Clinton-Peabody Redevelopment Gains Momentum

Clinton-Peabody Redevelopment Gains Momentum
Phase One Demolition Begins

ST. LOUIS, MO - A resident-informed redevelopment plan for new and modern housing is now a reality as demolition begins on Phase One of the historic Clinton-Peabody Apartments. Built in 1942, Clinton-Peabody Apartments is the oldest public housing development in St. Louis, owned and operated by St. Louis Housing Authority (SLHA). In November 2022, SLHA and a committee of residents and community stakeholders chose Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) to lead the resident-centered redevelopment plans for the multi-phased redevelopment.

“Today, we celebrate the legacy of Clinton-Peabody by building its future,” said SLHA Executive Director Latasha Barnes. “Together, we are laying the groundwork for opportunity, stability, and hope—for today’s families and generations to come. This moment stands as a testament to the strength and vision of the residents who imagined and inspired this new horizon.”

“This is a huge next step on the road to fully realizing a new vision for Clinton-Peabody Apartments,” said POAH President and CEO Aaron Gornstein. “With demolition under way, we can now look ahead to constructing new buildings and homes in 2026. We are grateful to the SLHA, our community stakeholders and, most of all, the people who call Clinton-Peabody home for helping us reach this milestone.”

Due to the aging housing stock in need of upgraded systems and improvements, residents voted overwhelmingly during development planning meetings in 2023 to demolish existing buildings and replace them with modern housing. The redevelopment will ultimately create 350 new mixed-income apartments and affordable for-sale homes, centered around a reconfigured street grid, a renovated Al Chappelle Community Center, and a new central park.

All current Clinton-Peabody residents will have the opportunity for new housing in the redeveloped community. Residents who lived in the buildings in the demolition area participated in temporary onsite transfers to refreshed on-site units in 2023 and 2024.

Phase One demolition phase will include six buildings, with eight additional vacated buildings prepared for future demolition. Roanoke Construction serves as the general contractor, with Spirtas Worldwide as the demolition subcontractor for this phase. Demolition is funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds awarded by City of St. Louis Community Development Administration, along with Capital Funds provided by the St. Louis Housing Authority. The construction of the first phase, which will include 89 new construction housing units, is expected to begin in early 2026.

A Clinton-Peabody community clean-up volunteer effort led by Unicorn Group, POAH, and SLHA will also take place in September 2025.

Key development partners include: POAH; SLHA; Clinton-Peabody residents; Clinton-Peabody Tenant Advisory Board; Ameren; Trivers; David Mason & Associates; Custom Engineering, Inc.; Central Energy Audits; Arbolope; Key Strategic Group; Unicorn Group; and Lamar Johnson Collaborative. Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, Prosperity Connection, Employment Connection, St. Louis Small Business Empowerment Center and an array of leading service and economic empowerment partners will be engaged in a robust service plan focused on helping residents maintain housing stability and access new opportunities to achieve their goals for success.