St. Louis Place. Photo courtesy of Meghan Kirkwood
In 2024, the City of St. Louis approved a landmark redevelopment plan covering roughly 821 acres across the Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL) and St. Louis Place neighborhoods—one of the largest and most comprehensive neighborhood-based redevelopment areas in the City’s history. Unlike the City’s traditional “spot-blighting” approach, which designates incentives on a parcel-by-parcel basis, this plan establishes a unified framework spanning nearly two full neighborhoods.
Developed through years of collaboration among the JVL and St. Louis Place community associations, elected officials, and City staff, the plan marks a shift toward neighborhood-scale revitalization driven by residents themselves. It authorizes limited, clearly defined use of eminent domain authority to acquire long-vacant or blighted and code violating properties, while explicitly protecting occupied homes and active businesses. It also allows owner-occupant residents to apply for a 10-year property tax abatement, effectively freezing taxes to encourage home repair and reinvestment without displacement. In addition, it creates a Community Advisory Panel of neighborhood representatives to review large, subsidized development proposals and ensure they reflect community priorities.
By creating a consistent redevelopment framework across more than 800 acres, the JVL/St. Louis Place plan gives the City and its neighborhoods stronger, more transparent tools to address vacancy, attract responsible investment, and rebuild from within. It stands as a replicable model for equitable, neighborhood-driven redevelopment in St. Louis’ highest vacancy neighborhoods.
Developed through years of collaboration among the JVL and St. Louis Place community associations, elected officials, and City staff, the plan marks a shift toward neighborhood-scale revitalization driven by residents themselves. It authorizes limited, clearly defined use of eminent domain authority to acquire long-vacant or blighted and code violating properties, while explicitly protecting occupied homes and active businesses. It also allows owner-occupant residents to apply for a 10-year property tax abatement, effectively freezing taxes to encourage home repair and reinvestment without displacement. In addition, it creates a Community Advisory Panel of neighborhood representatives to review large, subsidized development proposals and ensure they reflect community priorities.
By creating a consistent redevelopment framework across more than 800 acres, the JVL/St. Louis Place plan gives the City and its neighborhoods stronger, more transparent tools to address vacancy, attract responsible investment, and rebuild from within. It stands as a replicable model for equitable, neighborhood-driven redevelopment in St. Louis’ highest vacancy neighborhoods.
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