“Ever since we moved here, we have shaken our heads in wonderment every time we see that huge brick building with ‘Catch the Springfield Spirit’ written on it in large white letters,” said Pam Frazier Cottrel in a Facebook posting about blighted properties in Clark County. “I mean, why is that up there?”
It’s a slogan current owners — The Turner Foundation — said originally was painted on as part of an advertising campaign by the chamber of commerce at least 20 years ago. And while the structure sits vacant, there are no plans to take the lettering off, said John Landess, executive director of the foundation.
“It doesn’t make sense to put a substantial amount of money in that building unless you have a development plan and the county and the city working with you,” Landess said.
The Springfield Metallic Casket Company was founded in 1884 and grew to become one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of metal caskets and burial vaults. Rumored by the Ohio Historical Society to have been the maker of caskets for Al Capone and President John F. Kennedy, the company closed its doors Nov. 30, 1974.
Landess said the foundation is trying “to find opportunities to redevelop” the now vacant building, although it is not actively listed with a real estate agency. It was considered as a site for a new ice rink, but it was deemed too small to hold a regulation sheet of ice.
Landess said they’ve been working with the city on code enforcement issues. He estimates it would take roughly $8 million to $10 million to renovate the building and the foundation continues to work with the chamber The Greater Springfield Community Improvement Corporation to find someone interested in the site.
“The last four years have not been kind to new development, so we hope the next four years will be better,” he said.
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