Running perpendicular to I-70 and the Streets of St. Charles, is Bangert Island—a 1.6 mile stretch of pristine riverfront property that stands as a 160-acre park between the Katy Trail and the Missouri River. The City of St. Charles has big plans for that area...a mixed-use development aptly named Riverpointe that, when completed, will nearly double the size of Streets of St. Charles. This is just the first phase of the planned 120-acre development.
“We’re taking an area that was pretty much forgotten and making it more accessible to everyone,” says Mike Klinghammer, economic development specialist for the City of St. Charles.
The concept, says Mike, is to develop a healthy component of retail and entertainment venues such as shops, bars, and restaurants, with room for multi-family housing such as condos or apartments, similar to the Streets of St. Charles.
“This all started with the success of Streets of St. Charles,” says Mike. “We were fortunate that development filled up so quickly, so we started looking at how to add on to this.”
To understand and appreciate the City's vision of keeping the natural habitat of Bangert Island as it coexists with the proposed development, is to go back to the history of the island, starting in the 1950s.
The land once belonged to Louis Bangert, who established it as a wildlife oasis. It was kept in the family until 1976, when it was donated to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), as a wildlife oasis. It stayed the property of MDC for almost 40 years before being sold to St. Charles, which subsequently leased the land to the County. Volunteer groups and the county parks department constructed four miles of natural surface trails that are used for hiking, off-road bicycling, bird watching, and fishing.
Mike says the City of St. Charles pledges to keep the island in its natural state, while coupling the natural environment with the modern development, not excluding one from the other. There will be a pedestrian bridge to the island for easy access and nature paths.
“We’re really excited about this development. It’s close enough to the City and other restaurants so people will be able to take advantage of those but will give us the ability to see and enjoy the river."
Much thought has also been put into eliminating any risk of flooding. The City has been working with the federal government and the Corps of Engineers on a solution, which is to create a basin and sea wall to elevate more than 100 acres of ground above the 500-year floodplain, and thus, remove the risk of flooding in the area.
This, Mike says, will redistribute the fill from the river that was already there so it won’t affect flooding in other areas and will re-establish the canal.
While there are concerns about ensuring the island remains a natural conservatory, Mike believes the project will keep Bangert Island Park in its natural state and will actually restore damaged habitat.
The development will occur in three Phases:
Phase 1: This phase broke ground last summer and has a price tag of approximately $15.8 million. It abuts the Streets of St. Charles and I-70. It includes extending Lombard Street, and creating a roundabout;
Phase 2: Approximate cost is 36.6 million, with proposed enhancements around the St. Charles Family Arena, including an 80-acre mixed-use space of retail and entertainment venues. It will be the last phase to be developed and will accommodate a large entertainment venue, akin to Great Wolf Lodge or Pro Golf;
Phase 3: This 20-acre phase will develop the parcels connecting Phase 1 and Phase 2 and will provide an important linkage to regional attractions.
According to Mike, the project will create about 4,000 new jobs and stimulate approximately $1.5 billion in growth for the area. “It’s a pretty piece of land,” says Mike. “When we’re done it’ll have the natural elements from Bangert Island. You can be next to the water while enjoying yourself at restaurants and shops.”
