment Plan includes Eminent Domain powers and clearly defines how it will be used. In this case, Eminent Domain DOES NOT apply to occupied buildings or residential homes. LCRA has the right to acquire by the exercise of the power of Eminent Domain any real property which it may deem necessary for a land clearance project after the adoption by it of a resolution declaring that the acquisition of the real property described therein is necessary for such purposes. 

While residents and property owners cannot leverage Eminent Domain, they may utilize Tax Abatement for property improvements. The Redevelopment Plan recommends Tax Abatement for current residents of occupied homes, which can help offset the cost of minor repairs.

“SLDC is following the community’s lead on the design and structure of the Redevelopment Plan that will be coupled with the Blighting Study held at the Board of Aldermen earlier this year,” said SLDC’s SVP, Strategic Growth, Lance Knuckles. “We understand there is some trauma for residents in this area around blighting and eminent domain. We hope that by partnering with them to co-create redevelopment opportunities, we can demonstrate our commitment to putting people first and leveraging data to inform development decisions with community input and involvement.”

If LCRA approves the Redevelopment Plan, it will progress — along with the Blighting Study — to the Board of Aldermen for consideration and adoption. To ensure continued alignment with the community’s vision, the Redevelopment Plan will be incorporated into the Project Connect Neighborhood Plans, and may be further amended based on the final Neighborhood Plans.

Additionally, once these plans are adopted, LCRA will seek to designate a developer(s) to activate the Neighborhoods’ vision. A development partner will be procured in partnership with community by co-creating a Request for Proposals, and identifying and selecting qualified developer(s).

SLDC is committed to reactivating vacant and abandoned lots and buildings in this important area of the City of St. Louis and plans to continue its engagement with the community throughout the long-term redevelopment process. 

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