👋 Good Morning, West County!

In today’s ⚡️West County Pulse newsletter:

🏠 Cardinals Star Home Sale
🏠 STL Housing Affordability
🍹 Narwhal's Expands in Chesterfield

Let’s jump into today’s newsletter!

— Jared Michel

Top Stories

🏠 Tommy Edman's Creve Coeur Home Hits Market

Former St. Louis Cardinals infielder Tommy Edman has listed his Creve Coeur home for $1.48 million. Located in Ladue Woods Estates, the one-acre property features an atrium ranch design with five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. The home includes custom amenities like two bars, multiple gas fireplaces, and a wine cellar. Checkout the full Zillow listing here.

🏠 StL Ranks #2 in Home Affordability

St. Louis ranks second in home affordability among major U.S. metros according to a new Zillow report. The analysis shows 64.2% of local home listings are within reach for median-income households. This places our region well ahead of most other metropolitan areas, where buyers face significantly tighter markets./

🤝 County Listens to Local Voices

St. Louis County residents are providing input for the region's new comprehensive plan at community workshops. Local feedback will help shape decisions about parks, housing, and infrastructure through 2050. The planning department will release a draft this winter, with final adoption set for fall 2025.

🐾 Animal Shelter Changes Coming in Feb

Starting February 2024, St. Louis County will resume control of its Olivette animal shelter from the Animal Protective Association, discontinuing the current volunteer program. The shelter, which currently depends on more than 300 volunteers contributing nearly 28,000 hours annually, will transition to a staff-only operation with 54 county employees.

Business

🍹 Narwhal's Opens in Chesterfield

A new Narwhal's Crafted location is marking its official grand opening in Chesterfield with a community celebration tomorrow (Nov 21st). The event will run from 5-9pm, featuring free Steve's Hot Dogs for the first 100 guests and various giveaways throughout the evening. Twenty percent of sales will support Stray Paws Rescue.

🏢 Music Facility Plans Face New Delay

St. Louis County officials are considering an extension for Gateway Studios' tax incentives in Chesterfield. The development team has requested pushing the completion date to late 2025, with tax breaks continuing through 2032. Once complete, the 32-acre facility plans to create 100 local jobs and support major concert tours.

🏃 Lululemon Grand Opening at West County Center

A bigger, better Lululemon awaits West County shoppers. The athletic wear retailer has completed its expansion at West County Center and will celebrate with a grand opening on today (Nov 20th) from 6-8pm. The enhanced space promises improved product displays and shopping flow.

City Highlights

Ballwin

🦃 Ballwin's Turkey Tee-Off Next Week

Ballwin Golf Course's Turkey Bowl Scramble is returning for Thanksgiving weekend next week. Starting at 10am Saturday, teams of three will compete in an 18-hole tournament format. The event will host 18 teams divided into three flights, with prizes for top finishers in each division. Online registration required here.

Chesterfield

🚶 City Seeking Input on Walking Routes

Chesterfield officials have launched a new community survey about walking and biking infrastructure. The Parks and Recreation Department is gathering resident feedback to understand how people want to move through the city. The interactive survey will help planners develop more accessible routes throughout Chesterfield.

🎅 Parks Dept Unveils Santa Cookie Social

Chesterfield's Parks and Recreation Department has unveiled its latest holiday offering. The department announced the return of their Cookies with the Clauses event, scheduled for December 6 at City Hall. Officials shared that children ages 2-12 can attend in pajamas for an evening of cookies and storytelling with Santa and Mrs. Claus starting at 6:30 p.m. Visit the city’s website here to learn more and register.

Creve Coeur

🏠 Double Win at City Council Meeting

The November 12th Creve Coeur City Council meeting brought good news for both tradition and trends. The St. Louis Lodge #9 secured approval for expansion with neighborhood-friendly modifications, while Bellerive Plaza will welcome Teasday, a new bubble tea shop in the former Edward Jones space.

Manchester

🌍 Manchester Hits Recycling Milestone

Manchester's community recycling program was able to reach an important milestone. Residents contributed over 1,000 pounds of plastic bags to the city's collection challenge, earning a new recycled bench for the community. Though the city's collection has concluded, local businesses continue to accept plastic bags for recycling.

🚧 Roads Getting a Fresh Face in Manchester

Major infrastructure improvements are coming to Manchester. The city is hosting its final information session about planned upgrades to Carman and Hanna roads tomorrow (Nov 21st) at 6:30pm at City Hall. Residents can learn about new sidewalks, construction schedules, and potential property impacts from city engineers.

Town & Country

🏠 T&C Adds New Property Tax

Town and Country residents will see a new line item on their tax bills this year. The city is implementing its first municipal property tax since 1997 to address a $1 million annual budget shortfall. The tax rate of 23 cents per $100 assessed value will generate $2.4 million yearly for city services.

Wildwood

🎨 Wildwood Logo Contest Ending Soon

Wildwood is still seeking submissions for its 30th anniversary logo design contest. The city will award $500 to the winning designer who can capture Wildwood's community spirit. All entries must be submitted by the Friday (November 22nd) deadline, and complete contest rules are available on the city's website here.

🌊 Wildwood Updates Flood Risk Maps

New flood risk assessments are available for Wildwood residents to review. FEMA's preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps include updated data that will replace the existing 2015 versions. Property owners, especially those near water features, can check how these changes might affect their flood risk status using the city's interactive mapping system.

📸 Vote Now: Wildwood's Best Shots of 2024

Local photographers have captured Wildwood's natural splendor in stunning detail, and now it's time for residents to choose the winners. The annual photography contest features breathtaking shots from around the community, with 13 winning photos to be selected. Voting runs through tomorrow (November 21st), with winners announced December 5th.

Valley Park

🏆 Valley Park Honors Soccer Team

Valley Park's Board of Aldermen dedicated a portion of their regular meeting this week to recognize Will Geary and the Valley Park HS Hawks soccer team yesterday evening. Mayor Webster presented the official recognition, acknowledging the team's accomplishments during the public meeting at City Hall.

THANKS!

Thanks for reading this edition of the ⚡️ West County Pulse newsletter. If you found something useful, please share it with a friend!

Did I miss something? Let me know at [email protected]

Interested in advertising your business in the West County Pulse? Let’s talk