St. Louis businesses investing in Perryville; local expansions

PERRYVILLE -- St. Louis-based developers are frequent visitors in Perryville where they build and operate commercial and residential projects, according to Larry Tucker, executive director of the Perry County Industrial Development Authority.

For example, he recently was speaking with Joe Dale, the owner of Beck Properties in Brentwood, Mo. Dale just finished a 24-unit townhouse complex that's behind the new Crossroads Village open-air mall.

"Joe visits Perryville weekly," Tucker said.

S&L Properties, which built the Wal-Mart Supercenter west of Interstate 55, and Stocker Construction Co., which is currently building a 55,600-square-foot, $10 million retirement center for priests at St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary, are also St. Louis-based companies, Tucker said.

Two long-time Perryville-based businesses are building new, larger facilities along Perryville Boulevard, also known as Route 51, in the area favored by St. Louis companies.

At the intersection of Perryville Boulevard and Edgemont, Hoeckele Bakery is building a 16,000-square-foot outlet. Tucker said the family-owned, third-generation business will occupy 8,400 square feet of the facility and lease the remaining 9,600 square feet.

"Hoeckele will have their new baking operation and large deli there," said Tucker, adding the business will also have drive-through service.

Also at the intersection, Stonie's Sausage Shop is building a new 14,000-square-foot facility for processing and retail. Co-owner Roger Wibbenmeyer said there will be a designated section for inside dining, and the retail section will include a full line of fresh meat, hot meals-to-go and extended operating hours.

Additional services offered will be mail and Internet ordering, wholesale and possibly catering, said Wibbenmeyer, adding Stonie's is a family-owned, fourth-generation business.

Tucker said the Hoeckele and Stonie's projects should be completed by late summer.

The first wing of Crossroads Village opened last year, said Tucker, and the second wing of the 27,000-square-foot, open-air mall recently opened. He said some businesses have already located there and the owners have been talking to several regional restaurant chains about anchoring a corner space there.

The Perryville Industrial Corp. recently completed construction of the 12,000-square-foot spec building in Perryville Industrial Park. Tucker said the building is designed for warehousing or light-commercial businesses and can accommodate up to four tenants. He said there are 20-foot-high ceilings and large docking doors.

"We've begun the marketing process," said Tucker. "We have potential tenants we're negotiating with. We want to be able to grow some of the current home-based businesses that are operating out of garages or basements, and help people who need to step up to that next level of growth."

Also new to the industrial park is a 500,000-gallon, elevated, water-storage tank. The tank will be used to supply additional water pressure to all the industrial park tenants and some businesses and residences on the fringe of the park. The water-storage tank was a $1 1/2-million venture between the city, the Perryville Development Corp. and TG Missouri, one of the largest employers in the region with about 1,200 workers.

"TG Missouri donated a third of the cost of the project," said Tucker. "If we had not gotten that donation, the project would not have happened for another 10 years. It is a great example of corporate citizenship that not only benefits TG Missouri, but everybody else in the area."

PIC -- Larry Tucker/Perry County IDA

At the intersection of Perryville Boulevard and Edgemont, Stonie's Sausage Shop is building a new 14,000-square-foot facility for processing and retail.