A blighting determination on St. Louis' Cortex district will continue after all, extending the nearly 20-year determination on the district in the Central West End.
The Board of Aldermen took up the measure again on Friday after it failed to garner enough votes last week.
Board Bill 68 renews a blight determination originally made in 2005 on the Cortex Innovation District. The bill failed to receive a two-thirds majority approval last week, collecting seven yes votes when it needed eight. This week, the measure passed with a 10 to 5 vote.
The bill renews the determination for the area surrounding the district and effectively renews ordinances that allow the Cortex West Redevelopment Corp. to use eminent domain and a taxing district as part of a plan to redevelop the area.
The city initially designated the area as blighted in 2005 and approved the redevelopment plan in 2006, creating the redevelopment corporation through Missouri’s Chapter 353 urban redevelopment corporations law.
Several board-created development corporations operate throughout the city. They are created to incentivize private developers to bring new development to blighted areas.
Ward 9 Alderman Michael Browning, who brought the bill up, said extending the blight determination will help the district finish redeveloping the area.
“They’ve got a proven track record of bringing progress and bringing new buildings, new jobs and new companies to St. Louis,” Browning said. "That’s why we want to continue to give them this tool so they can fulfill that agreement with the city to develop that area.”
Browning sits on the Cortex Innovation District’s board as an ex officio member.
Ward 12 Alderwoman Sharon Tyus once again voted against the bill. She said she doesn’t think the board should give nongovernment entities the power to use eminent domain.
“I am not opposed to what the Cortex has done; I am opposed to the power that we gave them,” she said.
The bill heads to Mayor Cara Spencer’s desk for her signature.
