Details of the $770 Million Proposal for the Centene Clayton Expansion in St. Louis

The rare and elusive comprehensive planning review has been published by nextSTL.

2 minute read

August 19, 2016, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Alex Ihnen critiques the plan for the proposed, $771.8 million Centene Clayton corporate campus, which recently had another in a series of well-attended public hearings. Ihnen writes the following preamble before launching into a comprehensive evaluation of the plans merits and demerits:  

To premise the following critique, it needs to be conceded that the plan to develop vacant lots, and low-rise buildings into office towers in downtown Clayton is a good one. It’s better than good, it’s great. It has been an absurd sight as large swaths of vacant land have sat idle for a decade next to the region’s high-end business center, two MetroLink stations, and a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The $770M plan to add nearly 3,000 employees, residents, and retail to the city’s central business district is something to applaud.

Among the weaknesses of the plan, as evaluated by Ihnen, are the plan's effects on the street. "The design…completely abandons Hanley [Road] as a place for pedestrians," for instance, writes Ihnen. Moreover, "the campus master plan for employee circulation works hard to keep everyone inside, from garage to office and across the campus."

Another criticism posited by Ihnen: the need to increase the number of residential units proposed by the plan, to reduce traffic to the campus by allowing more people to live within walking distance. The plan has only taken steps in the opposite direction, according to Ihnen, decreasing from 135 to 119 in recent drafts.

Other themes of Ihnen's critique include public spaces, architecture, and NIMBYs. On that last count, Ihnen takes issue with "misplaced at best" criticisms by the opposition to the development.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016 in nextSTL

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

March 28 - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

March 28 - Governing

Aerial view of mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the winter with snow at dusk.

Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing

Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.

March 28 - CBS News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.