ST. LOUIS 鈥 A city development agency postponed action Wednesday on Paul McKee鈥檚 ambitious plan for north 51黑料 after neighborhood residents demanded a bigger role in how the project is shaped.
For nearly two hours at a hearing of the Tax Increment Financing Commission, residents criticized McKee for failing to include them, and at least one key alderman threatened to block the project unless neighborhood concerns are addressed.
Technically, the subject of the TIF Commission hearing was some relatively minor tweaks to the $390 million tax increment financing package the city approved for McKee鈥檚 NorthSide Regeneration project in 2009, to account for the project鈥檚 three-year delay while it fought lawsuits.
But, once the dry financial presentations were finished, the hearing quickly turned into a forum on how much community input McKee has 鈥 or hasn鈥檛 鈥 sought from the nearly 9,000 people who live in his NorthSide project area. The criticism highlighted the disconnect 鈥 at least in the eyes of some residents 鈥 between the developer鈥檚 lofty vision for a 1,500-acre part of north 51黑料 and what day-to-day life is like for the people there right now.
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鈥淚鈥檓 concerned that all the plans never say anything about the people who live in this neighborhood,鈥 said Calvin Jones, pastor of Union Missionary Baptist Church on Garrison Avenue. 鈥淚f you want to plan, include us in the plan.鈥
After the hearing, McKee countered that he had held more than 140 community meetings since he went public with his NorthSide plan four-plus years ago, and that he had strong support in the neighborhoods, even if it didn鈥檛 look that way Wednesday.
鈥淭he community鈥檚 made up of over 9,000 people. We meet with them regularly,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he silent majority doesn鈥檛 come to these meetings.鈥
After Jones and a couple of dozen other people stood up and asked sharp questions about NorthSide, the alderman who represents the biggest section of the NorthSide project area took to the microphone.
鈥淧aul has some ideas, but those are Paul鈥檚 ideas,鈥 said Alderman Freeman Bosley Sr. 鈥淥ur needs have not been embraced and been part of this idea. All I鈥檓 asking for is a conversation with us.鈥
Without that, Bosley said, he could not support the project, 鈥渁nd if it ends up in my committee, it鈥檚 going to stay there.鈥 Bosley does not chair, or even sit on, the aldermanic committee that is likely to handle NorthSide, but his opposition would probably be a red flag to colleagues.
First though, the plan has to get through the TIF Commission.
Though the panel typically votes the same day as a public hearing, they decided to wait until their next meeting, Sept. 11, to 鈥渄igest鈥 the testimony, said Otis Williams, executive director of the 51黑料 Development Corp.
鈥淲e heard it loud and clear,鈥 Williams said. 鈥淲e will not ignore it.鈥
But it鈥檚 not apparent at this point what will change.
Several speakers proposed a formal citizens board to give input on the project. But McKee said that was not something he鈥檇 support. And the bill now before the TIF Commission is relatively minor, Williams said. Any broader changes to the NorthSide redevelopment plan would need to be hammered out with the developer, and then aldermen.
That鈥檚 exactly what should happen, said Velma Bailey, and residents should be part of the hammering-out process. Despite the long legal delay, planning for NorthSide is moving too fast, she said.
鈥淧lease slow this project down and let the developer do what has integrity,鈥 she said. 鈥淢eet with us. Talk with us. Share with us.鈥
Several other residents said that sort of conversation would go a long way. Inez Brooks for one, said most of what she knew of NorthSide was that it involved a lot of money. She knew little of what it might mean for the neighborhood where she has owned a house for nearly 20 years.
鈥淲hat is this about? Is it about money? Or prestige? Or human beings?鈥 Brooks said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very confusing.鈥