The Saint Louis Zoo announced this morning that the Saint Louis Zoo Association has signed a contract with Medline Industries, Inc. to purchase the 13.5-acre Forest Park Hospital site at 6150 Oakland.
Payment for the zoo will come from the funds of the Saint Louis Zoo Association, not taxpayer revenue. This site is the only contiguous land available to the zoo.
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The Zoo Association plans to save existing structures on the Forest Park Hospital site where possible (see interim plan above, click image to see larger version), including the parking garage. Short-term uses of the site listed in the project description include adaptive re-use of the medical office building for lab space, additional zoo staff, and new equipment; reuse of the seven-story parking structure to improve traffic flow on Hampton and access to the zoo; and the demolition of buildings not included in the plans, along with site improvements. Potential long-term uses mentioned include the development of commercial space; additional fitness trails, playgrounds, or water features; a multi-modal transportation hub; potential residential development; a physical connection to the park via a people mover, gondola, or pedestrian bridge; and more.
“In the past few weeks, we have brainstormed dozens of ideas for this site,” said Jeffrey F. Bonner, Dana Brown president & CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo, in a press release. “For example, it could help the Zoo further its mission of enhancing the visitor experience by increasing available parking, offering relief for traffic congestion and providing educational opportunities. We think this property could also be the anchor that positions St. Louis as a life sciences leader not just for medical or plant sciences but for animal science and conservation. Some buildings on this site could possibly serve as office, conference and lab space for conservation initiatives.”
If contract conditions warrant, the closing of the purchase is set for late spring.
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