A portion of that funding has gone to a handful of completed downtown redevelopment projects that have been completed over of the last decade, including the National Trail Park and Recreation District Chiller Ice Arena, Springfield Regional Medical Center, Ohio Valley Medical Center and Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co.
“We are just starting to see the fruits of our labor pay off right now,” Heck said. “This has been a priority that is starting to come together. We believe that we need to be strong at our core and we believe if we have a strong core, we can start to build that out into our community.”
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But Heck said 2019 has just been the beginning of lots of big things to come for Springfield.
“We are excited, this is a big time,” Heck said.
Parking garage
One of the biggest changes to the landscape of downtown Springfield in 2019 was the beginning of construction on the roughly $7 million, three-story, 305 space parking garage in the center of downtown on the corner of Fountain Avenue and Columbia Street.
The project is on track to be completed by its original deadline, which will fall near the end of the first quarter of 2020, or near April, Heck said.
The garage was discussed by the Springfield City Commission for almost 10 years as a way to provide additional parking downtown as the city works to attract more retail and business to city center, Heck said.
Heck said the project has been a priority for the commission for so long, because of what it means to the downtown area.
“This means the continuation of revitalization of downtown,” Heck said. “Businesses want to know that they have a coordinated, consistent spot that they can tell their employees and clients that they can park.”
The commission approved the roughly $7 million downtown garage project in early June, around the same time, the commission also voted in favor of entering a joint agreement with Clark State Community College, securing the funding to construct the garage.
The joint agreement released $2.55 million in state funds for the property from the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Additional funding also includes $1 million from Clark County and $3.3 million from the city.
Over 3,000 square feet of retail space will also be available on the ground level of the garage along Fountain Avenue, Heck said previously, which is also one of the reasons Fountain Avenue was selected as the location for the garage.
“We have seen a lot of success along the east side of Fountain Avenue with a lot of restaurants, stores and shops that have opened,” Heck said. “This will compliment that.”
Retail and housing
Fountain Avenue is home to Le Torte Dolci, Salato Deli, Champaign City Guide + Supply, Winans Chocolates & Coffees, Stella Bleu Bistro and Sip & Dipity Paint Bar.
Clark County Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt said development in areas like Fountain Avenue is important for not only the city, but also the county.
“Everybody in our community wants great places to go,” Flax Wilt said. “Whether you live in the county or whether you are in the urban area, it’s important to have those opportunities close to home.”
Flax Wilt said that is why the county chooses to assist the city in funding things like the garage.
“We think it’s important to revitalize our community,” Flax Wilt said. “It’s fun to see the revitalization in the county. Downtown Springfield is the most vibrant it has been in my lifetime, it’s fun to see it the way my grandparents talked about it.”
Flax Wilt said the retail component of the parking garage is important for the county, as the county’s general fund comes from sales tax.
“If you spend a dollar in Clark County, it stays in Clark County,” Flax Wilt said. “It helps your hometown and it helps your community.”
In 2008, the county generated $18.7 million from sales tax revenue. Over the last 10 years, the amount of revenue the county has generated from sales taxes has slowly grown. In 2018, revenue had jumped to $25 million, according to the Clark County Auditors Office.
“We have seen an increase and that is a sign of a healthy economy,” Flax Wilt said. “We still have some room to grow but we are headed in the right direction.”
Also slated to open around the same time as the parking garage will be Center Street Townes, a 34-unit, $8 million townhome project, which will be located beside the garage.
“We are super excited,” said Charles Simms, president of Charless Simms Development, who is constructing the homes. “We already sold our first unit.”
The town homes will be located at the corner of Center and West Columbia streets, and will be about 1,300 square feet. The homes are projected to cost around $200,000, Simms said previously.
Townhome owners will also receive a 15-year property tax exemption as the project is a partnership between the Turner Foundation, SpringForward and the City of Springfield.
Simms said the framing for the homes should be done within the next week, with a model opening in the spring.
Simms said he thinks the homes are going to have a “positive effect” on downtown Springfield, as he has seen with his other developments across Ohio.
“More people living downtown means more people patronizing the bars and restaurants and because of that, there will be more restaurants and bars opening up,” Simms said. “And I expect Springfield will see that as these homes start selling.”
Edward Hasecke, a professor of political science at Wittenberg University and a Springfield resident, said Center Street Townes are a great example of how the city of Springfield can measure it’s economy, and know it’s taking steps in the right direction.
“I think it’s really great. Having a private developer come in and design those townhomes, it’s a great signal that the market has changed enough that someone from the outside wants to invest into it,” Hasecke said. “You look at the brewery, you look at the shopping and the garage, all of that is supporting that.”
Looking forward
As the city looks to the future of downtown Springfield, one of the biggest questions remains related to the Crowell-Collier property.
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It’s possible that by Christmas, the city block where the Crowell-Collier property stands, could be completely empty. But while Smith’s crews are hard at work, there is no word on what is next for the massive plot of land that sits on the edge of downtown.
The Springfield News-Sun has reached out to the owners of the Crowell-Collier property, Mosier Industrial, multiple times, but has not received a reply.
Both Heck and Mayor Warren Copeland have said the city “doesn’t have any idea what they are going to do” with the property, as they too have been unable to get in contact with the owners.
But the city isn’t letting the 900,000-square-foot demolition project slow them down. Heck said in 2020 and beyond, the redevelopment of downtown will only “continue to gain speed.”
“Your downtown is the most dense area of your community. It’s your most dense environment,” Heck said. “As more and more investment comes to downtown, you are going to see that increase more, more structures, more buildings, you are going to see that continue and multiple.”
That’s when, Heck said, residents will see downtown’s growth reach further into neighborhoods and out into the community.
Hasecke said Heck and the city are on the right track as they look to move forward with its development.
“Revitalization of a downtown is important, but it’s different now. It’s a mix of housing and entertainment, which the city is doing right now,” Hasecke said. “As Springfield moves forward, it’s going to be work balancing the needs of the community and making sure those needs are rippling out from your core and into the surrounding community.”
Major downtown construction projects over the last 10 years:
Parking garage: A roughly $7 million, three-story, 305 space project that will sit in the center of downtown on the corner of Fountain Avenue and Columbia Street.
Center Street Townes: A 34-unit, $8 million townhome project will be located beside the garage on the corner of Center and West Columbia.
Crowell-Collier: Property approved for demolition by the city on July 18. Tony Smith, of Tony Smith Wrecking's, has said the 900,000-square-foot property could be completely demolished by Christmas.
Mother Stewart's Brewing Company: The $2.5 million brewery at 109 W. North St. opened in 2016. The property includes a loft-style interior with an outdoor beer garden.
National Trail Parks and Recreation District Chiller: The $8.5 million downtown ice arena at 1301 Mitchell Blvd. opened in 2013.
Ohio Valley Medical Center: The $5 million medical office building at 140 W. Main St. opened in 2012. Ohio Valley has expanded multiple times and is weighing another expansion.
Mercy Health — Springfield Regional Medical Center: The $270 million facility at 100 Medical Center Dr. opened in 2011.
The Springfield News-Sun is committed to covering major infrastructure improvement within the City of Springfield and Clark County.
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