As part of the old St. Mary's Hospital redevelopment, Jefferson City and developer F&F Development will work together to extend the greenway trail system along one side of the property.
The Jefferson City Public Works and Planning Committee approved a development agreement with F&F Development on Thursday. The developer will pay the city $15,000 for two city-owned parcels on the St. Mary's Hospital redevelopment area and will sign easements necessary for the city to construct a greenway along the old St. Mary's Hospital site in the 500 block of Dunklin Street and 500-600 blocks of Bolivar Street.
F&F Development will need to construct sidewalks as part of the redevelopment, City Engineer David Bange said. If the city wants to widen the already planned sidewalks to the standard 10-foot width of a greenway trail, it will help pay for the construction cost. If the city decides to construct the greenway before the sidewalks are implemented, then F&F Development would contribute its share of the cost, according to a memorandum provided by Bange.
Portions of the driveway that connects Dunklin Street to the old St. Mary's Hospital campus east of Missouri Boulevard are on properties and right-of-way owned by the city. The agreement will allow F&F Development to better market the properties and with clear title to access the drive, Bange said.
The greenway would align with the city's 2007 Greenway Master Plan, Bange said.
Farmer Holding Company Principal Rob Kingsbury told the News Tribune he did not wish to comment on the greenway extension or St. Mary's Hospital redevelopment. F&F Development is Farmer Holding Company's parent company.
Earlier this week, the Jefferson City Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved F&F Development's plan to demolish the original 1905 portion of the old St. Mary's Hospital at 100 St. Mary's Medical Plaza and reuse the structure's stone for a new building.
F&F Development originally planned to redevelop the existing building, but the developer did not qualify for federal or state historic tax credits because the State Historic Preservation Office denied its application to place the 1905 building on the state historic registry. Engineers later found the 1905 building structurally unsound for the redevelopment project.
F&F Development proposed redeveloping the 113-year-old former hospital using tax increment financing to offset the cost last year. The Jefferson City Council approved the St. Mary's Hospital TIF project in August.
The TIF could apply two proposed projects. One project, which would involve Lincoln University, was estimated at $44.6 million and sought $7.3 million in TIF assistance to redevelop the site. The other, commercial-space-only project was estimated at $30.9 million and sought $6.7 million in TIF assistance.
F&F Development purchased the site in December 2015 after SSM Health relocated the hospital to its current Mission Drive location in 2014.
City considers transferring street ownership to JCPS
In other business Tuesday, the committee and Jefferson City Public Schools representatives discussed the future ownership of Lewis and Clark Drive and Union Street as the city and school district work toward finalizing a school development agreement for the renovations at Jefferson City High School.
The city currently owns both streets, but city staff thought it "would be in the best interest of both entities to put the streets" in the school district's possession, Public Works Department Director Matt Morasch said.
When the school district makes changes to pick-up or drop-off routines on either road, it first must receive the city's permission. It also places the city in a difficult situation in terms of liability, City Counselor Ryan Moehlman said.
Former Jefferson City High School student Corey Burkhardt sued Jefferson City, the school district and two others last year after being struck by a vehicle while crossing Union Street near Jay Drive in 2010. Burkhardt later dismissed the claims against Jefferson City and JCPS.
"God willing, nothing like that happens at Lewis and Clark (Middle School)," Moehlman said, noting liability is his main concern.
While the school district agreed to take possession of Union Street since it runs through the middle of the school campus, JCPS does not want the city to vacate Lewis and Clark Drive. Maintaining the street would be too much of a financial burden on the school, said Duane Schreimann, representing JCPS.
When the middle school was constructed about 25 years ago, Schreimann said, the school district wanted to add a loop at the end of Scenic Drive on the other side of Eastland Drive to allow pick-up and drop-off but was met with push-back from nearby residents. The city later constructed the current Lewis and Clark Drive and told the school district it would own and maintain the road, he said.
The city and school officials agreed they would add language to the school development agreement stating Jefferson City will vacate Union Street and would work toward a compromise regarding Lewis and Clark Drive.