A surveyor works along Deer Creek within a new park and greenway project under construction to address flooding south of Manchester Road in Brentwood on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. A newly proposed Green Street development just north of the park would include apartments, townhomes, offices and a list of commercial options.
BRENTWOOD 鈥 The Brentwood Board of Aldermen has given a green light to developer Green Street 果酱视频, which is proposing to revamp a half-mile stretch of Manchester Road by adding shops, restaurants, a microbrewery and over 600 apartments.
The board鈥檚 unanimous vote Monday night represents a major step in the 果酱视频 County suburb鈥檚 yearslong effort to stem flash flooding on the low-lying section of Manchester Road and pave the way for new development.
The city, which pulls in millions from the shopping centers within its borders near Highway 40 (Interstate 64), is pumping $90 million into an engineering project to tame Deer Creek and add recreation amenities along its path.
After the city sought developers interested in capitalizing on its investment, Green Street pitched a $400 million plan to turn the corridor of small factories, warehouses and shops into a regional destination. Phil Hulse, the 果酱视频-based firm鈥檚 founder and CEO, has called it 鈥渁 once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the fabric of what鈥檚 here into something spectacular.鈥
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The board鈥檚 vote Monday was to authorize city staff to negotiate a development agreement with Green Street, capping years of work that included a sales tax campaign to fund flood control work and state road improvements. It came despite opposition from some businesses and property owners along Manchester, who said they didn鈥檛 realize until last month that the flood work could ultimately force them to relocate.
But aldermen and Brentwood Mayor David Dimmitt have said city residents broadly support improvements to that stretch of Manchester and that redevelopment was always part of the city鈥檚 plan. The record-shattering rain in late July, Brentwood officials say, showed that the flood control project worked and limited damage and road flooding in the area.
Brentwood has purchased 25 buildings in the Deer Creek flood plain in recent years, knocking them down and scooping out tons of earth on the south side of Manchester Road. It is also constructing a $7.4 million 鈥渄estination playground鈥 in the area and building a connection to the Great Rivers Greenway regional trail network.
鈥淣o one can reasonably expect that redevelopment will not come to this stretch of Manchester Road,鈥 Brentwood Alderman David Plufka said Monday.
A 3D rendering shows Green Street's proposal to remake Manchester Road in Brentwood, replacing existing buildings with apartments, commercial space, a hotel and microbrewery.聽
While there鈥檚 been near-unanimous support for the flood-control-project, some remaining business and property owners in the area oppose the larger redevelopment, saying they won鈥檛 be able to benefit from the new infrastructure after enduring years of construction and a road closure.
Few members of the public spoke Monday, but at an Aug. 15 board meeting shortly after Green Street鈥檚 proposal went public, several dozen people packed the small meeting room in Brentwood City Hall to voice opposition to the redevelopment. Green Street鈥檚 plan seeks a decade of 90% property tax abatement and also the ability to use eminent domain if it can鈥檛 reach deals with the property owners along the road.
鈥淭wo of my tenants are here tonight 鈥 their heart is broken; my heart is broken,鈥 Elizabeth Baisch, who owns the strip mall at 8500 Manchester Road, told aldermen last month. 鈥淭hey have been part of the community for 20 years. We have been partners for 20 years, through floods, through COVID. I鈥檓 glad that I鈥檓 here to hear that I鈥檓 not the only one that was caught off guard by this whole thing. I had no idea Brentwood Bound was about any of this.鈥
It is still early in the process, with many details of Green Street鈥檚 plan yet to be firmed up. But for Green Street, it鈥檚 a strong show of support from the city and another chance at a major redevelopment in one of central 果酱视频 County鈥檚 affluent suburbs after neighboring Webster Groves last year rejected a Green Street redevelopment there.
Aldermen asked that the developer try and work with existing businesses who would like to stay. But the light industrial character of the area seems poised to change to a mixed-use corridor of residential, shopping and dining.
鈥淲e all wanted a sense of place that can bring the community together and make it walkable and less dependent on vehicle traffic,鈥 Alderman Jeff Gould said Monday. 鈥淎 bold proposal like we鈥檝e seen can allow that walkability to happen.鈥
