Missouri Bank, Foundation to Support Botanical Garden Project.

Byline: Virginia Baldwin Gilbert

Oct. 9--The Missouri Botanical Garden said Monday that it will turn part of a vacant pasta factory at Kingshighway and Shaw Boulevard into an education, research and business center, using $8.35 million from Commerce Bank and the William T. Kemper Foundation.

"We want to continue to back (garden director) Peter Raven and his research and environmentalism," said David W. Kemper, the chairman of Commerce Bancshares, the holding company that owns Commerce Bank.

Referring to the bombing in Afghanistan, which began Sunday in response to the terrorist attacks last month, Kemper said the garden's environmental stewardship …