Jamestown Mall in North County has been on the St. Louis-style ride of development the past two years. Promises made. Contracts pulled out.
So the St. Louis County Economic Council is trying to put the decision-making in the hands of the people – where it belongs.
“I think it’s hitting it backwards when you let developers come in and tell you what should happen in an area,” said Michael Jones, the council’s senior policy advisor.
“It’s the public’s resources. The question has to be asked in a way to help you develop a consensus. The operative word is ‘consensus.’”
The council has hired the nonprofit Urban Land Institute to study what residents want to see in this area and the possibilities with the given resources.
This week, seven ULI experts are interviewing about 80 key community stakeholders and the area’s market conditions. The panel will hold a public forum to discuss the results on Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 to 11 a.m., at the Shalom Church City of Peace, 5491 N. U.S. Hwy 67 in Florissant.
“The million-square-foot mall is no longer economically viable,” said St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. “Jamestown Mall has experienced typical decline patterns and has become an increasing concern to the economy of the North County community.”
The mall, built in 1973, is currently owned by five independent owners including Macy’s, Carlyle Group, JCPenney, Sears and investor Michael Kohan. Kohan purchased most of the mall in June for $3.3 million. The purchase did not include the J.C. Penney Outlet and Macy’s stores and the closed Sears and Dillard’s stores.
Since two of the mall’s four anchor stores closed – Dillard’s in 2006 and Sears in January – the surrounding stores were left without much stability. The mall is now about 44 percent occupied, and its remaining anchor stores are Macy’s and a J.C. Penney Outlet, along with the Wehrenberg movie theater.
This spring, St. Louis County pulled its support for a proposed redevelopment that would have included $40.3 million in tax abatement. In July 2008, the center’s former owner, New York-based Carlyle Development Group, submitted plans to the County to revitalize the mall. The first part of the plan included transforming the 215,000 square feet of space formerly occupied by Dillard’s into office space. Carlyle had proposed spending $120 million on the mixed-use commercial development.
However, when the County learned that Carlyle was going to sell the old Dillard’s space this spring, it withdrew its support.
The mall at Old Jamestown Road and Lindbergh Boulevard is in unincorporated St. Louis County.
With the study, “We don’t want to assume anything,” Dooley said.
“We are concerned about North County people and want to work with them,” he said. “It’s not just a county government thing, it’s a community outreach program.”
Jones realizes that 9 a.m. may not be the best time for the community to gather, but this will be just the beginning of a series of community meetings.
Jones said, “This is just the first step.”
The mall inhabits 173 acres in an area that includes everything from homes to farms. Because the mall hasn’t been successful for awhile, Jones said, the real question is: what will make the most sense?
“This is going to require a substantial amount of public resources,” Jones said. So the panel experts are focusing on what is the public’s vision for the mall and what is the public willing to spend.
The seven panelists are all volunteers, who have no commercial interest in the project. The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit that studies land use internationally. Professionals in real estate and development volunteer a week of their time because they enjoy going to a different place, looking at the problem and finding a solution.
“It’s still a lot cheaper than hiring planning consultants, who are often looking at a way to insinuate themselves into the situation,” Jones said. “Here you’ll get an honest opinion.”
Kohan, who now owns most of the mall, has been trying to get more people in the door since he came in a few months ago. “It was in desperate need of help,” Kohan said. “We’re here to revitalize the mall. I don’t want anyone to think that the mall is closed.”
Kohan said he is planning on holding events in the mall this fall, such as a customer appreciation day with free food and music. The mall is offering incentives to buyers and stores. If a shopper spends $100 in the mall, they get a $10 coupon. In Victoria’s Secret lingerie store, a shopper will get $15 if they spend $100.
The movie ticket prices are among the lowest in the country. He said, “It’s a way to save money to shop in the mall.”
Jamestown Mall was built more than 40 years ago, and the developers did not account for the population migrating to other city areas and suburbs.
That’s why Dooley is emphasizing to the people, “What do you want Jamestown Mall to look like in the next 40 years? We have to be careful with what we decide.”
For more information about the study or the public forum, contact Nancy Schnoebelen at 615-7617.