Report to University City Council

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its occupants as a result of the U. S. Dept ofHUD financing that was used for its purchase and last round of improvements. These restrictions from its long-term debt financing are anticipated to expire within a few years. An estimated 10,000 people live within a one-mile radius of the Delmar/l-170 intersection with an average age of 44 years and a median household income of $64,000. Within this context, the size and location of the site make it ideal for a development providing for a mix of high quality, high value uses, including medium to high density residential, retail, entertainment, and office uses. If carefully planned and executed, this mix could create a unique, efficient, and pedestrian friendly urban environment that combines opportunities to live, work, shop, and play without dependence on the automobile. This could include a self-sustaining community energy plant. While there is potential for redevelopment of the Wyncrest complex on both sides ofI-170, the extended frontage on Delmar and superior highway visibility enjoyed by the portion west of 1-170 would recommend concentration of most commercial office, hotel, and retail uses there. Redevelopment would likely occur in phases over a period as long as a decade, with overall density and land use mix dictated largely by market economics and fmancing. Currently, market conditions would favor high density residential redevelopment rather than retail, hotel, or office uses. However, these conditions are likely to change over the next few years in a direction that will justify consideration of new commercial uses. Since all but the small commercial corners at Delmar/l-170 are currently zoned Medium Density Residential, zoning for mixed-use development will need to be addressed along with the need for supporting public infrastructure investments. Action Items 1. The City of University City should meet with the current owners to encourage them to consider options for the future of the Wyncrest site that will yield long- term benefits to the City. 2. The City should stress that it is ready to be a partner; it should indicate it is willing to provide incentives in consideration of the costs of redevelopment and in proportion to the projected net fiscal and economic benefits to be realized by the city. 3. The City should be prepared with appropriate zoning tools to enable creative combinations of land uses and incentives for project amenities and environmental enhancements. 4. The City should continue to press for a MetroLink station at Delmar and at Olive Street (on an expansion line to the airport) to serve a new mixed-use development and the neighborhoods around it. 12