Approximately 200 people crowded into the multipurpose room at the St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley campus to hear the redevelopment plans for the Jamestown Mall area.

Victor Dover of Dover, Kohl and Partners gave a two-hour presentation on the intensive background research study done of the area, the ideas proposed by North County residents for the area and what plans could be made a reality of the 142 acres. 

Dover presented four conceptual plan scenarios and alternatives to the audience that included:

• A traditional neighborhood development plan–The traditional plan would offer a mixed-use development of retail and residences where a housing village could be designed around a retail center with the existing anchor stores or redeveloped parcels.
• A garden suburb plan–This plan would plan neighborhoods “around a network of enhanced natural systems that connect throughout the site and to the natural flowways of Coldwater Creek,” the media release states. Retail would still be included, but a plan for a sports complex has been added along with an amphitheater and a large park.
• A central common plan–This plan alterative comes with the assumption that the developer acquires the entire property of the Jamestown Mall area, which is currently under multiple, different owners. If this were to happen, the plan includes “a central gathering space surrounded by shops and townhomes, similar to Lafayette Square in St. Louis,” the release states.
• A park and village plan–This plan transforms portions of the area into a regional park site to allow for economic conditions to better for further development of the area. This alternative plan could serve as an interim development stage for the area.

Dover said during the presentation that these plans take into account economic and place-making principles for the Jamestown Mall area.

“Jamestown Mall does not have requirements for regular shopping destination in today’s market,” Dover said of the mall’s current condition and experiences. “The next edition will not be like a mall.”

The economic principles that Dover spoke of included ideals such as “resetting the property in everyone’s mind,” so that it’s just not known as a retail area as well as “keep it phase-able to keep it feasible,” which means that the structure would be done in multiple phases for affordability and a positive long-term.

Dover emphasized the place-making principle of making the area “the heart of the community,” which doesn’t physically exist for people in the community currently.

“We’re building for the coming era and not the last one,” Dover said.

Although Dover and several officials feel confident and upbeat about the plans, local business owners in Jamestown Mall aren’t carrying the same tune.

“It’s just more of the same,” Dan Parnell, owner of O’Pestky’s Pub & Grill and Charlie’s Steakery at Jamestown Mall. “It’s a pipe dream.”

Parnell said that while St. Louis County and the Dover, Kohl and Partners team have prepared a plan, there is no developer and no money, and there’s still a great deal of detail to sort out before anything is to occur. 

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley encouraged people to keep an open mind and make sure to have a say throughout this process.

“It’s a conceptual plan, but it’s a plan,” Dooley said. “We’re here to listen and do what’s in your best interest, not ours, yours. You’re going to be a part of this process.”

Dooley said he expects the plan to be approved by the St. Louis County Council by the end of the summer. 

See what St. Louis County officials have to say about the new plans in a video later this afternoon on Florissant Patch.