St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC)

Action-oriented economic development that Empowers, Develops & Transforms St. Louis through a vibrant, just & growing economy where all people can thrive.

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

📢➡️ North St. Louis business owners and entrepreneurs: Connect directly with the people who can help your business thrive. 💼

Hosted by SLDC’s Neighborhood Transformation Team, the North St. Louis Business Collective brings city departments, service providers and community partners together at the Northside Economic Empowerment Center (NEEC).

At the March event, attendees received guidance on certifications, taxes, insurance, compliance, financing options and city services. That one-stop-shop experience returns Thursday, June 11, with practical information for businesses looking to launch, strengthen or sustain their work in North St. Louis. ⬇️

📅 Thursday, June 11 | 4 to 6 p.m.
📌 NEEC | 3140 Cass Ave.
📸 Bring your business cards for a chance to win one of 10 free professional headshots

🔗 Register by Sunday, June 7: https://t.co/bWVIxSTvDN

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

A year after the May 2025 tornado, SLDC continues working with City and community partners to support coordinated, long-term economic recovery.

SLDC Tornado Recovery Project Manager Russell Halliday recently spoke with St. Louis Magazine on how that work is moving from strategy to execution. This includes preparing vacant lots for future development, supporting existing and proposed projects, and helping align investment along key corridors in North St. Louis neighborhoods.

🔗Read the full story: https://t.co/Q6WgsSpZ5y

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

A historic community center is one step closer to a new life.

Thanks to funding from the North St. Louis Small Business and Non-Profit Grant Program, the George Washington Carver House—with support from Sigma Legacy Foundation, the charitable arm of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity—is moving towards restoring the north half of the building into a community gathering space.

Read more from @stlpublicradio: https://t.co/J8o6NDtNbt

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

SLDC President and CEO Stephen Westbrooks recently shared his perspective on the ongoing conversation around development in St. Louis, following a recent story by the @stlouisbiz.

In his post, Stephen discussed the importance of creating a development environment that is both more predictable and more inclusive — with stronger communication, clearer processes and accountability that support long-term outcomes for the city.

Visit Stephen's LinkedIn to read the full post and find the St. Louis Business Journal article below.

📝 https://t.co/JJKo7aiT3b
🔗 https://t.co/s2y2P8LVIf

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS & CONTRACTORS who want to master the process of pricing projects for maximum profitability & competitiveness. Join the 3-part Bidding & Estimating Academy on 6/16 to learn a structured, repeatable process to accurately calculate costs, assess risks & create professional bids & estimates.

Register: https://t.co/R5fR2t3sw0

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

Today, we remember and honor everyone who gave their lives in service to our country.

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

The NEEC, BAC and SLDC will be closed on Monday, May 25, for Memorial Day. Regular business hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26.

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

Downtown St. Louis is getting a refresh!

SLDC, in coalition with @GreaterSTLInc and @STLcid, remains committed to beautifying downtown using Disney-inspired strategies to enhance the experience for residents and visitors.

"What's key for us is that people walk away with a positive experience of our downtown," said Howard Hayes, SLDC's Business Development Specialist. Improvements include painting boards and buildings, cleaning around the Railway Exchange Building, pressure washing sidewalks and refreshing highly visible areas.

Find more details on the initiative below.
📹 @FOX2now: https://t.co/brYLxPek70
📹 @KSDKnews: https://t.co/lkTUXZZioL

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

SLDC has released a training video to help educate the public on the requirements and policies governing redevelopment agreements at both the state and city levels. Topics include tax increment financing (TIF), development proposal procedures and more.

https://t.co/3te0Lilj89

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

“At its core, SLDC’s work is about catalyzing thoughtful development and economic growth across the city." - SLDC President and CEO Stephen Westbrooks. 🎤

This morning, Stephen joined @KMOX’s Megan Lynch to discuss how SLDC is helping move St. Louis forward through strategic partnerships and investment tools.

With Stephen at the helm, priorities include fostering stronger coordination across City departments, creating a more efficient process for developers and businesses and leveraging tax credits and incentives. He also highlighted how recent legislation tied to innovation districts and historic tax credits can help attract investment and support redevelopment in the region.

🎥 Watch the interview beginning at 2:42:00: https://t.co/XUqeVPbQ10

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

Residents are invited to join the Recovery Office of the City of St. Louis (@STLCityGov) for a Tornado Recovery Community Meeting and Resource Fair tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19.

As recovery efforts continue across North St. Louis following the May 2025 tornado, these meetings remain an important space for residents to ask questions, access resources, receive guidance and stay informed about work happening in their neighborhoods.

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

Revitalization in Dutchtown continues through strong neighborhood partnerships. 🏘️

SLDC proudly supports @DutchtownSTL as they work to reactivate vacant properties, connect developers to opportunities and help bring new housing and investment to the neighborhood. Over the past three years, Dutchtown Main Streets’ efforts have helped move nearly 40 occupied housing units into the development pipeline.

Now, the organization is once again bringing together developers, contractors and community partners for Develop Dutchtown — a networking event focused on development tools, incentives and opportunities that can help move projects forward.

Topics will include updates on vacancy abatement efforts, information on historic tax credits, tax abatement options through SLDC, shovel-ready projects and ways to stay connected with development opportunities in Dutchtown.

📅 Tuesday, May 19 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
📌 Intertwine Wine Bar | 4710 Virginia Ave.

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

The 3-part Bidding & Estimating Academy starts on June 16. An essential program for business owners & contractors who want to master the process of pricing projects for maximum profitability & competitiveness, participants will move beyond guesswork to learn a structured, repeatable process to accurately calculate costs, assess risks & create professional bids & estimates.

Details & Registration: https://t.co/vGT8hdl3PW

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

A predictable and transparent development process is essential to attracting projects that move St. Louis City forward.

In a recent interview with the @Stlouisbiz, SLDC President and CEO Stephen Westbrooks discussed the importance of creating a more consistent development process across the city. A key part of building a stronger development ecosystem, he said, is ensuring developers understand expectations upfront and experience consistency throughout the life of a project.

Read the full article here: https://t.co/SimyDhcZdo

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

Peace Park’s first phase of revitalization is complete! 🌳

To celebrate the Phase 1 grand opening of Peace Park, College Hill community members and the Green City Coalition — a partnership between SLDC, the City of St. Louis, Missouri Department of Conservation and Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District — are collaborating with the Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) to host an OVP Kickback event.

Enjoy free food, music, activities and community resources focused on behavioral health, conflict mediation, trauma support, youth programming and more. The event will also recognize the one-year anniversary of the May 16 tornado.

Built through partnership and neighborhood vision, Peace Park is transforming once-vacant land into a vibrant community green space. This gathering is an opportunity to reflect, reconnect and continue supporting recovery while celebrating the future of College Hill.

📆 May 16 | 2 to 5 p.m.
📍 Peace Park | E. Grand and Strodtman Place (2024 E. Grand)

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

CERTIFICATION TRAINING: Join SLDC's May training sessions to learn about the MWBE Certification Program and how it can help create more opportunities for your company in the regional economy.

Details: https://t.co/seqEJEBXV3

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

A new investment is moving into North St. Louis. 🚚🤝

Local law firm Timmerman Law LLC is relocating to the Penrose neighborhood with a vision to bring new energy and opportunity to an area impacted by the May 2025 tornado. With approval to acquire four lots through the Land Reutilization Authority (LRA), which is staffed by SLDC, attorney Mark Timmerman plans to transform underutilized land into a community-centered business hub—potentially including space for shops and a small business incubator.

Timmerman said he wants children growing up in Penrose to experience consistent improvements in their neighborhood and access to resources, while also creating space for new businesses to open, from neighborhood entrepreneurs and beyond, to bring jobs and opportunity.

This move is an example of how LRA leverages strategic land reuse to support neighborhood recovery and help restore economic activity in historically disinvested areas.

📰 Read more: https://t.co/7Dn51xmw05

[St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) @DevelopStLouis]

👏 North St. Louis is seeing continued investment in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood.📍

Sensient Colors is expanding its St. Louis facility to grow its natural color production, meeting rising demand for cleaner and more transparent ingredients. Plus:
🔹 28,000 square feet of specialized production space added to its existing facility
🔹 More than 84 new jobs expected

This week, the Enhanced Enterprise Zone Board (EEZB), supported by SLDC, approved tax abatement for the project, marking an important step in progressing economic opportunity and strengthening the region’s food manufacturing sector.

Read more from the @stltoday: https://t.co/WGQXYmB2Xa