The Forest Park Planning Commission on Oct. 16 approved a conditional use permit (CUP2025-05) to allow Mid South Roofing Systems to establish a workforce training center as part of a multifunctional corporate campus at 564 Main Street in Ward 2.

Planning staff described the proposal as adaptive reuse of an approximately 2.85-acre parcel to accommodate corporate offices, administrative functions, and a specialized training facility in a building labeled B5. Staff noted that the Downtown Main Street District does not explicitly list the proposed training and material-storage activities as permitted uses; the conditional use permit provides a path to allow those internal, employer-focused activities under specified conditions.

Staff recommended approval with multiple conditions intended to limit external impacts. Key conditions presented in the staff report include: authorized uses restricted to internal employee instruction related to roofing and related trades; prohibition on public access, customer-facing retail, or on-site sales at the training facility; operational limits to avoid excessive noise or traffic; deliveries limited to light‑duty trucks or vans (no semi-trailers or 18-wheelers); demolition of a detached garage and a portion of the main building as shown in the site plan; required pedestrian and ADA upgrades; and a requirement that the 29-foot silo tower near Puckett Street be retained as a signature architectural element.

Jeff Mitchell, representing Mid South Roofing Systems, said the company plans to use the site for administrative headquarters and training. "18% of our current workforce lives in the city, as it is now, and our intent is to grow and and be a good neighbor," Mitchell said. He also described the training goal: "By establishing a full time 18,000 square foot training center and putting full time people in training and development, that's our goal." Mitchell said the training program includes OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 and participation in SkillsUSA and that the company aims to recruit locally.

Planning staff and the applicant clarified that the training activities are intended for employees only, that the training center will not include manufacturing for sale or retail operations, and that deliveries associated with the center will be limited to light trucks.

The planning commission voted to approve the conditional use permit with the staff-recommended conditions, and the decision recorded a requirement that any improvements remain substantially consistent with the submitted site plans and that all applicable building, fire, accessibility and occupational training regulations be met prior to occupancy.