A proposed residential development in University City would absorb 10.7 acres of undeveloped land in an unused part of United Hebrew Cemetery. If approved by the city council, William James Capital LLC, the buyer of the property, plans to build 108 townhomes. The development, known as The Enclave on Canton, would also feature amenities, including a coffeeshop and pickle ball courts.

University City residential development planned on cemetery land

United Hebrew Congregation has attempted to sell the tract of land previously, and it has been under contract with other developers, said Ben Cherry, who has served on an advisory committee to the synagogue to assist with the disposition of the property.

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“We feel very good about the current developers that we’re working with and we’re very excited for the plans,” Cherry said. “And frankly, we think it’s going to be a tremendous asset to the neighborhood.”

The section of land is listed for sale for $1.2 million. A Sept. 9 communication from UH noted that the property has never been part of the burial grounds and that the board of trustees determined several years ago it was not needed for future expansion. After the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) and the University City Stormwater Commission provide input, a final decision to approve the development by the city council of University City will still be required.

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Neighbors fear flooding near University City residential development

Some residents of the neighborhood adjacent to the property have expressed concern about the development because of the potential for flooding in the area, which is near the River Des Peres. Overflow from the river in low-lying areas has caused problems with overflowing sewers in the past. One recent significant incident occurred after heavy rains in July 2022. The section of Canton Avenue near Mendell Drive is vulnerable to stormwater runoff and forms a basin, according to Arthur Wasserman who lives on Mendell.

“While these epic floods get a lot of attention, the wooded area in question here actually retains and it absorbs all the other days of the year, that have typical saturating rain,” said Wasserman, 73. “But the wooded area absorbs that, and it prevents flooding. It prevents the additional contribution of water into the MSD system. The wooded area provides an excellent source of watershed flood prevention in this area.”

Developers say University City residential development includes stormwater fixes

The Enclave on Canton plans call for a retention pond intended to capture rainwater and mitigate flooding. William James Capital has been in communication with MSD and the stormwater commission, Cherry said.

“We feel very confident that they are being diligent developers as they should be in order to address the concerns of the neighbors,” said Cherry, who noted that while the concerns of the neighbors are valid, UH Cemetery will remain one of the largest neighbors, so it has a vested interest in not causing damage to the surrounding area.

“The synagogue is not only the seller for this excess ground that will be used for the project, but moving forward, we are going to be the largest adjoining neighbor to this proposed project,” he said. “So, the same concerns regarding flooding we share that the neighbors share. And as a result from day one, we have localized those concerns, and the developers have very diligently engaged in engineering and have been in communication with MSD from day one.

“It’s important to note that these developers have been working on this project for two years and they have been extremely patient and persistent in bringing this project to reality,” he said. “They have been working with the city of University City as well as their various boards and commissions in order to make sure that the project is successful and the project is a good fit for the neighborhood. We’re excited to see it come forward.”