If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again

You may have witnessed the trend of dilapidated shopping centers, malls, and retail outlets that were once thriving centers of economic activity becoming eyesores that abet crime. In the best cases, these properties become repurposed for a new use. The Woods Mill Center strip mall, located just southwest of Highways 64 and 141 in Town & Country, will hopefully become a "best case."

In 2022, Maryville University planned to redevelop the Woods Mill Center into a complex featuring an e-sports arena, among other amenities. While the plan faced substantial public backlash, it was recommended to the board of alderman by the Town and Country Planning and Zoning Commission. However, Maryville ultimately withdrew the proposal in 2023. The school was hesitant to spend any more money on a plan that it felt was likely to be denied by the board.

Earlier this year, McBride Homes submitted applications for rezoning and preliminary site development plan approval to redevelop Woods Mill Center into an 80-home development. Unlike the Maryville proposal, McBride's "Woods Mill Crossing" received significant public support, especially after the plan was revised to have slightly fewer homes in response to public concerns. Nonetheless, Town and Country's Planning and Zoning Commission failed to recommend approval of the rezoning and preliminary site development plan.

After discussion during multiple board of aldermen meetings, McBride withdrew its plan. According to reports, McBride wants to revise its plan to address some officials' concerns and resubmit on July 19.

McBride's biggest hurdle? Density. The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that "the new neighborhood would have been the highest density residential development in the affluent west St. Louis County suburb." Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission think increased density would hurt the character of the city. But should increasing density in Town and Country really be met with such consternation?

Increases in housing density are shown to have various positive impacts. Higher-density housing can make providing services more efficient and improve housing affordability. For example, while the median home price in Town and Country is around $1 million, the homes in the proposed development would be priced between $600,000 and $700,000. In addition, there are environmental benefits to higher-density housing including decreased automobile usage and, of course, less land usage. On top of that, the Woods Mill Crossing proposal is to redevelop already developed land, meaning there won't necessarily be a loss of green space, as is often the concern with new developments (see another of McBride's developments in St. Charles). McBride's proposal has the potential to make smart use of underutilized land, something that many residents want for the city of Town and Country. We will see if officials accept a revised proposal and the benefits of higher-density housing are realized in this community.