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The Missouri Department of Economic Development has awarded a $2.5 million grant to the City of St. Louis, administered by the city’s Community Development Administration, that will support the redevelopment of a 106-acre industrial site adjacent to Lambert St. Louis International Airport. With the grant, the site, called the Brownleigh Site, can be redeveloped for future advanced manufacturing opportunities.
“The City of St. Louis Community Development Administration, St. Louis Development Corporation, Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the City of Berkeley all worked together to win this critical grant, preparing this site for possible future advanced manufacturing,” said St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “The $2.5 million Industrial Site Development grant provided by the Missouri Department of Economic Development will help fund site feasibility, planning, and more to support redevelopment of the Brownleigh site and generate economic opportunity for years to come.”
The Brownleigh Site sits directly northeast of the airport and is bordered to the east by Interstate 170. The airport is owned by the City of St. Louis, SLDC and SLEDP assisted in obtaining the grant and will lead local incentives.
“This grant is a great opportunity to expand the advanced manufacturing ecosystem in St. Louis,” said SLDC President & CEO, Neal Richardson. “Advanced manufacturing facilities like what is envisioned for the Brownleigh site bring quality, good paying job opportunities to St. Louis. We are excited to see the state, regional and local support to help develop this site.”
There have been several noteworthy developments in advanced manufacturing across the 15-county St. Louis metro, including an investment of over $1 billion by General Motors in its Wentzville plant, construction of a new electric vehicle battery facility in south St. Louis City by ICL, a new James Hardie facility in Jefferson County, and the metro’s win in the federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge competition, which is bringing millions of dollars in federal and private investment for advanced manufacturing projects in across the region, including the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center in North St. Louis.
“From the development of the AMICSTL to the growth of workforce programs at community colleges and trade schools across the metro, the work to make St. Louis a hub for advanced manufacturing is truly taking root,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “This grant represents another positive step and will be critical in financing the costs of redevelopment of this site to make it possible for future advanced manufacturing opportunities.”