HIGH-TECH CORRIDOR IS GOAL
BUSINESS AND MUNICIPAL LEADERS SEEK TO REPLACE JUNK STORES AND TAVERNS
By Cathy Thomas
St. Charles Post Special Correspondent
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
December 24, 1992
Section: ST. CHARLES
Where junk stores, taverns or pastures now line Highway 40/61 in St. Charles County, imagine instead a computer company, a telecommunications firm or a research park. Business and municipal leaders in St. Charles County already have similar visions.
The St. Charles County Economic Development Council already has conducted a preliminary study of the development along Highway 40 in both St. Charles and St. Louis counties as part of its goal to help develop a high-technology corridor along Highway 40/61 in St. Charles County.
"This is something we're investigating because it has some merit at this stage," said Bernie Markovich, president of the economic development council.
"What we saw already there is pretty much a high-tech corridor along 40," said Markovich, referring to businesses along the highway in St. Louis and Chesterfield and in the Missouri Research Park near the Missouri River. High-tech businesses "string out along that way. We knew these companies like to cluster together."
The council has formed a committee of municipal officials and economic-development experts to study the proposal for a high-tech corridor. Heading the committee is Ronald Nelson, city administrator of Lake Saint Louis.
"The whole idea is to create a conceptual direction to guide development along the corridor," said Nelson, who has a master's degree in urban planning.
Nelson said the committee would have three objectives in the next year:
To analyze land uses along the corridor.
To identify potential problems or conflicts in developing the corridor.
To create a policy statement, which can be adopted by municipalities, regarding future uses of land along the corridor.
Jurisdictions joining the effort to develop a high-tech corridor include Dardenne Prairie, Lake Saint Louis, O'Fallon, St. Charles County, St. Peters, Weldon Spring, Weldon Spring Heights and Wentzville.
Wentzville City Administrator Joe McReynolds supports the idea of the high-tech corridor because of the diversification it would provide in the economy. Wentzville's employment is now concentrated in the automotive industry.
"All indications are jobs of the future will be service-oriented, which tend to be high-tech," said McReynolds. "Promotion and enhancement of a high-tech corridor has to be to our benefit."
Wentzville is on the western end of what is considered to be the future high-tech corridor. On the eastern side is O'Fallon, which runs south to Highway 40. O'Fallon City Administrator Patrick Nasi said O'Fallon was revising its comprehensive plan and might incorporate the idea of a high-tech corridor.
"In the long-range perspective, the property's best use would be high-tech development," said Nasi. "We've looked at other areas in the country that have had tremendous success."
Nasi said Highway 40/61 in St. Charles County has many of the elements of those areas that have successful high-tech corridors.
One such element is good highways. The Missouri Highway and Transportation Department is working on improving Highway 40/61. Construction is expected to begin next year on an interchange at Lake Saint Louis Boulevard.
One of the first demands of a high-tech business will be a high-quality transportation network, Nelson said. He and other Lake Saint Louis officials have worked with Missouri highway officials for months so construction can begin on the interchange.
In addition to the highway improvements, Lake Saint Louis is trying to bring in a golf course. In another effort, the aldermen recently passed a bill barring lewd dancing or immoral conduct at businesses that serve liquor. The measure may force out a tavern where exotic dancers perform along Highway 40.
Lake Saint Louis officials also hope to place a proposal on the ballot next year to annex about 700 acres south of Highway 40/61. Much of the land is now farmland. Earlier this year, many of the land owners in the area protested the annexation proposal, but the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen voted to place the issue on the ballot. A date for the annexation election has not been set.
Markovich said that because much of the land is vacant, the opportunity for high-tech development is there.
"That's the advantage in our county," he said. "We have lots of land out there."
Markovich said he envisioned a high-tech corridor as a regional concept and expected the committee to work with St. Louis and St. Louis County to make sure development is consistent with neighboring areas.
The committee will develop a policy statement, which municipalities can adopt as part of a comprehensive plan. Nelson said the policy statement would not be a mandate, but rather a suggestion, which municipalities can "use to guide development in their own jurisdiction."
