University of Missouri–St. Louis Chancellor Kristin Sobolik and St. Louis County Council Chair Rita Heard Days watch as County Executive Dr. Sam Page signs a bill directing $10 million to support the North County Business and Workforce District being planned on UMSL’s South Campus. Page signed the bill during his State of the County Address Tuesday morning at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)

St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page took a pause in his own State of the County Address on Tuesday morning and called University of Missouri–St. Louis Chancellor Kristin Sobolik and St. Louis County Council Chair Rita Heard Days to the stage in the E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center on UMSL’s North Campus.

A crew carried a table and chairs out from behind a curtain and positioned it to the left of the lectern, and Page walked over and took a seat as Sobolik and Days stood beside him.

On the table, awaiting his signature, was a bill directing $10 million to support the UMSL North County Business and Workforce District being planned for the university’s South Campus.

“Last year, I proposed that unspent ARPA money be used to replace lost county revenue,” said Page, referring to federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. “This allowed us to use the dollars in our general fund without the restrictions and time constraints that come with the federal rules and regulations. Doing this also saved $10 million in administrative costs on the part of the ARPA program.

“Working with the council, including Chair Rita Days, we were able to get these funds appropriated for UMSL, specifically for their multiyear effort to transform the campus and to continue the university’s mission to be more deeply involved with the community. This is a transformational project for UMSL and north St. Louis County, and we are excited to be a part of it.”

The St. Louis County Council voted in December to appropriate the money for the project, which will follow on the heels of the university’s $110 million Transform UMSL initiative. That initiative is transforming and modernizing the campus to meet the needs of students now and in the future. UMSL is establishing a more cohesive academic core on North Campus and freeing up 35 acres of land for mixed-use redevelopment south of Natural Bridge Road.

The state of the Missouri has directed $80 million in ARPA funding to support the Transform UMSL initiative, which is also being supported by private donations that support the university’s mission.

Plans for the district call for new investments in north St. Louis County that will have a positive impact on surrounding communities by attracting new businesses, employees and eventually amenities and services like a childcare center, grocery store, restaurants and other mixed-use commercial and residential spaces.

“We are grateful to our elected leadership in St. Louis County for their support and financial investment in our vision for South Campus,” said Sobolik, during her welcoming remarks.

She offered special thanks for Days and her long-time partnership as the representative of District 1, which includes UMSL.

“We thank all the members of the St. Louis County Council for joining the conversation about UMSL and for learning more about our vision for the University of Missouri–St. Louis’ future,” Sobolik said. “And Dr. Sam Page, thank you for your leadership and for supporting UMSL growth and our ability to serve the region. We are grateful to you and value your partnership.”