The City of Springfield recently issued the following permits: Capitol Reuse Center LLC obtained a permit for non-structural demolition at 815 N. 11th St. Mark Iversen is the contractor. The project is valued at $3,000. The City of Springfield obtained a permit for remodeling, tuck pointing and sealant work at 800 E. Monroe. The project [...]
The Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission is slated to consider a zoning reclassification for 101 W. North Grand Ave. to allow for new signage directing visitors to Oak Ridge Cemetery. The request by Cooney Clan LLC and Oak Ridge Cemetery Foundation would allow new signage directing people to the cemetery, Lincoln's Tomb and the African [...]
By Patrick Yeagle The City of Springfield hopes to use TIF money to alleviate flooding on Jackson Street downtown, which could facilitate development of the empty North Mansion Block. The city's economic development panel voted Tuesday to okay a request from the city to use TIF money for the project's planning. The request now needs [...]
By Patrick Yeagle Ponics Project owner Jeremy Mann, shown here at his building in 2016, had hoped to establish a hydroponic garden and community center at 1901 Elizabeth St. Photo by Patrick Yeagle. The City of Springfield this week began demolishing a north-end building constructed in 1885. A demolition permit was issued this [...]
The Carpenter Street underpass, built as part of the rail relocation, opened to traffic last year. Photo by Patrick Yeagle. By Patrick Yeagle Springfield's ongoing rail relocation project took a step forward last week with the release of $16 million in federal funding. The money, which comes from two grants, will help pay [...]
Karen Davis announces her resignation at the July 18 city council meeting. By Patrick Yeagle Karen Davis is resigning as director of Planning and Economic Development for the City of Springfield. Davis made the announcement Tuesday at the Springfield City Council meeting. She has served in the position since June 2015, when she [...]
By Patrick Yeagle The Springfield City Council on Tuesday approved the use of $757,800 from the city's downtown TIF to pay for repair of the roof at Springfield's Municipal Center East. The TIF request was one of three forwarded to the city council by the Springfield Economic Development Commission (EDC) on Tuesday. At a special [...]
The Illinois State Capitol. Photo courtesy of Illinois CMS Division of Media Services. Illinois may soon have a full budget for the first time in two years, thanks to a handful of Republicans who voted for two budget bills and an accompanying tax increase bill. The Illinois General Assembly passed the trio of [...]
By Patrick Yeagle It's been four years since Illinois adopted regulations on high-volume hydraulic fracturing, but it was only last month that the first application was filed with state regulators to actually use the controversial oil and gas extraction process. The company seeking the permit says its first well would be for research, part of [...]
The Springfield City Council approved zoning variances for three proposed restaurants on Tuesday. City ordinance limits the locations of establishments selling alcohol. It's common for restaurants, bars and similar establishments to seek zoning variances allowing them to open in areas otherwise prohibited. At the city council meeting on Tuesday, aldermen approved variances for restaurants at: [...]
