About one hundred fifty persons attended an open meeting sponsored by Washington Heights Neighbors to discuss redevelopment of the “triangle” area of our neighborhood under the state 353 program and the City of St. Louis’ Neighborhood Incentive Program. Norman Murdock of the City Plan Commission was the principal speaker; followed by Richard Hart, attorney and former member of the Board of Directors of the Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council; and 28th Ward alderman, John Roach.
The 353 program is a state program designed to motivate urban redevelopment. Private developers are given tax privileges and the right of eminent domain to encourage private investment in neighborhood rehabilitation. Neighborhood residents are given a period of time in which to express their opinion, and redevelopment proposals must be approved by the City Plan Commission.
Mr. Murdock gave an optimistic presentation of the 353 program, calling it a means to end deterioration of the West End. Federal funds are difficult to obtain, and there are no municipal funds available for redevelopment. Mr. Murdock admitted that the program has its weak points, but it is not the bulldozer development that federal blighting projects have proved to be; it allows residents to have more involvement in the directing of the development than other programs. By working together, Mr. Murdock feels, the program can be a success.
A long-time resident of the Skinker-DeBaliviere area, Mr. Richard Hart, sees 353 as a practical solution to redevelopment. “Piecemeal redevelopment is too slow,” Hart said. He remarked that some people are alarmed by the word “blighting”; it is an unfortunate term for a legal step that forces the Board of Aldermen to consider redevelopment plans. The blighting is not permanent. If a redeveloper is not found after a reasonable length of time, the blighting can be lifted.
Alderman Roach said that no one can promise success of the program, but that if it does succeed, it will stablize the area for years to come.
During a question and answer period, Mr. Roach expressed the opinion that insurance rates might go up because of the blighting, but that this raise is inevitable if the neighborhood is not improved.
When asked if the blighting could come after a proposal is accepted, Mr. Roach stated that such a procedure has been tried in Kansas City and it failed. Mr. Hart pointed out that development firms are reluctant to do planning for an area that may not be blighted, providing attractive tax incentives.
Some people at the meeting were concerned with problems of relocating tenants and owners of buildings in the development area. None of the panel members foresees a great problem in this area. Mr. Murdock said that he is hopeful that a neighborhood based organization, with an ear to the residents of the area, would become developer of the project. Thus many aspects of the program should work out more favorably than if an outside group were the developer.
Other residents at the meeting expressed a desire to see recreational facilities included in the plan for redevelopment. Several people mentioned that city services, especially the public school, should be improved to better serve the community.
Toward the end of the meeting, a long-time resident of the area said that he strongly endorsed the 353 program, saying that despite its weaknesses, it is the best proposal he has seen for the neighborhood in the eleven years he has lived here. Most of the people present seemed to agree with him.
Mr. Murdock said that he would like to hear from the people of the community as the program moves along. There will be more community meetings, but individual comments may be directed to: Mr. Norman Murdock, Director of Planning and Development, City Plan Commission, Civil Courts Building, St. Louis, Mo. 63101.
Original photograph caption
Original “triangle” redevelopment schematic and its Included in Bill / Not in Bill legend, The Paper, March 1971, page 4.
Originally published in The Paper, March 1971.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1971_03.pdf, printed page 4.
