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of activity in St. Clair County," Corky Cecil said. "With
Dierbergs, a super Target and other retail projects in full swing, plus Balke Brown Associates' and Taylor-Morley Homes'
Greenmount Crossing residential development, we are continually seeing more top-notch activity along this stretch of Highway
50. It is truly embodying what many for years referred to as 'the golden road.'"
Drawing a two-mile radius around this intersection, Dorcas Cecil said, identifies the hub of commercial and residential
activity taking root. Infrastructure is also continually emerging, with Central Park Plaza Drive - an east-west artery
fronting I-64 East - as a prime example.
"There is still plenty of ground in this location for large box retailers," Corky Cecil said. "A Drury Inn is already
there, with a Holiday Inn Express under construction. What's incredible is that they've already had to widen Greenmount Road
to accommodate all the growth."
A proposal is on the books for an assisted living facility, he said. A 16,000-square-foot office building, also very near
the I-64 and Greenmount Road interchange, is under construction. Three car dealerships are also under construction, in
addition to the giant dealerships already present at the interchange.
The Cecils, whose firm manages more than 1,700 properties - both residential and commercial - across the Metro East and in
St. Louis, said the encouraging economic signal from office development along the I-64 East corridor is that the buildings are
built to suit, not speculative space.
"The office buildings we see going up are being built to suit - for occupancy of already-committed tenants - versus spec
buildings, which is really great," Dorcas Cecil said. "And most of these office buildings are single-tenant. That's an even
more promising sign."
O'Fallon and Shiloh's ability to attract new business will continue to strengthen, she said, as the quality-of-life
potential increases with every new retail and residential development along I-64 East.
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Lanter's take on Gateway
"Even as you proceed further east of O'Fallon, to exit 18 at I-64, the availability of close to 1,000 acres of ground
presents an excellent opportunity for a transportation-related hub," Corky Cecil said. "I see O'Fallon's next opportunity to
be the development of a technology park, similar to the one in O'Fallon, Mo."
O'Fallon, Ill., has six miles of I-64 frontage accessible by three interchanges, and it is currently only 20 percent to 30
percent developed.
Cecil Management Group's commercial niche is as a front-end player, working closely with cities in brokering properties and
available land.
The Cecils credit Fairview Heights, O'Fallon, Shiloh and Swansea for having proactive government leaders and planners who
work well with developers and brokers. As the stock market continues having more downs than ups, companies like the Cecils'
are finding themselves with more investors than investment opportunities.
"Investor sales in apartment buildings and condos have really picked up," Dorcas Cecil said. "We have more investors than
we can place in projects, and prices have gone up the past 12 to 18 months with the demand. That's been great to see, because
the real property investment market in Southern Illinois had been sluggish for a long time."
Both Cecils predict continued success in Southern Illinois' commercial activity during 2003 and beyond.
"Tremendous pressure for more warehousing space is what we'll continue to see," Corky Cecil said. "Speaking on behalf of
the East Side, we're it when it comes to available, affordable ground. We're the obvious choice."
editor/publisher: Kerry Smith
email: ksmith@ibjonline.com
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