Public Law and Finance - Economic and Community Development

• The group served as counsel to the developer, Michelson Commercial Realty, in establishing a TIF redevelopment in the City of Richmond Heights, Missouri. The mixed-use project involves the redevelopment of approximately 65 acres at the southeast corner of Highway 40 and Hanley Road. The project requires the acquisition of 200 residential and commercial properties. Once completed, the $200 million project will include retail, office and residential space. Total public assistance including TIF and TDD is $46 million.

• As counsel to Hazelwood Commerce Center, LLC, the firm assisted the developer to obtain approximately $25 million in economic incentives to support a $180 million commercial center. The development, which provides distribution, industrial, retail and commercial space, is located in Hazelwood, Missouri, and involves the acquisition of nearly 200 parcels and the redevelopment of over 150 usable acres. The incentives include TIF, Chapter 353 tax abatement, community improvement district financing and Brownfield remediation tax credits.

• The firm served as district counsel to a TDD in Maplewood, Missouri, designed to finance transportation-related improvements to support the new Lowe's shopping plaza being constructed at the intersection of Hanley Road and Folk Avenue. The project integrates a spur of the new MetroLink route and improvements to the intersection underneath the elevated train lines. Because the TDD overlays an existing TIF district, a portion of the sales tax revenues generated within the district will be directed to the retirement of the existing TIF financing, thus making the incremental revenue available to the community more rapidly.

• The firm represented Drury Development Corporation in the implementation of the first TDD in the City of St. Louis. In conjunction with the conversion of the Merchant's Laclede Building into a Hilton hotel, the TDD was used to finance the costs of the construction of a parking structure adjacent to the hotel complex. The parking structure will be available to hotel guests, to neighboring businesses and to the general public and provides the city with additional public parking for its various downtown activities.

• The firm assisted Centene Corporation in obtaining the first real estate tax abatement ever approved by the City of Clayton for a redevelopment project. Centene is building a new corporate campus in downtown Clayton, which will include the company’s world headquarters, as well as new office and retail space surrounding a public plaza. With the firm’s assistance, Centene also received approval by the State of Missouri for tax credits under the state’s new Quality Jobs Act. Our attorneys have worked closely with Centene on all aspects of the project, including communications with city officials and the public, and the design and implementation of the project. The Centene project is expected to cost $170 million, with a combined economic incentive value of $20 million.

• As redevelopment counsel to the city of Macon, Missouri, the group is assisting the Macon Redevelopment Corporation in the obtaining tax abatement to construct a travel plaza at the intersection of Highway 36 and Highway 63.

• The group served as special counsel, district counsel and bond counsel to Opus Corporation in the development of Park East Tower, a high-rise condominium, retail and office complex in the Central West End. The special taxing district utilized special assessments to finance a portion of the improvements and to fund ongoing maintenance at the facility.

• On behalf of Dominion Hospitality, the group is assisting in the creation and implementation of a TDD and CID to assist in the financing of certain public improvements to support the construction of a new residential hotel on Jefferson Avenue south of Interstate 64/40. The public improvements include the construction of a public parking lot, repairs within the surrounding rights-of-way and the construction of a signalized intersection at Jefferson and Scott Avenue. The hotel and parking field will provide additional support for the businesses along the Jefferson Avenue Corridor.

• Representing the City of Crestwood, Missouri, the group is using a TIF, a TDD and a CID to finance improvements related to the Crestwood Point development at Watson Road and Sappington Road. The TDD and CID aided in the acquisition of land to expand and improve the city's existing government center parking lot and relocate the local swim club.

• The City of Eureka, Missouri, has approved a neighborhood improvement district along West 5th Street to support the Six Flags entertainment complex. The roadway improvements to West 5th Street and the accompanying interchange will be financed with the imposition of NID special assessments on the properties comprising the Six Flags complex.

• As the representative of the City of Pevely, Missouri, the group helped implement an NID to pay for the construction of public services in a newly-annexed area of the city. The city built the services with a larger capacity than needed for the proposed 240-lot residential development in anticipation that additional development would occur in the annexed area. The public project costs will be reimbursed, not only through the assessments collected on the properties in the annexed area, but from fees collected from those moving into the area and connecting to the service system.

• The firm recently represented Duke Cameron LLC in obtaining Chapter 100 tax abatement in the City of Cameron, Missouri. The savings from the tax abatement and sales tax exemption were used to finance the construction of an $18 million facility for Case New Holland. The project is expected to generate at least 100 new jobs in DeKalb County.

• The firm has represented Harman Becker Automotive Systems in obtaining certain Missouri financing incentives such as Chapter 100 Industrial Revenue Bonds, BUILD Missouri Bonds and Industrial New Jobs Training Certificates, for a manufacturing facility that the company is building in Washington, Missouri. Harman, a leading manufacturer of high-end infotainment/multimedia systems and components for the automotive industry, intends to build navigation products and possibly radios, amplifiers and other audio and electronic systems at its Washington, Missouri location. The company's legendary audio brands include JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon and Mark Levinson. The company expects to provide approximately 200 new jobs at the new Missouri facility.

• The firm has represented several large companies in the implementation of Chapter 100 Industrial Revenue Bonds and BUILD Missouri Revenue Bonds to finance the construction of manufacturing and headquarters facilities. Projects include: NorthPark/Express Scripts, Harman Kardon/HBAS Manufacturing, Siegel-Roberts, CitiMortgage, Inc., General Mills, Centocor Biologies, LLC and Duke Realty/GMAC Insurance in the financing and development of their corporate offices by utilizing Chapter 100 Industrial Revenue Bonds and BUILD Missouri Revenue Bonds.