Mary Hansen
The State Journal-Register
Despite the Springfield City Council’s rejection Tuesday of his proposal for the city to buy a building on the Old Capitol Plaza, Mayor Jim Langfelder said he would bring an amended plan back to the aldermen in the coming weeks.
With no debate, the council by a vote of 7-3 shot down the $425,000 request for downtown tax increment financing funds to buy the building at 521 E. Washington St. from Bank & Trust Company of Chatham. Langfelder wants to use the former National Museum of Surveying building for a community center.
Ward 2 Ald. Herman Senor, Ward 5 Ald. Andrew Proctor, Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin, Ward 8 Ald. Kris Theilen, Ward 9 Ald. Jim Donelan, Hanauer and Redpath voted “no.” Still, Redpath said the council would consider a modified plan.
The original plan was for the building to house a media center run by Benedictine University and offices for the NAACP and downtown neighborhood police officer. At the suggestion of two aldermen, Langfelder began looking into moving the visitors bureau from its leased location on Seventh Street to the building as well.
The move, he said, could save the city the $56,000 a year it pays in rent and instead repay the downtown TIF fund $25,000 annually for the next 12 years.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 