ST. LOUIS — The leader of the University of Missouri-St. Louis said the school is "shocked and disappointed" that St. Louis County did not ultimately provide $10 million in federal funds for a planned business and workforce district on its campus.
The County Council late last month chose projects to receive $66 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, endorsing a new law enforcement center ($23.8 million), infrastructure projects in South County ($18.5 million), demolition work ($11 million), a grant to nonprofit Child Care Aware ($5.6 million) and grants to address food insecurity in North County ($5.6 million) and a grant for nonprofit Family Forward ($800,000).
But the UMSL project, which got $40 million in state of Missouri ARPA funds and initially sought $20 million from the county, didn't make the cut. Plans for the district are being developed, the Business Journal reported in September, with proposals to sell or lease UMSL land for apartments, condominiums, restaurants, a health care facility, office space and a grocery. It's part of a broader project, “Transform UMSL,” that calls for consolidating the academic core to the campus north of Natural Bridge Road, freeing up 35 acres to the south of Natural Bridge for the business and workforce district.
UMSL Chancellor Kristin Sobolik wrote Thursday to "friends and supporters," telling them "county leadership" told her the project wasn't funded because of the "timeframe in which the sponsor filed the bill."
"Throughout this appropriations process, members of the leadership team and I have regularly engaged the County Council, ARPA Funding Workgroup, and County Executive," Sobolik wrote. "The UMSL team conducted tours with council members, hosted townhall meetings where county leaders attended, gave public comment at council meetings, and hosted a press conference with state and St. Louis County leaders."
She continued, "Our team is shocked and disappointed by this outcome."
Read the full story on the St. Louis Business Journal website.
