Wildwood moves ‘Great Streets’ forward

In an effort to move forward with the Manchester Road Great Streets Initiative, the city of Wildwood on Feb. 25 authorized an agreement to work together with the cities of Ballwin and Ellisville to form a special purpose district.

For the past five years, Wildwood has participated with its neighboring communities of Ellisville, Ballwin, Winchester and Manchester in a comprehensive planning effort to analyze and develop a strategy to revitalize the Manchester Road corridor. The effort was supported through a Great Streets program planning grant from East-West Gateway Council of Governments, which provided the cities the opportunity to hire a professional design firm to develop a master plan for the future development and redevelopment of the corridor.

Dan Dubruiel, Wildwood city administrator, said Winchester and Manchester “have kind of fallen by the wayside” and declined to participate in the special purpose district. Ballwin and Ellisville have already authorized their participation.

Dubruiel said the city is “at the very infancy” of preparing more specific information.

“I look at this as an opportunity to work together with the other municipalities to achieve future grants and funding opportunities,” Dubruiel said.

The resolution included engaging Attorney Jon Dalton, mayor of Town & Country, who is with the law firm Lewis, Rice & Fingersh and who volunteered to help prepare and promote the legal agreement. He has an extensive background representing clients, including public agencies, before the Missouri State Legislature.

Mayor Tim Woerther said the city would eventually establish the district and discuss the boundaries and objectives.

“Unfortunately, we have to go through the city legislature to be able to do that,” he said.