ST. LOUIS — A development plan from two northside neighborhoods near the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency facility moved forward Wednesday.
The board for the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority approved the plan from ºüÀêÊÓƵ Place and Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood associations that will allow existing residents to use tax abatement for property improvements as well as guarantee that eminent domain will not be used against homes that are being maintained.
“It’s our city, but it’s your neighborhood. We’re glad you’re involved in this,†Matthew McBride, chair of the LCRA, told neighbors on the Zoom meeting.
Local officials have hailed the new $1.7 billion NGA campus — where thousands of people will work — as a boon to the region: They expect NGA will attract new companies to the area while also luring development to north ºüÀêÊÓƵ. But many northside residents don’t trust City Hall after officials used eminent domain to help clear nearly 100 acres for NGA’s footprint.
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Neighbors said the plan arose after they were surprised by media reports earlier this year that the city had conducted a blighting report of their neighborhoods, where about 700 homeowners live. The neighborhood associations retained Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, which provides free civil legal assistance, to help with the plan.
The neighbors’ plan also calls for a “community advisory panel†to allow residents to provide feedback and guidance on future developments.
Neal Richardson, CEO of ºüÀêÊÓƵ Development Corp., which staffs the LCRA, hailed the plan by residents.
“It’s a great testament to the leadership of those community organizations,†he said.
The plan now moves to the Planning Commission for approval and then to the Board of Aldermen.
Residents near the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency facility have proposed a plan that would guide development and set rules around eminent domain.