Centene development poised to begin

From The St. Louis Post Dispatch. Wednesday, September 24, 2008
by Margaret Gillerman

CLAYTON - The countdown to demolition is on.

If plans continue on track, construction of the Centene Plaza redevelopment that has been the subject of discussion - and controversy - for about three years will begin next month.

The proposed $200 million development in downtown Clayton cleared its last major governmental hurdle Tuesday night when the Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a series of zoning changes to allow the project.

The developers still must obtain routine demolition permits and will come back before aldermen with the designs for the garage and public areas. But the board voted to move forward with rezoning the office, retail and commercial project that the city has courted for several years.

Although the development team was pleased at reaching the milestone, Bob Clark, CEO of St. Louis-based Clayco and one of the developers, quipped afterward that he would hold off his celebratory comments until