Edward Jones plans Maryland Heights expansion

Construction of an office building, renovation of another and addition of a parking garage comprise the latest expansion project at the Edward Jones campus in Maryland Heights.

The projects by the financial services firm represent the next major growth at the campus since the opening in 2009 of an office building that includes space to train new brokers.

The Maryland Heights Planning Commission considered the latest expansion plan this week. Michael Zeek, the city planner, said commissioners agreed with the plan in concept but requested more information. The plan requires a zoning change that could gain city approval in May.

Also in May, Edward Jones plans an event to mark completion of the $40 million renovation of what had been its headquarters from 1972 to 1994, at 201 Progress Parkway.

The renovation is part of the growth program, which includes a $19 million parking garage connected to the office building by a walkway over Progress Parkway. The garage, like the rest of the new construction, requires city authorization because Edward Jones has acquired property outside the boundary of its earlier corporate footprint.

The restoration of our original West County headquarters facility will preserve a piece of our firms history and support our growth as we expand in order to serve more individual investors, Jim Weddle, the companys managing partner, said in a statement Thursday. 201 Progress Parkway is rich in firm history. Both Mr. Jones Sr. and Ted Jones worked in this building, and this is where I began my Edward Jones career.

The building at 201 Progress Parkway became the companys headquarters in 1972 when Edward Jones moved its offices from downtown St. Louis.

At the time, the firm had 152 financial advisers, revenue of $9.6 million and occupied only one floor of the three-story Progress Parkway building. The firm now has more than 13,000 advisers. Revenue in 2013 topped $5.6 billion. Edward Jones also has campuses at its current headquarters on Manchester Road in Des Peres and in Tempe, Ariz.

Edward Jones hopes to complete the Maryland Heights parking garage next year. A cost estimate has yet to be released for the office building the company plans to build at the northeast corner of Progress Parkway and Kimler Drive.

At first, the building was to have gone up west of Progress Parkway. Edward Jones shifted the building site to allow for more green space west of Progress Parkway. In 2012, the firm completed what it calls Founders Footpath, a walking path along that street.

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Edward Jones plans Maryland Heights expansion