1986-02-26 - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Minutes - Plan Commission Page 3 February 26, 1986 Mr. Schoomer asked about the area of the Kroger store presently being built by the Midland Group in St. Ann, Missouri. Mr. Murtha stated that the St. Ann store would be 45,000 square feet. Mr. Schoomer also asked Mr. Murtha if the Midland Group had examined any other potential location in University City for the a proposed retail center. Mr. Schoomer suggested as an alternative site the Mercy High School property at Olive and Pennsylvania. Mr. Murtha stated that they had not considered other sites and had chose the site on Hanley Road because the potential customer draw from Clayton that would be needed for a successful venture. One member of the audience, Mr. Rich Goldman of Teasdale Court, asked about the parking that would be required for such a project. Mr. Murtha stated that they had planned for 488 spaces and the code only required 444 spaces. Mr. Rich Goldman also asked about the ingress and egress to the proposed development. Mr. Murtha replied that there would be a traffic light at Hanley and Balson Avenue and there would be access to the center at that site and also from Blackberry Avenue. At this point Mr. William Bunte of Crawford, Bunte and Brammeier, Traffic Consultants, presented a traffic study including traffic counts for the size of the development. He stated that Hanley Road was well suited to handle the traffic that would be generated by this project even at peak hours. Mr. Washington asked about the use of Blackberry Avenue as it related to the proposed development and asked where delivery trucks would have access to the stores. Mr. Murtha stated that the trucks planned to access from Blackberry Avenue and deliver behind the stores almost near the entry to the cemetery to the west. Ms Cook asked Mr. Murtha about provisions for storm retention near the flood plain. Mr. Murtha stated that no engineering studies had been done at this time. Ms Cook noted the severe problem in the area with pests and stated that the number of rats, etc. in the area might be increased by a supermarket use. Mr. Murtha stated that all their retail projects had internal trash compacting facilities; they would take every step required to provide for a quality project and would be open to suggestions for design features to minimize these problems. Ms Schuman noted that the general issue before the Plan Commission was one of land use, but wanted to know some more specifics about the proposal. She asked what types of small retail stores would be included in the project. Mr. Murtha stated that they would not least to bars or stores such as auto repair, motor- cycle stores or auto parts stores. The Midland Group looked to provide neighborhood services such as beauty shops, travel services, etc. Mr. Ollendorff noted that University City wanted to encourage economic development and invited the Midland Group to look at large vacant parcels along Olive Street Road. He noted that Olive Boulevard and the Delmar Loop were the two most logical places in University City for commercial development and that the city was not interested in 951 Hanley Road being commercially developed. The city's decision concerning this was in response to the Hanley Junior High School being designated a historic building on the National Register. Mr. Rice noted, however, that the Junior High School would be an expensive building to rehabilitate or to remove from the premises. The attorney for the Midland Group, Mr. Marvin Klaman, asked the Commission what realistic opportunities for development had been presented to the Plan Commission in recent years. He noted that the longer the property was on the market, the more it lost its appeal for development.