By Adam Allington, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – St. Louis County officials say they're in the early stages of another effort to redevelop the struggling Jamestown Mall in north county.
The mall has been struggling for years, following the departure of Sears and Dillard's, two anchor tenants, several years ago.
A report from the Urban Land Institute commissioned last year suggests the county redevelop the property, and use eminent domain if necessary.
But St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley said the first step is to engage the public to determine what they'd like to see.
"People still go there, its not like its closed or anything," Dooley said. "It's open for business. And what people have to understand is, we're not trying to close the mall, we're trying to enhance the mall. That might mean something different in the future, but we're talking about enhancing the mall's image and productivity."
Dooley hopes to hire new consultants by next month.
In March 2009, county officials scuttled a $120 million plan to convert the Jamestown Mall into a mixed use commercial center and senior housing.