Built on a flat, nondescript piece of former farm land, with maybe 6 trees, New Town St. Charles is the embodiment of the phrase “if you build it, they will come”. Having been annexed by the City of St. Charles, it weathered the 2007 recession as one of best-selling communities in suburban St. Louis. The key to its place-making success has been the leadership of its developer, Greg Whittaker, to fully embrace both the daunting requirement of providing 90 acres of retention ponds to address the area’s flood-prone history, and the challenge to deliver the broadest range of housing of any DPZ project. The ubiquitous water has become what both defines the character of the place and orients the visitor. Designed in collaboration with Corban and Goode Landscape Architects, the richly detailed park spaces framing the water’s edge are connected to small squares and courts woven throughout. It has become the destination of choice for the region, whether for hanging out on the weekends or as the backdrop for weddings and grad nights.
Development Approach
Make small & local possible: incubator retail prioritized/subsidized early in the development
Affordability and variety: unusual mix of housing typologies and lifestyles were a developer requirement.
Social synergies: town hall + market + post office; bar + beach volleyball
Destination urbanism: landmark chapel + town center green = thriving event business hub.
Defining Design Details
Delicate balance: simple building forms & linear streets vs. richly textured landscaping
Double-duty: the network of lakes and canals = storm water management + ambitious recreational program.
Public realm focus: biggest investment into public spaces and infrastructure = bridges + monuments.
