By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Six hundred acres east of Lambert Airport is now open for development.
The Airport Area Redevelopment Commission gave the approval for a partnership of local developers to begin the mixed use project in what will be called NorthPark.
St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley says the development could include hotels, company headquarters, and transportation business. He says the project will bring 12,000 jobs and about $387 million in tax revenue into the county in the next 20 years.
"It is the largest undertaking of its kind in St. Louis County history," Dooley said Friday. "Six hundred acres of land that is non-productive now is going to be productive land for St. Louis County."
Dooley says currently there are "prospects" but would not disclose the names of any of the businesses.
Officials say they hope to break ground this summer.
The 600-acre site will be developed by NorthPark Partners---including developers McEagle, TRiSTAR Business Communities and ClayCorp.
"You got light industry, office potential there, you got hotels, you got all types of opportunities as far warehousing and transportation needs and trucking, so we believe it is possible to do that," Dooley added.
The development is expected to cost $400 million with tax breaks for companies that move there.