CHESTERFIELD, Mo.—Demolition of the former Chesterfield Mall site began Tuesday, a little less than two months after the building officially closed to the public. Despite the relatively quick turnaround from one step to another, developers preached patience about the next steps in creating “Downtown Chesterfield”, a 90 acre urban mixed use development, which won't see the first buuldings open until 2028.
For all of the work that has gone into planning the $2 billion dollar project, Michael Staenberg, who also owns the Chesterfield Commons shopping center and The District in Chesterfield Valley, says the downtown project is only on the 10 yard line.
“We’ve got 90 yards to go but we’ll be successful,” he said.
Demolition will take six months, followed by six more months of preparing the land for future construction. Work to build roads, sidewalks and utilities won’t begin until November 2025. A park will open in the summer of 2026 before any vertical construction is scheduled to start in the fall of 2026. The first phase, projected to open in the Fall of 2028 includes 4.5 million square feet, with 2,363 residential units, retail and restaurants, office and hotel space.
“We’re not in a hurry. A lot of developers are in a hurry and I call them the hamburger flippers. They want to flip the hamburgers and get out. We’re here for the long term. I built the Commons, opened in 99, I still own it. I still own The District, so I’m a long-term holder. This is a legacy project and it won’t be sold,” Staenberg said.
The vision is of an area that will link St. Charles County and St. Louis County as a regional focal point.
Among those who gathered at Tuesday’s demolition ceremony were people who weren’t always 100% behind the project, which to date has survived lawsuits and contested public meetings concerning tax increment financing.
But Kelli Unnerstall, who moved from Webster Groves to Chesterfield nine years ago and became a leader of a group known as Citizens for Developing Chesterfield, sounded happy about changes made to the project to date, including lowering the residential density and expanding opportunities for green space.
“Our group wanted a development that still maintained the integrity of Chesterfield and reflected the resident’s values so that was hard to work through,” she said. “I look forward to visiting the restaurants and the retail. I think the only thing I’m upset about is that it takes a while to get to that point but we’re thrilled to be part of the process and as a resident I can’t wait for the vision to be brought to life.”
Staenberg said the first phase of that vision, in addition to the residential component, could include a grocer, a data center and hospital interests. Tim Lowe, Vice-President of Leasing and Development for The Staenberg Group, told our news partners at the St. Louis Business Journal that the first floor of the residential buildings planned for the project will feature retail.
“We’re looking for boutiques. We’re looking for fashion. We’re looking for quick-serve restaurants. We’re looking for cafes and coffee shops. We’re looking for sit-down restaurants. It needs to feel like a downtown,” Lowe said. “Where do I take my dry cleaning to, where can I get coffee, where do I have lunch? Do I need a new dress? All those options should be part of the development.”
On Tuesday, Lowe said it was still possible that The Cheesecake Factory, which had served as a staple of the Chesterfield Mall site, could potentially re-emerge in Downtown Chesterfield.