New NGA $1.75 Billion North STL Campus (St. Louis, St. Clair: condo, houses, neighborhood)

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Figured this construction project also deserves a thread, first the details and renderings from last year:

https://nextstl.com/2016/03/north-st...1-6b-nga-west/

nextSTL has learned that the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency has decided to locate its new headquarters in north St. Louis City. The 99-acre site is the only location the city, long home to the NGA, was able to put forward as a viable option for the federal agency. The north city site is the agency’s “preferred location” and a public comment period remains before the decision is considered final in June of this year.

The successful effort by the city and Missouri could not have been more complicated to pull off. More than a decade after developer Paul McKee began his NorthSide Regeneration project nothing had been built, but he owned nearly 2,000 parcels and had obtained an option on the more than 30-acre Pruitt-Igoe site.

In order to offer complete site control to the NGA, the city had to strike a bargain with McKee, pursuing eminent domain on his properties and others. The largest, most historic building on the site may be moved. Others will be relocated, some will be demolished.

In their place will rise what will likely appear as a high-security corporate campus. The hope is that the project will kick-start other developments, including housing, retail, and office. The city recently made it clear it would pursue a new north-south light rail line to run adjacent to the site.

Approximately 3,000 employees work at the current NGA site near the Budweiser brewery in Soulard. It is expected that the workforce will grow, perhaps significantly, at a new facility. If so, and if salaries continue to increase, the impact of forgoing a portion of the city income tax to make the development happen could be lessened. This assumes that city voters choose to retain the earnings tax every five years.

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After NGA picked new HQ site, residents helped document north St. Louis neighborhood's history | Metro | stltoday.com

The houses are down and a fence is up, separating the now-cleared land from the rest of the neighborhood. On that fencing, signs announce the expected arrival of a high-tech government intelligence agency.

[mjtinmemphis]

I wish the design could have been more urban. Given the nature of business, I don't know if that was possible.

[glamatomic]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I wish the design could have been more urban. Given the nature of business, I don't know if that was possible.

I agree. From the rendering it looks very ordinary and utilitarian... but I'm pleased they're remaining in STL City regardless

[pdm_ad]

Just glad it didn't end up in St. Clair. Nothing against the fine people there and the area around Mid America is primed for growth but North STL desperately needs new development.

[glamatomic]

Originally Posted by pdm_ad

Just glad it didn't end up in St. Clair. Nothing against the fine people there and the area around Mid America is primed for growth but North STL desperately needs new development.

Absolutely. It has the chance to breathe life into a dead/dying/decaying portion of the city, rather just being plonked in amongst some farmland.

I sincerely hope that it spurs on some more development in the immediate area.

I've got mixed feelings on gentrification, but for this particular portion of the city it may be a positive in the greater scheme of things.

[Old Trafford]

The renderings shown are not what this will look like - they were conceptual to help win the bid

We will find out next year what it will really look like - Probably better than what is shown - but still not "urban" in nature. The design is for a top secret spy agency - only so much they can do to make it work with the neighborhood.

The neighborhood was pretty much gone years before demo began - a couple of isolated buildings and pockets of abandoned structures - at least one of the houses was moved, it had been in the same family for generations.

The largest demo loss was the old Buster Brown building - which was a great warehouse and in very good shape - It was also on the perimeter of the site - I would have loved to see it as part of the project but GSA guys wanted a absolute clean slate.

[mhays25]

I'd hope for a much smaller footprint. As a secure facility, it seems like even pedestrians won't be able to get through the site, so knocking a few blocks off would make that easier.

But quite a win in any case.

[glamatomic]

In an ideal world, red brick structures would be awesome as brick is such an integral part of St. Louis's urban landscape... but that probably wouldn't be cost effective in this day and age.

[kipfilet]

Originally Posted by glamatomic

In an ideal world, red brick structures would be awesome as brick is such an integral part of St. Louis's urban landscape... but that probably wouldn't be cost effective in this day and age.

It is not impossible - thanks to the SRG's historical code and monitoring efforts, there are two new condo buildings being built in Soulard that will partly feature red brick.