Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment Helping a Community Revitalize an Aging Corridor Damaged by Civil Unrest Dellwood Missouri EPA Region 7

Land Revitalization Success Stories | EPA 560-F-l 7-200
September 2017
Planning for Sustainable Brownfield Redevelopment
HELPING A COMMUNITY REVITALIZE AN AGING CORRIDOR
DAMAGED BY CIVIL UNREST
DELLWOOD, MISSOURI.. EPA REGION 7
In 2014, Dellwood, MO, sustained substantial property damage during the civil unrest that originated in the adjacent community
of Ferguson, MO, Dellwood lost 13 commercial properties to fires, which severly impacted the
community's economy and sense of security. Along West Florrissant Avenue, four properties were
burned. On three of these four properties, the building and associated debris was removed and the
lots are now vacant. A builiding remains on the fourth property, the former Discount Tire store at
9801 West Florissant. Flowever, the building remains in disrepair, despite having sustained less
damage than the buildings on the other nearby properties.
The city is leading the area's recovery by developing a community-based vision for the people
who live, work and play in the area. The city's goal for the planning process is to determine the
most beneficial redevelopment opportunities for the neighborhood that will reduce the social and
economic barriers associated with the current aging and limited commercial uses represented in
in the corridor. City leaders also want to attract private investment to Dellwood to further restore
and revitalize the neighborhood.
In November 2016, the city requested technical assistance from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Land Revitalization Team to create conceptual redevelopment plans for
four sites along the West Florissant Avenue corridor. The goal of the planning process is to help
the city jump start its public engagement process by providing visual images of potential types of
redevelopment that could occur along the corridor. The conceptual planning process will be
reinforced by the city's targeted investment in the corridor, Promise Zone activities, and policies
such as the city's Great Streets Initiative (2014).
In May 2017, the Land Revitalization Team conducted a site visit and workshop with local
stakeholders in Dellwood to engage with the community and explore reuse options for each site.
During the workshop, attendees identified and considered short- and long-term visions for each
of the four properties, as well as the corridor overall. Stakeholders supported use and aesthetic
changes along West Florissant Avenue and were interested in increasing the community's use
of, and ties to, the future business and recreational activities along the corridor. In particular,
community members voiced a desire to make the corridor more accessible for pedestrians and
non-motorized transportation. Stakeholders also wanted to create a unique community identity to
this section of the corridor, and supported identifying amenities such as retail establishments and
venues for public gatherings and entertainment.
Based on the workshop and a preliminary market analysis, the Land Revitalization Team
suggested phased redevelopment approaches and designs for three projects along the corridor.
Highlights of the plans include:
9801 West Florissant (former Discount Tire): Renovate the building tor a destination
specialty food/beverage service use (such as an ice cream parlor or a coffee shop). Reusing
the existing garage doors could provide seasonal flexibility for indoor/outdoor seating.
9947 West Florissant (former AutoZone): Short-term: Clean up the site to add community
garden plots and parking. Intermediate: Construct a three-bay "Maker Space", including
incubator-oriented office or retail space, a meeting room, or a community conflict resolution
center. Long-term: Add parking and housing, targeted for middle class families or seniors.
9844 West Florissant (former Juanita's Fashions R Boutique) and 9846 West Florissant
(former Advanced Auto Parts): Short-term: Grade the Boutique site and add a small
playground, parking area and space for food trucks. Intermediate: Expand infrastructure
and services onto the Advanced Auto Parts site and add kiosk/micro retail facilities for
small business investment. Long-term: Add permanent structures to support "move-up"
retail uses that need additional space beyond that provided by the Maker Space.
For more information, please contact David Doyle, EPA Region 7, dovle.david@epa.gov.
Figure 1, Full build-out redevelopment
concept for the Former Advanced Auto
Parts and Juanita's property.
LESSONS LEARNED
• City-led redevelopment planning
on private property requires the
owner's cooperation and
participation to be successful.
• Business and civic leadership is
essentia! to engaging the
community and building
stakeholder enthusiasm for
revitalization.
• Redevelopment concepts must
Pe based on market conditions to
create realistic expectations.
• Phased development (e.g., "lean
urbanism" and "incremental
sprawl repair") is appropriate
when market conditions cannot
support dense development.
PLANNED POST-TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
• The Missouri Department of
Natural Resources will support
Phase I Assessments on two
properties,
• EPA'.s Technical Assistance to
Brownfields (TAB) program will
support development of an
implementation strategy,
• The Council of Development
Financing Agencies (CDFA), using
EPA grant funds, will assist the city
with identifying financing
alternatives to implement the plan.

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