5-6-14 CPAC Kickoff Meeting Summary

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profit housing development corporation that could address the need for infill housing on vacant lots, affordable housing, senior housing, and student housing needs in coordination with the Ci Aging in Place Although blended into many other topics and visions for University City, nearly all groups recognized the growing need for senior housing, senior programming, services and businesses that address senior needs, and, in general, a need for more fully developed Aging-in-Place programming by the City. Ideas addressed most of the other topic areas in the mapping exercise, including housing, business development, transportation and mobility, and recreation opportunities, but a central point to these ideas was that University City needs to evaluate how its decisions and investments impact senior citizen residents across all policies and programs in the future. River des Peres & Floodplain Management Every group identified the River des Peres as it flows through University City as a defining community feature and many noted the recent Wilson Avenue buy-out area while proposing more home buy-outs and conversion of this waterway corridor into a greenway that features new parks, open space, and trails. However, participants recognized stormwater management issues bottleneck because of the other regional agencies to achieve a truly effective mitigation of localized flooding in University City. That said, some groups proposed University City officials leading such a regional effort, coordinating with St. Louis County and raising awareness of the issue. Complete Streets, Parks, Trails, & Sidewalks Generally, most groups were interested in reducing the need to use automobiles in University City and -modal approaches. There was broad interest in expanding the local trail network while connecting into Forest Park and the Centennial Greenway region networks. Sidewalk gaps and overall deteriorating condition were identified as issues, and multiple groups called for a dedicated capital investment budget to repair and replace sidewalks throughout the community. Multiple groups said that such a sidewalk and trail network should more effectively connect the residential neighborhoods to businesses, bus and light-rail transit, and parks. Many groups called for a reinvestment in existing parks (particularly improving Heman Park as a community gathering destination), we as adding new pocket parks and greenway open spaces. Interchange Redevelopment Most groups felt that redevelopment around the I-170 interchanges was an important priority and felt that the valuable real estate in proximity to these areas could be better positioned. Specific suggestions included larger-footprint, national chain retailers to offer more local shopping choice for the neighborhoods, to keep University City resident dollars in the community, and to draw in visitors to a part of the City other than Delmar. Leveraging University City as a Transit-Oriented Community Most groups recognized the catalytic potential to position University City as one of the most transit- oriented communities in the Midwest, and the two MetroLink lines and pending Delmar Trolley were frequently cited as assets. One specific area noted was the neighborhood adjacent to the Wellston MetroLink station, and ideas included coordinating development activities with the City of Wellston as well as marketing the residential neighborhood within University City as accessible to transit.