Developer Michael Sternberg said he was in negotiations with the city of Caleres to purchase the former headquarters when the school district’s agreement was announced.
CLAYTON, Mo. — A rift has been brewing in Clayton since the Clayton School District recently announced it intends to purchase the former Caleres headquarters for a multimillion-dollar “empowerment campus.”
Residents and former mayors have expressed concerns about the deal to buy the nine-acre site at 8300 Maryland Avenue.
According to the St. Louis Business Journal, four former mayors, Linda Goldstein, Harold Sanger, Hugh Scott and Ben Uchitere, have called on the school district to withdraw the pending purchase. “It’s extremely unwise,” he said, “and could impede driving.” A serious wedge has been created between the school district and residents. ”
A special group of Clayton residents, including former KMOX radio host Charlie Brennan, also drafted the letter.
The letter reads in part: “The transaction, scheduled for February 2024, will remove the property valued at ($33.5 million) from the tax rolls. Currently, Caleres is paying $101,272 to the City of Clayton; “We pay $1,079,432 in annual property taxes, including $575,769 to Creighton Schools.” district. “
In addition to the two letters, Brian Kinman, founder and president of the Clayton Condominium Building Association, also wrote a letter to the group’s 2,000 taxpayers.
“The immediate impact is approximately $710,000 in reduced annual property tax revenue for the school district and $122,000 in reduced annual revenue for the city of Clayton,” the letter said.
The district’s school board sent its own letter Tuesday, calling initial communication “insufficient” and apologizing for not communicating better.
“While the Board of Education is aware of concerns about the perceived lack of transparency related to this potential acquisition, we are discouraging certain disclosures prior to the January 2nd announcement.” I would like to assure all parties that this was subject to confidentiality regulations.”
The district denied reports that the land was being used for things like softball fields and tennis courts.
The letter also emphasized the importance of campus proximity and student safety afforded by widening the perimeter of the school’s campus.
“In the letter, (the district) indicates that all options are still open to them, including putting it back on the tax rolls and potentially looking at selling it to a developer.” said Kinman.
“Everyone was hoping that this property would be sold and developed into a higher value property that would not only result in higher sales taxes but also higher school district and city property taxes,” he added. “We need to better understand where we are.”
Developer Michael Sternberg stenberg group We have created entertainment spaces such as Neighborhoods of ChesterfieldThis includes Topgolf, Main Event, Factory, and Hub.
He said Clayton Mayor Michelle Harris recently contacted him about building something similar in the area.
“She said, ‘Our sales base is being eroded. Do you have any ideas?'” Stenberg said.
After creating the hub two years ago, Staenberg had the idea for Clayton.
“Why not have a hub operation in Clayton? … There are several alternatives. I said the Caleres site would be the best,” he said.
The Hub is 40,000 square feet of outdoor space with big screen TVs, live bands, and a restaurant.
Sternberg proposed creating office space on the second floor of the former Caleres headquarters. He said he needed at least four acres of land.
“Personally, I think the tax revenue could be $30 million to $35 million. If you add in real estate taxes, that’s a significant amount,” he explained.
He said he was in negotiations with Caleres when the district’s agreement was announced.
“I know there are different opinions on this and I’m not here to give an opinion on who’s right and who’s wrong. My goal is to win. Our goal is “It’s about bringing people to Creighton, bringing young people to Creighton,” he added. “For me, it’s about bringing people to Creighton.”
Stenberg believes all hope is not lost.
“I think there’s a way. How do we work together to create a win-win? I hope the school district and the city can work together to make something happen,” Stenberg said.
A school district spokesperson said they are still in a due diligence period before announcing a closure date. The next Creighton School Board meeting is January 17th.