Springfield City Commission makes plans to improve downtown area

The Springfield City Commission is looking at new ways to revitalize the city’s downtown sector.

According to the commission’s goals and objectives released recently, the commission is looking to make improvements to the South Limestone Street corridor by improving existing business properties and offering new incentives to potential home buyers and people who would transform the properties. A study of the corridor has recently been completed and the commission is now considering preliminary design plans for the area.

» RELATED: Springfield City Commissioners lay out plans for the next two fiscal years

City Commissioner David Estrop said the city will offer tax abatements and other incentives to attract people to the prospect of redevelopment in the corridor.

“There is a lot of housing and business along that stretch,” Estrop said. “There are nice homes that are there, but there are also homes that are boarded up and some that just aren’t cared for. We have wonderful opportunities to purchase homes for people that will rehab them.”

The idea is part of the commission’s new Code Enforcement strategy aimed at bringing new features to and around key corridors in the city.

» LOCAL FOCUS: What Springfield wants to see done with the Upper Valley Mall

Mayor Warren Copeland said the corridor is important to the city because improvements to it would be a good way to attract attention from potential business owners looking at it from the interstate.

“It should be a place that attracts business,” he said. “We definitely want to improve the area from the interstate to downtown because we feel it will be very important going forward.”

The city is also considering more branding options to help draw more interest and attention to the sector. Previously donated funding will be used to construct downtown gateway signage on North Limestone Street or West Main Street sometime in the future. The city also plans to improve parking options for residents who work and will work downtown, Estrop said.

“If we’re going to have more jobs, we need to have more parking,” he said.

The parking improvements are also intended to benefit the idea of bringing more activities and events to the downtown region, similar to the city’s annual Holiday in the City celebration and the First Friday events hosted by the Chamber of Greater Springfield.

According to the commission’s goals, ideas are also in the works to determine how to bring more residential options downtown, but no formal outlines have been introduced.

About the Author