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CLAYTON — Construction cranes slice through the sky at Forsyth and Brentwood boulevards.

The project, a $250 million twin-tower high-rise called Forsyth Pointe, is one of seven developments planned or under construction in downtown Clayton. Together, they will add offices, hotels, shops and hundreds of apartments here over the next few years.

But they are also emptying Clayton’s quaint, squat storefronts, block by block, giving each a date with a wrecking ball. City officials lament the loss but say there’s little they can do. Residents and business owners fear the city is losing the essence of what they love about Clayton.

“People are realistic and understand times are changing. But finding a balance is important,” said Brian Kinman, who lives in a nearby condo.

Cities across the country are aiming to energize tired downtowns with residents, retail and nightlife. But they face a unique predicament now: Weaving in the new developments with the old, to maintain each community’s unique character. Getting the right mix is an art, said John Hoal, founder of planning and design firm ӣ����Ƶ H3 Studio Inc.

“Every city needs to find its soul and build upon that,” Hoal said.

Clayton is the ӣ����Ƶ County seat and a second downtown for the region, host to blue-chip companies such as Centene Corp., Enterprise Holdings and Commerce Bank.

And this isn’t the first cycle of redevelopment here. Small shops have given way to offices and condominiums before. ӣ����Ƶ County, for example, in the early 1990s took over a half-block that included a tavern and coin shop for a new jail.

But the development underway now is unusually transformative. Seven projects, worth nearly $600 million, are either planned or under construction. City officials hope they’ll add residents and boost foot traffic, especially in the evenings when offices close and streets empty out.

The city’s been trying to get more nightlife for at least a few years. In 2019, it created an entertainment district to encourage outdoor dining and music.

“We want to appeal to our younger residents a little more now,” said Clayton Mayor Michelle Harris.

It’s especially important, Harris said, after the coronavirus pandemic decimated the city’s sales tax receipts. The tax is a major revenue source for a city that banks heavily on the hospitality industry. In its latest annual report — from September 2019 to September 2020 — the city reported a 6.8% drop in sales tax revenue, its biggest decline in over a decade.

City officials fear the full impact of the pandemic will be worse. In July 2020, for example, sales tax revenue fell 46% over July 2019, to $333,340 from $622,365.

“The pandemic hit Clayton hard,” Harris said.

Clayton needs other kinds of businesses, she said, that aren’t dependent on the hotels and business travel.

The new projects will help.

Cities change

ӣ����Ƶ-based real estate firm Balke Brown Transwestern plans to build 237 apartments, plus ground-floor retail and an “office den,” for residents to work from home, on a half-acre that borders North Central, Maryland and North Bemiston avenues. The historic Shanley Building on Maryland will remain. The company bought the site from the late Fred Kummer, who had pitched a hotel and condo project there before abandoning the idea.

“Clayton has always had desirable office space, but there’s not enough people living downtown,” said CEO Steve Brown.

Two ӣ����Ƶ-area companies, Green Street Real Estate Ventures and Midas Enterprises, plan to build 73 condominiums and a 180-room hotel at North Central and Forsyth. Longtime Clayton newsstand World News closed in part because of the development. On the other side of the block, on South Bemiston, Green Street wants to build 270 apartments. Both projects would have space for retail and restaurants.

“What we’re going to bring is a lot of street life and venues that really speak to excitement and interest of keeping those people there after the job hour, but also living in the city,” said Green Street CEO Phil Hulse.

Even more projects could be on deck. Global footwear company Caleres put its campus near Maryland and Forsyth up for sale last year, though the company said in its latest earnings report that it has yet to attract a buyer. ӣ����Ƶ County officials are weighing options for the Lawrence K. Roos building, at 41 South Central Avenue, that include renovating the property or demolishing it and moving elsewhere. And Centene Corp. has paused further phases of its $770 million expansion that originally included an auditorium and a hotel. A company spokesperson said that Centene continues to “evaluate our workplace and facility requirements, including our Clayton headquarters, as we activate new hybrid working styles.”

“Live, work, play” is a developer buzzword, but urban planning experts said it harkens back to how downtowns used to operate before suburban sprawl. And since the early 2000s, downtowns across the U.S. have slowly shifted from an office park model to one that incorporates retail, restaurants and residents.

“Downtowns and cities change. That’s in the nature of the city,” said H3’s Hoal, who also worked with the city of Clayton to update its downtown zoning but did not speak specifically on Clayton. “As a public official, you would work to ensure how you change retains its distinctiveness and authenticity.”

And the best redevelopments weave new projects with existing businesses and properties. But city leaders have to be intentional, said Linda Samuels, an urban design professor at Washington University.

“The most surprising thing that happened in the pandemic is that places can change much faster than they’re willing to admit — if they’re willing to try,” Samuels said. “And that involves policy, political will, some financial investment. Some willingness to take risks.”

That’s what residents say they want from Clayton officials.

“We are going to lose that small-town feel that we love about Clayton,” resident John Beuerlein said after a recent meeting about the new apartment and condo tower at the southeast corner of Central and Forsyth.

Maintaining that will take intentional planning from city officials, he said. “It won’t happen by accident,” Beuerlein said.

Harris, the Clayton mayor, said the city has little power to save the buildings, some of which are beyond repair, or to keep small business in downtown.

“The market is something we can’t control as a government,” she said. “We would encourage and promote everything we can to help property owners retain their small businesses. But there isn’t a lot we can do.”

Mixed feelings

Jon’s Pipe Shop had occupied 42 North Central Avenue since 1954, but it moved to 7927 Forsyth Boulevard after learning Fred Kummer had targeted the block for redevelopment a few years ago, said owner Gerard Ezvan.

The Central building had not been well maintained and it sits on a “valuable corner,” Ezvan said. He figured sooner or later it would be a target of developers.

“Where we are now is much better. I’m happy. Our customers are extremely happy, also, to have a larger space,” Ezvan said.

John P. Field’s moved after Kummer announced his project. The sports bar headed across the street to 15 North Central Avenue. Owner Jim Campbell is excited about the new development. It will mean more foot traffic and more business for him.

Other business owners have mixed feelings.

Construction of Forsyth Pointe, the dual-office tower development, is just steps away from Timekeepers, a watch and jewelry shop at 17 North Meramec Avenue.

“It’ll be nice to have more people come back to Clayton. (But) does it still have the same small town feel?” said owner Ella Ilyashov. “They say it’s progress.”

Timekeepers owns its building, and has been able to skirt the spikes in rents that hurt others. Ilyashov believes that’s a major reason why her shop is still in business.

“It’s hard for small business to survive something like that,” Ilyashov said. “I’m very, very thankful that we purchased this building. We can allow generations to be here after us.”

Last month, World News closed after 55 years at the corner of Central and Forsyth. The coronavirus pandemic hit the newsstand’s bottom line too hard, and the owners were ready to retire.

In its last week of business, the number of newspapers and magazines dwindled from the butternut-colored shelves. Soon, the building will be demolished for the hotel and condos. It was something store manager Mike Flavin said he saw coming for years.

“Change,” he said, “is the only constant.”