Beyond a $29 million commitment made by its founders over a decade ago, St. Louis in 2013 approved up to $167.7 million in tax increment financing assistance that can be committed to private development and public infrastructure improvements. That financing comes from tax revenue generated by new development, employment and sales in the district, and Cortex must come back to city officials every time a new area is activated.

This summer, for instance, it needed an additional $5.2 million of TIF to finance a 920-space parking garage, Cortex’s contribution to an adjacent $115 million, 325,000 square-foot office and lab building being developed by Wexford Science and Technology and Ventas Inc. and expected to be complete by the summer of 2021.

“This is going to be an iconic building for St. Louis,” Lower said in June at a Board of Alderman hearing. “It’s going to make a statement.”

Thus far, $110.6 million of the $167.7 million TIF has been committed to real estate developments and public improvements, such as Cortex Commons and a 680-space parking garage that opened in May. Lower said Cortex is now offering less generous subsidies, but it still anticipates needing about $41 million for road, sewer and other public improvements as new developments come online.