Mary Hansen
The State Journal-Register
Downtown Springfield could see a new salon and a long-awaited children’s museum thanks to help from the city, but not before the projects’ backers answer some tough questions from aldermen.
After requests for tax increment financing funds for the proposed salon and museum sailed through the city’s Economic Development Commission Tuesday morning, the Springfield City Council debated how funding the two projects would help downtown at their committee meeting Tuesday night.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin questioned whether the development money should be used to buy a move-in-ready property such as the former Museum of Surveying, which a downtown developer and local spa owner are seeking to purchase for $400,000.
“This property will sell eventually, but it’s a question of letting the market decide what the price will be and it will get filled up eventually,” he argued, noting that TIF money is usually used to help develop dilapidated buildings.
“If we sat around for another a year or year and half, maybe it’d come down to ($300,000),” said developer Chris Nickell.
Nickell is partnering with Willow and Birch Salon owner Jessica Kocurek to move her operation to the building just north of the Old State Capitol with the help of $120,000 in TIF money. Mayor Jim Langfelder previously proposed the city buy the building and use it as a community center. Aldermen voted down that plan in January.
Using the public dollars to get a building that’s sat vacant for years occupied again is a good use of the public money, countered both Ward 3 Ald. Doris Turner and Ward 9 Ald. Jim Donelan.
Langfelder approached the foundation to see what it would take to finish the project, economic development director Karen Davis told the council. The foundation needed an additional $260,000, which the city agreed to split with Town & Country Bank.
The bank agreed to award a larger loan, contingent on the public money being awarded. With that, construction at 412, 414 and 416 E. Adams St. could begin this summer, Thomson said.
The council has to give final approval for money for both projects, which could happen at next week’s meeting.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 