CLAYTON, Mo. — The controversial sale of the Caleres Headquarters site to the School District of Clayton is now a no-go.
The district announced in a Monday email its final decision to not sign off on the purchase of the prime 9-acres of real estate to make an "empowerment campus."
The proposed acquisition would have totaled $20.9 million.
The School District of Clayton said in the letter:
"Although a significant number of attendees at last week’s public forum expressed reservations about the acquisition, we also received strong support for moving forward with the purchase via emails, phone calls, and an online petition. We have listened carefully to all perspectives, recognizing they reflect diverse viewpoints and demographics within the Clayton community."
"In the meeting that was held with the citizens it appeared to me and many of the rest of us that every single board member had a different view for what was going to happen to that property," Brian Kinman with the Clayton Condo Building Association said.
There was vocal opposition during a Board of Education meeting Kinman attended last Wednesday about transforming the property on 8300 Maryland Ave.
"Where are the students coming from in the next 10, 15, 20 years is my question?" Clayton resident Jesse Adams asked during the Jan. 17 forum. "Be aware that pushing this through as you definitely seem poised to do, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that you're changing your minds, is going to poison your relationship with the community for decades to come."
Adams's statement resulted in a roaring round of applause from the meeting audience.
Developer Michael Staenberg, founder of The Staenberg Group, who was involved in planning for potentially an office and entertainment space at the location, told 5 On Your Side that he's glad a decision was finally made.
The city and school district didn't want to lose potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual tax revenue through future retail and residential development.
Former Mayor Linda Goldstein called the acquisition "unwise" along with three other former Clayton mayors. She was looking forward to potentially even more commercial development in the area thanks to the eventual sale of the Caleres HQ site.
"I hope that our community gets back to normal," Goldstein said. "We don't usually have this much controversy."
The Clayton school district on Monday said that all of the earnest funds, which totaled $500,000, will be returned after Monday's termination.
Additionally, the Board of Education said it was still prioritizing an updated long-range facilities plan, emphasizing that it's been 15 years since the last master plan was completed.