St. Louis, Mo. – Fox Architects is the architect of record on a master plan for the future $55 million-plus Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center in north St. Louis.

The project – which includes existing buildings and new ones – broke ground Nov. 28. It is projected to complete phase one of construction in mid-2025. The center itself is anticipated to span 150,000 square feet. A general contractor has not yet been identified.

The center’s mission is to attract forward-thinking manufacturers and develop the skilled workforces they’ll need to drive innovation and promote growth.

Known for short as AMICSTL, the center got its beginnings from the Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnership. The center gained $7 million in grant dollars from the American Rescue Plan, the Biden Administration’s program to boost nonprofits, businesses and individuals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional funding totaling $15 million comes from the Missouri Legislature, along with $15 million in New Market Tax Credits.

More than 4.6 million manufacturing jobs are anticipated to materialize nationally between now and 2028, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. AMICSTL will play the role of a neutral convener to help industry and workforce training partners meet this demand. AMICSTL’s goal is to make workforce development in advanced manufacturing a regionwide effort to create a broad and inclusive pipeline of skilled workers.

Joelle Gamble, Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council, confirmed the federal support for AMICSTL through the Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better grant program. In addition, she noted the specific placemaking effort in north St. Louis which will contribute to driving broad, equitable and diverse opportunities for the specific area as well as the broader bi-state region.