To the editor:

I think Crestwood has a wonderful opportunity to continue to define itself using the 47-acre lot where the mall currently sits.

Right now, Crestwood is best known as an affordable, family-friendly community with great schools. While these are wonderful attributes, I think we lack a cultural and economic gathering place that is uniquely Crestwood.

The surrounding communities of Webster, Kirkwood and Maplewood have done a great job of creating a community identity built around dense, pedestrian-friendly areas with a mix of residential and commercial space. These are the areas that families, including Crestwood families, go to on weekends.

Right now, Crestwood’s commercial district is largely made up of Watson Road. With its almost complete reliance on strip malls, this area offers little in terms of identity or gathering places. With the poor state of the current mall, it looks like we have a complete blank slate with which to work.

My hope is that all parties involved view this as an opportunity to further define our community and support our Crestwood residents.

I think a pedestrian-friendly, commercial/residential redevelopment that offers residents lots of green space, possibly incorporating the existing Grant’s Trail, would capture that spirit and create lasting economic growth.