Zoning recommendation moves Centene Plaza forward
St. Louis Business Journal
2:32 PM CDT Thursday, April 5, 2007
The city of Clayton's Plan Commission recommended a zoning change Wednesday that moves Centene Corp's planned $210 million mixed-use development forward.
The commission recommended that the area, already zoned for commercial use, be established as a planned unit development, a type of development district. Catherine Powers, Clayton's director of planning and development, told the Business Journal that a planned unit development allows developers some relief in exchange for public benefit and generally applies to larger projects, such as the Maryland Walk condominiums and Carondelet Plaza.
The commission's recommendation now goes before the Clayton Board of Aldermen, possibly May 8, Powers said.
Centene Corp. presented a preliminary design for the redevelopment project to the Clayton Board of Aldermen last month. The project currently is going through the Plan Commission/Architectural Review Board process, which still requires review of site plans, architecture, and parking and traffic, among other items.
Centene Corp. (NYSE: CNC), currently based at 7711 Carondelet Ave. in Clayton, provides managed care programs and related services to individuals under Medicaid. It also operates health plans in Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. The company plans to start construction this summer for completion by fall 2009, according to a March 14 release.
"We'll work with (the developers) to the best of our ability to move the process in a timely manner," Powers said Thursday.
The Centene Plaza redevelopment project will include the firm's national headquarters with 1,200 corporate office staff, as well as retail and parking. The project was unanimously approved by the mayor and Clayton Board of Aldermen Dec. 13.
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