Community Petition Regarding Proposed Residential Development                                        

Wilson Avenue Properties, LLC / McBride Homes
5701–5707 Wilson Avenue, St. Louis, MO

We, the undersigned residents and property owners of the City of St. Louis (particularly the Hill neighborhood and adjacent blocks), express our serious concerns about the proposed PUD (Planned Unit Development) by Wilson Avenue Properties, LLC / McBride Homes. We believe the current plan will negatively impact our community.

1. Traffic and Safety
The additional vehicles generated by this development will place significant strain on already-congested streets. Increased traffic raises safety concerns for pedestrians, with and without pets, cyclists, and especially children who walk to and from school.

Hampton Ave & Wilson Ave intersection is a short distance west of this development. This is a very unsafe intersection, where accidents happen continuously. This proposed development will increase traffic to an already problem area.

Across the street from the development and to the west, is all industrial. Large trucks and other delivery vehicles frequently make deliveries to these businesses. With the potential of school age children living in the proposed townhomes, a concern of school buses having to travel through the development creates additional concerns.

Wilson Ave meets Sublette Ave a short distance to the east of the development. Wilson Ave, going east toward Sublette is a one-way, narrow street and will increase safety concerns in that area.

Our community requests a detailed traffic and safety impact study be conducted by a neutral party. We do not feel McBride Homes should be involved in choosing who conducts the study.

2. Zoning / Rezoning

The proposed development location was a school many years ago and then became vacant property owned by the State of Missouri. It was once a commercial zone and now has been or in process of being rezoned residential. With the area to the west, all being industrial, there is  high potential for inability to sell these townhomes.

3. Environmental Impact
We are concerned about the environmental effects that the demolition may have already caused. It was determined to be contaminated property which is why Hubert Wheeler School closed in 1994.

Additional concerns are trash disposal, potential drainage problems, and increased noise levels. These issues directly affect our community’s quality of life.

Our community requests an environmental impact review be completed.

4. Neighborhood Character
The scale, density, and proposed height of the development appear inconsistent with the existing character of our neighborhood.

This development will potentially increase our property taxes but decrease the value of our homes, especially on Wilson Ave. and the homes on Berra Ct that back up to the property where the townhomes will be built. The townhomes, according to the current plan, will be 30 feet or less from our property. We will lack privacy in our backyards, block natural sunlight, and alter the unique look and feel of our community. Additionally, the homes on Berra Ct. and the first one on Wilson Ave, that run along the development are being asked to sign an easement right over to the developer. Wilson Avenue Properties LLC, / McBride Homes state that the homeowner’s fences are over the property line. The homes and fences have been in place since the mid 1950’s and many of the owners have lived in the homes their entire life, so it is hard to understand how property lines can change. The homes and fences were in place before the school was built, and recent homeowner surveys contradict with the developments survey.

We feel that 75 plus townhomes in such a small area will look crowded and look more like apartments instead of townhomes. We feel the number of homes should be reduced back to the original number of 58, at the very least, and built larger, with possibly 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, with one bedroom and one bath on the main floor, that would open the potential of older buyers. Also provide private green space and 2 parking spaces per townhome. That would potentially bring in couples that plan to add to their family and not have to move due to lack of space. This would be more appealing to buyers.

Current number of parking spaces per unit is equal to 1 and a half parking spaces.

Additionally, with the current design of 2-bedroom, 1 bath, at 900 to 1000 square feet in size with a sale price of $300,000 plus, our concern is that a buyer will have move due to lack of space and may find it difficult to resell their unit and then turn to renting their townhome or making it an Airbnb. We request that a restriction be put in place at the time of sale and monitored by the HOA that NO rental and/or Airbnb be allowed.

We respectfully ask that the design be reconsidered to better align with the existing area.

The Hill Neighborhood is a historic St. Louis neighborhood, known for its charming homes, many restaurants and generally a safe place to walk.

The larger homes being allowed to be built are taking away the character of The Hill.

 In closing, we believe this current proposed development will alter the character and livability of our neighborhood in a negative way.

We respectfully request that the Planning Commission and Board of Aldermen:
• Require a full, independent traffic & utilities impact study;
• Explore reducing the total number of units and overall density;
• Provide additional, meaningful opportunities for community review and revision before final approval.