Clayton (St. Louis): Centene Plaza | 80 M | 17 Floors

[Arch City]

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.

Source

[NYC2ATX]

where in clayton is this complex (ex: bounded streets)?

[JivecitySTL]

^Hanley & Forsyth.

[Evergrey]

Wow... great news for Clayton, Missouri! The rendering looks dazzling!

[NYC2ATX]

Originally Posted by JivecitySTL

^Hanley & Forsyth.

thanks alot

yea this is a nice bldg. the design is a little reserved, but for a young city like clayton it suits well. it has a very sleek element to it.

[ComandanteCero]

is it replacing something?

[Sacto]

Not a bad looking project.

[Arch City]

[vertex]

Wasn't the old U.S. Post office on that corner?

[Arch City]

^I don't think so. Located at the site now are retail buildings that are involved in eminent domain proceedings. The storefronts are largely empty, but at one time it could have included a post office, but I don't know for sure.

[ArchMadness]

Isn't this the Library Ltd. site? I miss that place. Tower is decent, certainly not exciting.

[newstl2020]

High court takes up question of 'blight'
By Matthew Franck
POST-DISPATCH JEFFERSON CITY BUREAU
05/23/2007

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Supreme Court wrestled Tuesday over the definition of "blight" and whether the term can rightly be used to condemn a block of properties situated amid the affluence of Clayton's downtown.

The answer to that question could determine the future of the proposed $210 million Centene Plaza development project at the 7700 block of Forsyth Boulevard. The city of Clayton declared the property blighted, clearing the way for it to be redeveloped over the objection of property owners.

A lawyer representing those property owners told the high court Tuesday that the declaration of blight offends common sense, not to mention Missouri law.

Gerard T. Carmody offered the court a statistical profile of Clayton's wealth, citing the fact that the city's average home values exceed $500,000 and household income is $181,000. What's more, he said, the intersection being blighted is a prize real estate property, fetching $7.4 million an acre when part of it was sold in 2004. Advertisement

One of the court's judges appeared to agree that the term blight is misapplied in the case.

"If this area is declared blighted, I don't know any part of the state of Missouri that would not be considered blighted," said Judge Richard Teitelman.

But other judges weren't so quick to dismiss Clayton's right to move forward with condemnation.

Judge Laura Denvir Stith questioned Carmody on that point, suggesting that Clayton should not be exempt from declaring properties blighted simply because of the city's wealth.

"Would it be your position that no part of Clayton could ever be blighted?" Stith asked.

Thomas Weaver, a lawyer representing Centene, told the court that he believes critics are seeking to deny Clayton condemnation rights across the board. RELATED LINKS
Centene case hits high court
TALK: Is eminent domain being used properly in Clayton and for Ballpark Village?
Appellate court ruling on Centene project

"What they really seem to be saying is regardless of the condition of a property, condemnation is only available to poorer communities," he said.

Much of the arguments revolved around the definitions of two legal standards for declaring blight: economic liability and social liability.

The judges struggled over the fact that neither terms are defined clearly in statute. Carmody said supporters of the development have twisted the terms, focusing on the ill that could take place if the property is not developed.

Teitelman appeared sympathetic to that argument, joking that he could not imagine how the block is posing a health or crime risk to the community.

"Is there any disease breaking out at Forsyth and Hanley?" he asked.

Weaver told the court that the condition of the property needs to be considered in the context of the city in which it is located. By that review, he said, the block "might not be considered blighted in another municipality, but it meets the definition of blight for this property."

Last month, the Missouri Court of Appeals ruled the property is not blighted, but referred the matter to the Supreme Court. A ruling isn't likely for weeks.

[Arch City]

This project has been canceled because the State of Missouri's Supreme Court ruled that three properties Centene Corp. wanted in downtown Clayton, Missouri were not "blighted". Centene was seeking eminent domain against the property owners.

As a result, Centene Corporation is looking to put its new 900 jobs and possible headquarters elsewhere - likely another city and state.

What a loss.

[djvandrake]

WTF is wrong with putting a new headquarters in Downtown St. Louis? It's a whole 10 minutes farther for the suburban commuters. I'm sure there'd be a handsome incentive package offered.

[newstl2020]

Centene has officially withdrew it's proposal for Clayton. After repeated denial of sale by the current landowners, Centene has decided to move else-where. They are now "aggressively" pursuing other options.

[metzgda]

They also changed their target development from "highrise" to "office park". Or, in other words, from cool to bleh .

This thread can probably be closed soon.

[djvandrake]

Yeah. This is likely going to be some crappy campus of low rise shit somewhere in suburban hell.

I'm not giving up total hope though. The St. Louis Business Journal reported today that the city of St. Louis is making a full court press to get Centene to come downtown. The Mayor called the Centene CEO personally to tell him the city can get it done. Heck, there are a number of plots downtown that would be perfect for a 600,000 sq-ft tower, and the city could practically give them the land. (not to mention some generous Tif incentives). Downtown STL needs this, and I hope Centene gives it a serious look.

[djvandrake]

Centene corporation announced they will build two new buildings in downtown St. Louis for their corporate headquarters. This development will be part of ballpark villiage.

Centene to move downtown
By Riddhi Trivedi-St. Clair
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Sep. 24 2007

In a move that local and state leaders touted as "historic" and proof of
continued revitalization in downtown St. Louis, Centene Corp. said Sunday it
will move its headquarters to Ballpark Village.

The company has agreed to purchase two blocks where it will develop a $250
million office and retail complex.

The project will consist of two buildings — including a 27-story skyscraper —
with up to 1.2 million square feet of office space, 1,750 parking spaces and
50,000 to 75,000 square feet of retail (about half the size of a Wal-Mart
Supercenter).

Centene plans to add 1,200 jobs on top of those already in the Clayton office,
where it will maintain a "significant presence," company officials said.

Centene, which manages Medicaid contracts for several states, will receive $78
million in tax incentives from the city, with the promise of more from state
and federal programs.

Article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and full text is at:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/bus...6?OpenDocument

Awesome News for St. Louis! More to come when I find some renders.

Edit: Here are a few. The site plan: The 27 story building is labeled "1".



The model from the press conference. The building on the left is the 27 story tower part of phase one that will have 750,000 sq-ft of office space.



Both images copyright of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

[the urban politician]

GREAT NEWS!

Reading this kind of stuff is why I visit the forums.

[ChiPsy]

Congrats, St. Louis -- you hit a home run with this one.