Ballwin, Missouri

while Target is a major superstore, for the most part, the city’s commercial sector occupies smaller footprints. According to Kuntz, “This was the old stagecoach route, right on historic Route 66, and we did have a bit of a heritage district at one time. It’s kind of interesting; we had the first African-American missionary church west of the Mississippi River and in 2000, we had a proposal to redevelop about 50 acres in that area and turn some of the older, sub-standard housing into a shopping plaza. That location is now anchored by Lowes. At the time, I worked very closely with the minister and the congregation to relocate their antiquated church to a modern facility, two blocks away, where it is now thriving. We also have a few newcomers filling vacancies in the plaza, including Defy St. Louis and The Edge Fitness Center – and they’re built around a series of restaurant chains like McAllister’s, Applebee’s, Texas Roadhouse, and Starbucks. So, we’re seeing a re-composition of what the downtown would be. Unfortunately we don’t have that really cute historic courthouse kind of district where people say, ‘I’ll meet you for coffee at the square.’ So, we are making the best of what we have. Every city has its strengths and weaknesses and if you try to replicate something that you’re not, you’re doomed to fail.” Ballwin is a lovely, scenic community that is committed to walkability. In that regard, they just completed a Parks Master Plan, which placed trails and connections very high on the list. The density component encompassing mixed-use, commercial/residential has not completely caught on, but Kuntz is assured it’s a missing piece whose time is coming. In the meantime, there is a rise in the number of condos and detached living options, as well as a wide variety of apartments. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a lot of local residents want to age in place and the opportunity to get into a retirement village at some point, with an extended care option to it, is becoming a high demand. Ballwin is currently seeing more of BALLWIN, MI SSOUR I