Blog

Plans announced for former Jamestown Mall site

700 Homes, 2,000 Residents, Space for Families,

Youth Opportunities, Jobs, Major Investment & More!

    The Jamestown Mall redevelopment shows what North County can do when public, private, and community partners align around what residents have asked for. A long-vacant, publicly owned site will become a neighborhood again, with homes, a grocer, retail and gathering spaces, and a long-term economic engine for the region.

“This project supports NCI’s work to expand homeownership, financial well-being, increase community services, and the economic vitality of North County,” said Rebecca Zoll, NCI’s President/CEO. “We are excited that McBride Homes has once again chosen to invest in North County. We commend the St. Louis County Port Authority for their leadership and hard work to remediate this property so it could be revitalized and once again become an asset.”

Why is this project so significant for our community?

1. Turning a liability into an asset

  • For years, the former Jamestown Mall has been a symbol of disinvestment. Vacant sites like this drag down nearby property values, discourage investment and cost the public to maintain.
  • Returning 144.5 acres of publicly owned land to productive use is one of the most significant revitalization opportunities in North St. Louis County.
  • The St. Louis County Port Authority did the difficult groundwork of maintenance, demolition, remediation and marketing. That patience is paying off with a credible, experienced partner.

2. Housing is economic development

  • McBride Homes will build more than 700 new homes and over 2,000 new residents means new customers for local businesses, new students for schools and a broader tax base for the services residents rely on.
  • The mix of single-family homes, villas, townhomes and multi-family residences serves people at different life-stages: first-time buyers, growing families and seniors who want to downsize and stay in North County.
  • New housing at this scale signals market confidence. When a builder of McBride’s size commits for roughly eight years, other investors notice.

3. Homeownership builds stability and wealth

  • Homeownership is one of the most reliable ways families build generational wealth, and it anchors people to their community.
  • Stable, owner-occupied neighborhoods support stronger schools, safer streets and more civic involvement.

4. Measurable economic impact (McBride Homes projections)

Attribute these figures to McBride Homes. The benefit lasts: construction creates jobs now, and residents sustain the local economy for decades.

5. Meeting everyday needs, including food access

  • About 11 acres are planned for neighborhood retail, including a grocer and restaurants, serving both new residents and the surrounding community.
  • Grocery access has been a long-standing concern in parts of North County. A full-service grocer improves quality of life and keeps local dollars local.
  • More than 38 acres, over a quarter of the site, are dedicated to community amenities, and youth sports uses are planned with St. Louis Councilwoman Webb.

6. A plan shaped by the community

  • Residents have been clear that they want quality homes, a grocery store and places for families and young people. This plan reflects that.
  • Councilwoman Webb’s leadership and her commitment to involving residents, including in naming the community, are the right approach.
  • NCI’s role is to convene partners and advocate for development just like this one that revitalizes neighborhoods and strengthens communities and economic vitality.

7. Proven model, long-term partner

  • McBride’s Crestwood Crossing redevelopment of the former Crestwood Mall shows that this mixed-use model works in St. Louis County.
  • McBride has built in North County for nearly 80 years and has active communities here today. This is a partner invested in the area’s future.
facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
FollowFollow us