By Adam Allington, Saint Louis Public Radio
Fenton, MO – When the last Chrysler rolled off the assembly line in Fenton last July, it took some 1200 blue-collar jobs with it.
Now, St. Louis County officials say plans are in the works to repurpose the two shuttered-Chrysler plants as an alternative energy business park.
Denny Coleman is the president of the St. Louis County Economic Development Council. While progress has been slow, he says plans are moving forward.
"Unlike the first many months, where there were only the real estate tire-kickers looking at the plant," says Coleman. "More recently, there has been legitimate interest on the part of more substantive companies and developers."
Coleman says the county is currently in the process of soliciting a feasibility study which it will then use to approach prospective buyers.
St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley says he's confident that the 300-acre plant will be re-purposed eventually.
"The longer it stays empty, the longer it will be empty," says Dooley. "We think we have some opportunities with this, we can't say it, but there are some people genuinely interested in that land, no question about it."
The St. Louis County Economic Development Council plans to send out RFP's for the feasibility study next week.