ULI St. Louis UMSL Area Development Recommendation

Date Posted: May 11, 2017

Posted In: Projects,

After meeting with stakeholders, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) St. Louis has presented a vision of a more vibrant and cohesive use of 30 acres of land just northwest of the University of Missouri – St. Louis campus.  ULI released results of its technical assistance panel (TAP) examining the market potential for the North Hanley/University Place Drive tract of land located south of Interstate 70 and east of North Hanley road adjacent to Express Scripts campus.

A coalition of organizations that owns portions of the 30-acre site asked for the TAP to study the potential development opportunities for the land. They included University Square Community Development Corp., Bi-State Development, and Geiger Real Estate, Inc./Geiger-Hanley LLC.  The area has failed to thrive despite presenting a compelling development opportunity with its proximity to Lambert–St. Louis International Airport, major institutional and corporate employers, its status as a multi-modal transit station, and its rich infrastructure and transportation resources.

TAP Study Area

ULI’s team of real estate experts made the following recommendation to the coalition:

• Fully realizing the area potential as a key entrance to the UMSL and branding it as such;
• Reimagining University Place Drive as a boulevard and massing development close to the roadway;
• Introducing commercial uses in the area, including office space, incubator space, retail (personal services), and hotel/conference space;
• Embracing the transit opportunities at the site and making the experience of moving in and around the site more enjoyable and safe for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and drivers; and

• Bringing higher density housing to the site.

The recommendations were developed after gaining input from the coalition of land owners and other stakeholders including St. Louis County officials, local municipalities, the Missouri Department of Transportation, Citizens for Modern Transit, Great Rivers Greenway, design professionals, local businesses and residents.

The ULI St. Louis TAP united local professional expertise in design, development, historic redevelopment, and institutional and civic leadership.  It included Andy Barnes, principal, Artisan Building Co.; Natasha Das, attorney, Stinson Leonard Street, LLC; Allison Gray, director of research, Colliers International, St. Louis; Beth Letscher, director of project development, Cortex Innovation Community; Bonnie Roy, partner, SWT Design; and Scott Schanuel, senior director of business development, Holland Construction Services.

For the complete report on the TAP visit http://stlouis.uli.org/news/n-hanleyuniversity-place-drive-tap-report-released.

With more than 220 members, ULI St. Louis unites thought leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.  Its members include real estate, design, construction, institutional, legal and accounting professionals along with civic leadership.