Barney’s Furniture completes solar installation – Building Permit Roundup
By Patrick Yeagle Barney’s Furniture in Springfield has completed a solar installation after receiving a building permit last week. The store at 1987 Wabash Ave. obtained a permit from the City of Springfield building and zoning division on July 11 to install 25 kilowatts of solar power. Barney’s president Barry Seidman says it made sense…
New GM at White Oaks as mall adds new stores
White Oaks Mall in Springfield has a new general manager, and the mall is adding new stores. Clay Emerich takes over this month as general manager at White Oaks, as former general manager Nick Strause moves to another Simon Property Group mall in Indiana. The mall is also adding a handful of stores and relocating…
Fehr Graham opens new Springfield office
Engineering firm Fehr Graham opened its new office in Springfield this month after moving from its former location on South Grand Avenue West. The new office, located at 2060 W. Iles Ave., officially opened July 14. “Fehr Graham continues to grow in the Springfield market, and we are excited about our new space,” said Mary…
Read named project manager of Resource One division
Springfield office design and furniture company Resource One announced this week that Jennifer Read has been named project manager for the company’s Agile Resource division. Read has worked for Resource One for 14 years, most recently as a project manager. Her new project manager position in the company’s Agile Resource division means she will work…
Traffic up at Springfield airport as larger planes introduced
About 1,600 more passengers used Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in the first half of 2017, compared with the same time frame last year. The boost in traffic comes as the airport prepares to host larger airplanes. From the start of 2017 through June 30, a total of 99,076 passengers flew through the Springfield airport,…
Kulek, Lynch each named partner-in-charge at Sikich
Two Springfield CPAs have been named partner-in-charge at professional services firm Sikich LLP. The firm announced on July 19 that Joe Kulek has been named partner-in-charge of agribusiness services, which offers services like audits, accounting and investments to businesses in the agriculture industry. “At a time when the entire agriculture supply chain faces pressure from…
Davis resigning from Planning and Economic Development
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 was appointed by Springfield mayor Jim Langfelder. Davis said her next job will be…
Pagination test
This is a test. This text appears on page 1. This content should be on page 2. This content should be on page 3.
Rezoning, annexation sought for proposed assisted living facility, new homes – Zoning roundup
A proposed facility providing assisted living on Old Jacksonville Road in Springfield would be bordered by new homes, according to a zoning and annexation request filed with the city. The Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission will meet July 19 to consider a handful of zoning requests, including one which would clear the way for the…
Downtown TIF to pay for city hall roof repair
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…
Instacart launches in Springfield as retail delivery grows
By Patrick Yeagle Delivery of groceries and other retail products is growing in Springfield, with San Francisco company Instacart the latest to launch delivery service here. Geared toward convenience, the nationwide trend is attracting both retailers and consumers. David Osborne, general manager of Instacart in Springfield, says the company started about five years ago when…
Springfield trivia buff to appear on Jeopardy! gameshow
By Patrick Yeagle Jill Staunton of Springfield was always a curious child – so much so that her fourth grade teacher referred to her as a “walking encyclopedia.” That love of learning has earned Staunton a spot on the gameshow Jeopardy! this week. In her day job, Staunton is a caseworker for the Illinois Department…
Security Bank announces promotions of Beck, Howe
Security Bank announced this month the promotions of two people to vice president. Morgan Beck was promoted to vice president of finance, while Todd Howe was promoted to vice president of commercial banking. Beck, a CPA, began her career at Security Bank 13 years ago as an administrative assistant, later gaining experience in loan servicing,…
Bull appointed president of Sherman chamber
By Patrick Yeagle Sean Bull has lived in Sherman his whole life, so it’s especially meaningful to him that he was appointed president of the Sherman Area Chamber of Commerce this month. “This is the community I grew up in,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of love for the community and respect for the…
Italian restaurant to open in former Cafe Brio space
By Patrick Yeagle A new Italian restaurant is slated to open later this year in the downtown space formerly occupied by the now-closed Café Brio. VELE – pronounced VayLay – will offer southern coastal Italian cuisine like seafood, pastas and steaks when it opens later this summer or early fall. The name is Italian for…
New retail strip planned for Liberty Drive – Building permit roundup
A new retail strip center is planned for Liberty Drive in Springfield. RAM Innovations, LLC obtained a building permit June 29 to begin building Liberty Plaza, a 9,000-square-foot retail center at 3450 Liberty Dr. RAM Innovations is owned by Ramprasad Talluri, who also owns Sky Zone Springfield trampoline park. Liberty Plaza will be located on…
Electric Ave. opens shop with only American-made clothes
By Patrick Yeagle Chris Rowden likes to point out that the American Revolution started with a boycott on imported goods. “They were taking our raw textiles to Europe, making goods and then selling them back to us,” he said. Rowden’s new shop, Electric Ave. Clothier, is in a similar vein as the Great Experiment: selling…
Pleasant Park Apartments poised for approval
The Springfield City Council is poised to approve a large scale development known as Pleasant Park Apartments. The apartments would be located at 4700 Ash Grove Drive and would include 17 apartment buildings with 12 units each. Springfield developer Corky Joyner is spearheading the project. Joyner is also responsible for a handful of retail strip…
State lawmakers pass budget, veto override pending
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 bills last week, and the Illinois Senate has already voted on July 4 to override…
Marine veteran opens self-defense course
By Debby Hernandez After retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2010, Thomas Altevogt decided to instruct Commando Krav Maga, an Israeli combat system. Now, he teaches the martial art in Springfield. Altevogt said he learned about CKM in the Marines, where he did combined training with the Israeli military. In combined training, each military…
Why buy SPI? The importance of supporting local businesses
BY VAL YAZELL PRESIDENT OF LOCAL FIRST SPRINGFIELD “Think local first.” You have likely heard this phrase used by the independently owned businesses in our community. It is the calling card for Local First Springfield, a not-for-profit group of local independent businesses in the greater Springfield area. But what exactly does it mean to you,…
More than it seems – Inside Hope Inclusion Café and Play
By Patrick Yeagle A young worker circles pictures of bread, meat, cheese and toppings on a colorful laminated sheet as he takes a customer’s order at Hope Inclusion Café and Play. It’s one of the very few clues that this is a special place, and it’s supposed to be that way. The cafe opened on…
The minimum wage battle – Possible minimum wage increase divides business community
BY MONICA STABILE The Illinois General Assembly’s approval last month of a measure to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour over a five-year period has drawn mixed reviews among the business community. Warning that a potential increase in the minimum wage could lead to Illinois becoming less competitive, some business groups say employers…
Springfield Chamber earns five-star accreditation
By Patrick Yeagle The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce received five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week. The accreditation amounts to an endorsement of the Springfield Chamber’s management and mission, and it’s the second time the chamber has earned the designation. “I kind of like to think of it as our Good…
A passion for public learning – Will O’Hearn takes over at Lincoln Library
By Patrick Yeagle William “Will” O’Hearn jokes that he started his career in library science at age 16, although he was less concerned with learning at the time and more concerned with earning money for gas. However, that early exposure blossomed into a love for public libraries. The Springfield City Council confirmed O’Hearn to lead…
Kidzeum to begin construction in July
A children’s museum to be located downtown is slated to begin construction early next month, following an eight-year fundraising effort. Kidzeum of Health and Science will be located at 412 E. Adams St., in the Schnepp and Barnes Building. The long-anticipated museum has received support from several partners, including HSHS St. John’s Children’s Hospital, SIU…
Hedley Plaza permit approved – Building permit roundup
A new retail strip center slated for construction on Springfield’s west side received a building permit this week. Hedley Plaza, to be located at 3141 Hedley Road, will have five tenant spaces. The development is a project of Ryan Homes and Development Inc. of Springfield. The company couldn’t be reached for details, but a web…
Comcast to open retail store in Springfield as mobile service launches
Internet and cable company Comcast is opening a retail space in Springfield, in part to support a new mobile phone service the company is launching. The 4,300-square-foot XFINITY Store will be located at 3409 Freedom Dr., the former location of Dress Barn, and is slated to open near the end of the year. “The store…
St. John’s breaks ground on new outpatient center for women and children
By Patrick Yeagle HSHS St. John’s Hospital broke ground for a new outpatient center on June 27. To be located at 400 N. Ninth St., across from the existing hospital, the new facility will focus on care for women and children. “Providing access, convenience and the best possible care for our patients has been at…
First high-volume fracking application filed in Illinois
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…
Small Business Award winners announced
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and Hickory Point Bank announced the winners of the 2017 Small Business Awards at a luncheon on June 20. The winners are: Not-for-profit Business Director of the Year – Keith Wetherell of Illinois AMVETS New & Emerging Business Owner of the Year- Daren and Lisa Bohannan of Mosquito Squad…
St. George Apartments to open downtown July 1
A historic downtown building will soon be home to nine new luxury apartments. St. George Apartments, located in the St. George Building at 300 E. Monroe St., is slated to open on July 1, the first phase of a project which will eventually see additional apartments and retail space downtown. Josh Wagoner, who owns the…
St. John’s Hospital begins cardiac ICU project
HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield is undergoing a renovation to add a cardiac intensive care unit. The renovation is one of four projects at St. John’s either upcoming or underway as the hospital prepares for potential changes in health care delivery. Patti Fischer, chief operating officer for St. John’s, says the renovation began last…
Handley joins Alignlife
Emily Handley has joined AlignLife of Springfield Chiropractic & Natural Health Center. Handley will serve as a massage therapist. “Having Emily on board is a great asset to our patients,” said AlignLife of Springfield owner and chiropractor Dr. Bryne Willey. “With a combined approach, chiropractic and massage therapy, we are able to better offer a…
Rourke joins Arthur J Gallagher as insurance advisor
Chris Rourke of Springfield has joined Arthur J Gallagher & Co. as an insurance advisor. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is a global insurance broker with offices in 130 countries. The company acquired Nicoud Insurance Services in March, and the Springfield office of Nicoud remains at the same location. It is managed by area senior…
City council approves zoning variances for three proposed restaurants – Zoning roundup
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:…
O’Hearn confirmed to lead Lincoln Library
The Springfield City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved William O’Hearn as director of Lincoln Library. O’Hearn comes to Springfield from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was most recently supervisor of the Cedar Rapids Public Library Downtown Branch. He will be paid $85,000 and will have 12 months to establish residency in Springfield.
Change to oversight of apartments, storage units fails at city council
The Springfield City Council on Tuesday voted down a proposal to give them oversight of certain new apartment and storage unit developments. The proposal comes about a month after the council approved raising the threshold to trigger oversight of large scale developments. Springfield mayor Jim Langfelder had proposed a change to the city’s large scale…
Building permit roundup – June 15-21, 2017
The following building, electrical or other permits were recently approved for projects in Springfield by the City of Springfield Building and Zoning Office: -Silverleaf Children’s Academy, 2715 S. Fourth St., obtained a permit for a 3,800-square-foot remodel. The contractor is Joyner Construction, and the project valuation is $80,000. -Glen Garrison obtained a permit obtained a permit…
