Forest Park OKs major revision to Forest Fair Mile plan, clears covenants for Hillman Group operations center

Forest Park city council voted 6-0 July 21 to adopt an ordinance revising the development plan for 50 acres of the Forest Fair Mile property and to approve related agreements terminating covenants that ran with the former shopping mall. The ordinance (19-2025) replaces a previously approved plan for a three-building business park with a single built-to-suit building to serve as an operations center for the Hillman Group, consolidating many of the company's operations in Forest Park, the council was told. The planning commission reviewed the revised plan and "voted unanimously to recommend approval of the ordinance," the mayor said during the discussion. The ordinance requires the developer to submit a final site plan showing landscaping, lighting and signage for planning-commission review and to build an earth mound or berm near the driveway and parking area at the northwest corner of the site, according to the text read into the record. Councilmembers also approved related measures to clear legal obstacles to the redevelopment. Resolution 26-2025 authorized termination of covenants placed on the mall parcels in 1997 that required the land be used as a shopping mall; councilmembers said the mall has ceased operation and buildings will be demolished. Resolution 27-2025 approved a special-assessment refund agreement tied to bond retirement and timing of special-assessment payoffs related to the property. Later, resolution 30-2025 authorized execution of an agreement terminating a recorded party-wall covenant that had run with one of the former big-box parcels. All votes on the redevelopment ordinance and the related resolutions were recorded as 6-0 in favor. The council record shows the mayor moved the ordinance to adoption and the clerk called the roll. Why it matters: The bundle of approvals clears longstanding legal restrictions on the site and replaces a multi-building commercial park design with a single, company-specific operations center, a substantive change in land use and redevelopment approach for a major commercial parcel in the city. The council required final design details and a berm as conditions before construction proceeds. Supporting details and next steps: The developer must deliver a precise final plan for staff and planning-commission approval. Council discussion and the ordinance text specified landscaping, lighting and signage as items to be finalized. The council did not set construction timelines during the meeting. Planning-commission approval and the developer's final submissions will determine exact siting and design.