Redevelopment plan meets pushback from residents
A redevelopment plan for parts of Historic Commercial Street was first presented to Springfield City Council on Monday night but received a mix of reactions both from council members and nearby residents and business owners, leaving the future of the overall plan unclear.
The redevelopment plan constitutes 17 lots along and south of Commercial Street. Broken up in four phases, the project includes plans for a townhouse development, rehabilitation of the Missouri Hotel and other mixed-use and multi-family developments. All portions of the redevelopment are owned by developer Titus Williams of Prosperiti Partners.
Here’s what is being planned on Commercial Street
The four phases of development mentioned in the plan, to be activated over the next 18 months, are as follows:
Pacific South: This Midtown development has already received city approval for the construction of 72 townhouse dwellings. With an approximate $15 million investment, the townhomes would replace a single-family home and an unused building. If the redevelopment plan is approved, work could begin immediately and is estimated to be completed by Fall 2025.
540 E. Commercial St: Located on the corner of Commercial Street and Washington Avenue, this property has been cited as a reason for the city to consider a ‘demolition by neglect’ ordinance. While the building was set to be demolished earlier this year, the action was postponed by the developer. The plans for this corner include the construction of a new mixed-use building featuring retail/restaurant/office space and ADA-compliant residential apartment units on the first floor and residential apartment units on the upper floors. This phase is estimated to begin in Summer 2024.
Missouri Hotel: The historic Missouri Hotel property that had provided shelter to homeless people through The