Officials broke ground Tuesday for a project that could spark an economic revitalization in the Carondolet area of south St. Louis. River City Business Park, just north of River City Casino is a 54-acre property on the site of the former Carondolet Coke plant.
“Over 25-years ago the site became dormant and an eyesore, a very heavily contaminated site,” says St. Louis Development Corporation Executive Director Otis Williams.
“With the help of the state, we were able to get the site clean.”
The corporation says the project will eventually include space for more than 900 jobs and they are highlighting the multi-modal nature of the park.
It will make use of nearby highways, rail lines, and barges on the Mississippi River.
“It is an attribute that the developer can market,” says Williams.
Officials with the developer, St. Louis-based Green Street, hope the attractive location will generate interest from businesses in the food production, warehousing, and light manufacturing industries.
It has taken a long time to get to this point.
Eleventh Ward Alderman Tom Villa says the project has been on the drawing board since 1998.
“We’re hoping that it helps us re-discover Carondelet in a true business sense and business friendly sense.”
There was an initiative to build on the site roughly a decade ago, but developers didn’t have the money to pay for the environmental cleanup.
Since then, the state has come forward with nearly $7 million in brownfield tax credits.
Villa regards the overall project as key economic development tool.
“We hope in the not-too-distant future it’s full of people that are coming to St. Louis City, paying an earnings tax, eating in our restaurants, parking their cars and contributing to the business structure on south Broadway.”
He understands how difficult it has become for communities to launch a business park of this size with the hope of attracting jobs.
“Redevelopment is tough to do anywhere. You’ve got to have some risk takers.”
Work is underway on the first of five buildings planned for the site.
The 125,000-square-foot structure should be finished early next year.
