BRENTWOOD, Mo. — Angry business owners in Brentwood were holding a town hall Tuesday night.
They're fighting back against a construction plan along Manchester Road that could cause their businesses to close.
Back in July 2023, the Brentwood Board of Alderman voted unanimously to approve a $436,000,000 redevelopment agreement with Green Street Real Estate Ventures, LLC.
Related: 'This is home' | Business owners sue Brentwood to save their space after redevelopment plan approved
Yet the town hall at Time for Dinner restaurant was giving business owners a chance to air their grievances and tell people in the neighborhood what they stand to lose.
Time for Dinner is a Brentwood meal prep business that's been here for twenty years. Co-owner Amy Stanford is frustrated by the city's plan to knock down many of the nearby businesses to construct the approximately 77.2 acres Manchester Road Corridor.
Standford said the city called them "blighted."
"Well, we're fine," Stanford said. "We're busy and doing well. Why would we be blighted?"
Last month, Time for Dinner had more than a thousand customers who bought about 6,600 items.
They told 5 On Your Side that means getting about 26,000 servings through the door in one month.
However, things are heating up with the Brentwood redevelopment plan on both sides of Manchester Road, between Mary Avenue just east of Brentwood Boulevard and Hanley Road.
The city said on their website they want to sue real property tax abatement to incentivize revitalization of the area.
In December, several business owners filed a lawsuit against the city of Brentwood.
"Obviously you're wildly impacted by a lot of these plans and timelines so what is the latest you've heard from they city?" 5 On Your Side's Annie Krall asked Stanford.
"Nothing," Stanford said. "We've heard nothing from the city."
A spokesperson for the city said Tuesday that they had no comment on the Manchester Road Corridor or redevelopment "as the area is under ongoing litigation."
The impacted Brentwood business owner group also includes Feather-Craft Fly Fishing as well as Convergence Dance and Body Center. They are all represented by the national nonprofit law firm Institute for Justice.
"We've brought a lot of people to Brentwood and a lot of people who enjoy coming here," Stanford said. "So, we want to stay. We've got a good thing going, and we want to keep it going."
Attorneys and activists from IJ landed in St. Louis Tuesday afternoon from Washington D.C. to attend the town hall.
On Sept. 10, they're asking more people to reach out to the board of aldermen and mayor whether to support or adjust the current Manchester Road Corridor plan.
"They're calling the area blighted and that is what we're fighting because we're a thriving business," Standford said. "We're not blighted. There are a lot of other businesses like us that are just doing great."