Building permits Jan. 26-Feb. 8
Building permits – Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 Wal-Mart Real Estate Business Trust received a commercial remodel permit for 2760 N. Dirksen Parkway. General contractor is Climate Pros and the project is valued at $2.26 million. Building permits – Feb. 2 to Feb. 8 Cityscape Properties LP received a commercial remodel permit for 2160 S.…
Building permits – Jan. 19 to Jan. 25
Kent Plaza Associates LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2787 S. Sixth St. Contractor is V&O Services and the project is valued at $4,165,908. Freedom Building LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2815 Old Jacksonville Road. Contractor is Ernest Moody and the project is valued at $5,000. RR Family LLC c/o Raymond E.…
Hiring for empathy
Empathy often gets a bad rap as a soft skill in business. But if your goal is to provide excellent customer service, empathy isn’t just nice to have, it’s a differentiator. Whether a customer is calling about a billing issue, returning a product in your store, asking for help planning an event or navigating your…
Vondra Social House
Vondra Social House, just south of Lincoln Home Historic Site on Edwards Street, inhabits a quaint and historic two-story brick structure. The building was brought back from the brink of ruin in 2007 and operated as a restaurant under various owners until closing at the end of 2024. With a front porch that spans the…
The Foundation Academy
While some jobs may be replaced by machinery or artificial intelligence, jobs that require people to collaborate and use soft skills are irreplaceable. Soft skills are those personal attributes and interpersonal skills that shape how people work together. Communication, teamwork, adaptability and emotional intelligence are examples and transfer across roles and industries. These skills set…
New laws for 2026
It’s that time of year again when we explore what our legislature has been up to this past year. In a case of the state actually trying to be helpful, cocktails to go (first introduced during COVID-19 restrictions) are now permanent, which should be a boon to the restaurant industry. The state created a new…
Demand for skilled trades workers is greater than ever
Brian Huff, founder and CEO of Midwest Technical Institute, speaks with zeal regarding the present and future economic opportunities for tradespeople in Springfield and the rest of the country. “There are 80,000 job openings in the country for electricians and only 7,000 to 8,000 are being trained right now. [The investment manager] BlackRock says there…
Audrey Wilton: Ironworker, mother and leader
The trades are mostly a male-dominated field, but Audrey Wilton has found ironworking to be the right fit for her as a single mother raising a daughter. As a member of Ironworkers Local 46, and a foreman, Wilton has worked with a variety of local employers on various job sites. “What I love most is…
Q&A with Sara Vanhala
Sara Vanhala has worked for Growth Corp for nearly 20 years and assumed the role of president Jan. 1, succeeding Doug Kinley after his 35-year tenure. She currently chairs the board of the National Association of Development Companies and leads Growth Corp’s annual delegation to Washington, D.C., to collaborate with policymakers and SBA officials. Vanhala…
Arrowroot Coffee opening downtown Jan. 31
While drive-thru coffee kiosks have proliferated around town over the seven years Arrowroot Coffee Co. has been in business, owner Jacob Dinardo said his focus is on building community rather than a grab-and-go culture. Along those lines, he has spent more than a year extensively renovating the former Recycled Records building at 625 E. Adams…
Arlington’s offering lunch and cocktails
The Arlington’s downtown event venue is now open for lunch and evening cocktails in what owner Brian Reilly is calling a “Session Pop Up.” Arlington’s, located at 210 Broadway, is now serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a cocktail menu from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lunch…
