Street view of the Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36 and DYNALABS buildings

2319-2327 Chouteau Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
United States

Summary

The site is a 6-acre area on Chouteau Ave. in St. Louis’ Lafayette Square and Gate District neighborhood. The site has been developed since 1929, but it was not until 2011 that it was awarded Development of the Year by the city of St. Louis. Chouteau Crossing is now home to two of St. Louis’ highest rated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings: Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36 and DYNALABS.

Background

The Chouteau Crossing site is a 6-acre area made up of two lots. Chouteau Crossing-Lot A is a 1.55 acre parcel with an approximately 20,000 square foot building. Chouteau Crossing-Lot B is a 4.6 acre parcel with an approximately 80,000 square foot building. The site was developed in 1929, when the Missouri Boiler and Tank Co. established its operations, which included manufacturing tanks, pressure vessels and a repair and fabrication service. The site operated in this capacity through 1995. Since 1995, the site has been used for truck parking and storage for plumbing supplies. When an opportunity to revitalize and reuse a location once overlooked for its industrial use presented itself, developer Green Street acquired the facility in the growing Lafayette Square and Gate District neighborhood.

Environmental Issues and Cleanup Process

Four underground storage tanks were removed before the site was enrolled in the department's Voluntary Cleanup Program. The department's Brownfields/ Voluntary Cleanup Program (BVCP) staff provided remediation oversight. Two additional underground storage tanks were discovered during site construction and removed. Investigations showed elevated levels of mercury, arsenic, diesel, oil range hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in soil at the site. The PAHs were found in surface soil at levels exceeding residential risk-based target levels. A risk assessment was conducted and showed that representative concentrations of all PAHs were below the residential risk-based target levels, with the exception of benzo(a)pyrene, which exceeded non-residential risk-based target levels. Asbestos-containing material and most lead-based paint was abated from the building. Some lead-based paint was left in the building, either enclosed or encapsulated. 

Funding Sources

  • Tax abatements
  • Tax increment financing
  • Brownfield tax credits 
  • $6 million in New Market Tax Credit allocation from the St. Louis Development Corporation 
Redevelopment

Today, Chouteau Crossing is home to two businesses and two LEED-certified buildings. The $29.5 million investment was completed in 2011, and is home to DYNALABS, an analytical laboratory for pharmaceuticals, and a 129,500 square foot international training facility operated by the Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36. The facility is St. Louis’ highest-rated LEED structure. In 2011, the development was awarded Development of the Year by the city of St. Louis.

Project Partners

  • BVCP Project Managers 
  • Green Street (developer) 
  • Environmental Operations Inc.
  • St. Louis Development Corp.
  • Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36
Environmental and Economic Benefits

The project’s LEED Platinum certification includes green construction. Seventy percent of the original construction was retained. Forty percent regionally-made materials were used to build the new elements. Features include recycled metal exterior panels, renewable cork and bamboo throughout the building, solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal wells to help regulate the heating and cooling for the entire building. A 6,000 square food Green Roof Blocks vegetative green roof system, 4,000-square-foot rooftop garden, solar water heating and a roof rain water collection and irrigation cistern system are also included.

Institutional Controls

An engineered control cap was placed over certain areas of the site to reduce the representative concentration of exposed benzo(a)pyrene to below non-residential risk-based target levels. An environmental covenant with a soil management plan will restrict the site to non-residential use and require that the cap be kept in place and maintained. Inspection and maintenance of the enclosed or encapsulated lead-based paint is governed by an operations and maintenance plan filed in the property's chain of title.

Timeline

BVCP Project Identification

  • SMARS #11849
  • Tanks Registration #ST0005946 

Assurances Received

  • 2007 - Letter of Agreement Received (Lot A).
  • 2012 - Certificate of Completion Issued for Lot A. #655
  • 2008 - Letter of Agreement Received (Lot B).
  • 2012 - Certificate of Completion Issued for Lot B.

Contact Information