Green Outlines “Improved” Lease

The following is from the office of Comptroller Darlene Green:

St. Louis Comptroller Darlene Green is prepared to move forward and support the lease of 9.4 acres of Forest Park to BJC to accommodate the hospital’s future healthcare service expansion in the city of St. Louis. The lease agreement is vastly improved now in large part because of direct discussions between BJC and Citizens to Protect Forest Park facilitated by Comptroller Green.

Compromise has merit and guarantee:

Green space will be preserved in city parks.

• Prohibition ordinance which prohibits the sale, lease, or giveaway of parkland (see attached PDF file).
• No net loss of green space in Forest Park will occur with BJC expansion.
• “Green Ribbon” committee created.

Forest Park and other city parks maintenance is funded.

• $3.8 million annually for Forest Park maintenance and 1.2 million annually for other park maintenance.
• All other city parks receive equal treatment and equal funding.

BJC to expand in the city with approved lease extension.

• City’s largest employer expanding in the city protects jobs.
• $1.5 billion of construction by BJC in the city creates jobs.
• Northside 24 hour emergency medical facility plan completed by 2008.

“I believe that all sides have reached some common ground enabling the lease agreement to move forward. I honor the request of Citizens to Protect Forest Park to create a “Green Ribbon” committee that provides for an open, public process in the tradition of the Forest Park Master Plan with citizen involvement in any further park planning.

“While a compromise is never perfect, neither side is getting everything they initially wanted. But working together achieves a greater benefit for all involved,” explained Comptroller Green.

The following is a list of improvements to the Forest Park/BJC lease agreement:

• No net loss of green space to Forest Park as a result of the lease.
• The amount of land in the lease is down from 12.9 acres to 9.4 acres. When you add that to 4.5 acres of green space additions to Forest Park since the master plan; anywhere from 2 to 7 acres returned to the park from highway 40 construction; and BJC agreeing to setting aside a minimum of 15% green space on the site, there is a net gain of green space to Forest Park.
• Forest Park will receive $2 million a year (originally $1.6 million) from the BJC lease in addition to $1.8 million a year (originally $1.6 million) from Forest Park Forever for the life of the 99-year lease. This amounts to $38 million for ten years before BJC plans to begin construction.
• A companion prohibition ordinance to the lease agreement that protects the city’s park land from future sale or lease and holds BJC accountable in the event Proposition P on the April 3 ballot fails.
• There is an amendment to the lease that requires the city to equally fund north and south side park improvements and maintenance.
• There is an amendment to the lease that holds BJC accountable for building a 24 hour emergency center in North St. Louis.

The Board of Estimate and Apportionment has scheduled a special meeting on Friday, Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. in the mayor’s office to take up the lease issue. The meeting is open to the public.