Watch Live: Public Hearing On Olive Development In U-City

UNIVERSITY CITY, MO — A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Mandarin House on Olive Boulevard to consider tax increment financing for a proposed retail development at the intersection of Olive and Interstate 170. It's the most important opportunity yet for citizens to voice their support for or concerns about the roughly $200 million project sought by the development company Novus, about $70 million of which will be paid for with public money. Patch will be there to cover it, with live video if network conditions make that possible. If not, video will be uploaded as soon as possible after the hearing.

The Post-Dispatch reported today that St. Louis County let University City choose some of its appointees to the TIF commission, which seems to contradict previous statements by acting community development director Rosalind Williams and councilmember Bwayne Smotherson. In April, they defended the commission's racial composition by saying the city only got to appoint three members; in actuality, the city chose six of the members.

Yesterday Tom Sullivan, a local government watchdog and University City resident called on the chair of the TIF commission, lawyer Gerald Greiman, to recuse himself from deliberations on the Olive development because he has represented members of council who support the project, as well as the Torah Prep School, which stands to benefit from a sale of the school district's Ronald E. McNair administration building.

Some citizens have called for a Community Benefits Agreement to protect communities in the path of the development and level the playing field between the developer and locals.

"When TIF developments are proposed, proponents typically discuss the grittiness of the area and the need for subsidized revitalization. But they don’t include residents in the discussion beyond offering buyouts or a flimsy promise of affordable housing," write Patricia Washington, Jason Purnell and Clair Antoine in an op-ed in the Post-Dispatch published yesterday.

The three represent a coalition of community groups, and have called on the city to delay approving the TIF until those groups can meet with Novus to discuss an agreement to "protect against a government subsidized project once again displacing African-Americans and other racial and ethnic groups from places of opportunity."

To catch up before the public hearing, read Patch's previous reporting on the proposed Olive development below:

• Watch The April 15 University City TIF Commission Meeting
• Citizens Call For Community Benefits Agreement Before TIF Vote
• Mostly White TIF Commission Weighs Fate Of Minority Community
• Councilmember Smotherson Responds To Patch TIF Commission Article
• Olive Development Meeting Scheduled For 6:30 Tonight: Watch Live
• Olive Retail Anchor To Remain Secret Until TIF Is Approved
• Sale Of McNair Building, Eminent Domain Discussed Monday Night
• Local Government Watchdog Accuses TIF Chairman Of Conflicts Of Interest

Read other coverage here:

• Developer petitioned for Community Benefits Agreement, U. City has no minority inclusion policy for public-subsidized projects
• Curious Louis: The future of St. Louis' 'unofficial' Chinatown
• University City Big Box Plan Exemplifies All That Is Wrong
• Proposed development could change the texture of University City's gritty back door
• County Let University City Choose Some Appointees For Commission Weighing $70 Million Big-Box TIF
• U. City Has A Chance To Be An Innovator On TIF Development

Public documents can be found on the city's TIF informational web page.

A public hearing will be held May 23 at 7 p.m. at the Mandarin House on Olive Boulevard. Patch will be there to cover it. Follow us on Facebook and sign up for breaking news alerts to be sure you don't miss our coverage of this and other important community issues.

Image via University City