Making city government more helpful to businesses
Springfield’s Office of Planning and Economic Development will focus on data and innovation to make city government more efficient, helpful to businesses and in line with Mayor Misty Buscher’s goal of creating more good-paying jobs in the city. Those are among plans for the office under Val Yazell, who was hired back to head OPED…
Bistro Verde, student-led café at LLCC, reopens Jan. 31
Bistro Verde, Lincoln Land Community College’s student-led café, reopens Jan. 31 and will serve customers Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The café is open as Bistro To Go, a counter service concept, from Jan. 31-Feb. 29, offering soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods, coffees and drinks. From March 27-April 18, the…
Carlos Ortega named director of Downtown Springfield, Inc.
Downtown Springfield, Inc. (DSI) has named Carlos Ortega to lead the organization as executive director, effective Feb. 1. Ortega most recently served as the executive director of Elevate CCIC, Inc. in Mattoon for nearly five years. Prior to that, he was a Peace Corps Fellow and also spent time working for the Peace Corps in…
The Cats’ Pyjamas to hold open house
The public will have the opportunity to get a sneak peek at Springfield’s first cat café during an open house for The Cats’ Pyjamas, 413 E. Adams St., from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1. Samantha Enz said she and her husband, Tom Raymond, are still working out the final details but wanted to give…
Building permits – Jan. 22 – Jan. 28
Building permits – Jan. 22 – Jan. 28 Capstone Opportunity Fund LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 404 N. Fifth St. Contractor is Facilities Management & Construction and the project is valued at $20,000. Mac’s Convenience Stores LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2201 N. Dirksen Parkway. Contractor is Neumayer Equipment and the…
Crumbl Cookies to open Feb. 9
Crumbl Cookies is coming to Springfield just in time for Valentine’s Day. The location at 3429 Freedom Dr. in the Parkway Pointe shopping center is slated to open on Friday, Feb. 9, at 8 a.m. The first five business days will be for in-person orders only, then beginning Feb. 15, delivery, curbside pickup, catering and…
Show me the money
The Springfield Lucky Horseshoes have $10 million in ideas about how to improve Robin Roberts Stadium. But the question is: Who will pay for it? “First and foremost, it starts with the ownership group,” said Jamie Toole, an executive and an owner of the team. “Our ownership group has shown a commitment and a willingness…
Non-alcoholic drinks gaining in popularity
For nearly 40 years the percentage of American adults who consume alcohol has consistently remained in the low 60s. However, over the past two decades, Gallup reports that alcohol consumption has been steadily declining amongst younger adults aged 18 to 34. Indeed, specialty non-alcoholic (NA) drink offerings have become commonplace in both fine dining restaurants…
Isabella Szabo to lead Springfield Area Arts Council
Following a nationwide search, Springfield resident Isabella Szabo has been chosen as the next executive director of the Springfield Area Arts Council. She will assume her new role Feb. 1. Szabo has been the manager of the University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery since 2022. She also is a UIS Art and Artifacts Committee…
Intricate Minds moving to North Grand Avenue
Intricate Minds, a nonprofit that operates a community center with a variety of resources and services, is moving to 619 North Grand Ave. East as of Feb. 1. Tiara Standage originally launched a for-profit event space, Everything Intricate, three years ago. In March 2023, she converted to a nonprofit and renamed it Intricate Minds, which…
Brandon Blackburn joins United Way
Brandon Blackburn has joined the United Way of Central Illinois as director of strategic partnerships, effective Jan. 22. Most recently, he was director of operations for Mission BBQ and previously held a similar role with Panera Bread, overseeing operations from Chicago to St. Louis. In between, he worked in banking and founded WayPoint Crown Consulting,…
Building permits – Jan. 15 – Jan. 21
LLD RE LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3451 Lumber Lane. Contractor is LLD RE LLC and the project is valued at $1.6 million. Jackson Properties LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 4501 Alex Blvd. Contractor is Michael Von Behren Builder, Inc., and the project is valued at $380,115. White Oaks Plaza LLC…
Potbelly announces first Springfield location
Fans of Potbelly Sandwich Shop won’t have to wait much longer to get their fix in Springfield. In fall 2022, Rob Wilbern, a certified public accountant who also owns Robert’s Automotive and several other businesses in Springfield, signed a franchise agreement with the parent company for Potbelly. He announced plans to open a total of…
Courtney Wilbern relocates, renames med spa practice
Courtney Wilbern has relocated and renamed her medical spa practice, which is now known as Absolut Aesthetics & Wellness Medspa. It began operating Jan. 2 out of a new location at 949 Clock Tower Drive. Wilbern founded the business in November 2021, shortly after completing her masters of science degree in nursing. It was originally…
City pursues legal action against Olde Towne Apartments
The city of Springfield is seeking court orders to take possession of eight vacant, dilapidated apartment buildings so that they can be demolished. The structures are part of the 23-building Olde Towne apartment complex, located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Bruns Lane. City officials are also seeking to have the owner rehabilitate four…
Nominations open for Good as Gold awards program
Nominations are now being accepted for the Good as Gold awards program, recognizing those that make Springfield a great place to live and thrive through their spirit of service in the Springfield community. The University of Illinois Springfield, the Junior League of Springfield and United Way of Central Illinois will host the 16th Annual Springfield…
Remarkable Resale owner retiring, seeking buyer for business
Remarkable Resale in Rochester has changed its name, location and inventory over the past three decades, and now owner Kitty Boyce is planning a change of ownership as well. Boyce opened The Kids Closet, a children’s resale shop, in 1991. She quickly outgrew the initial 1,000 square feet of space, and by 1994 moved into…
Building permits – Jan. 8 – Jan. 14
Family Service Center of Sangamon County received a commercial fence permit for 919 S. Spring St. Contractor is Allied Fence and the project is valued at $4,710. TR 1070 Prairie State Bank & Trust received a commercial remodel permit for 623 E. Adams St. Contractor is Wilkin Construction and the project is valued at $68,400.…
Little Lincoln’s Toy Shop to relocate
Little Lincoln’s Toy Shop isn’t so little any more. Ryan Leake opened the toy store in 2018 in a newly constructed retail center at 3450 Liberty Drive, but said, “We’ve outgrown our current location.” A move is in the works to 3001 W. White Oaks Drive, where two suites between the Gold Center and Wilson…
Trying to hire more drug counselors
Amid five straight years of record overdose deaths in Illinois, a new state program aims to alleviate a shortage of professionals who work to prevent substance use disorders. Illinois’ behavioral health counselor workforce “is aging while new entrants are declining,” according to a 2019 report to the General Assembly; 56% of certified substance use disorder…
Godather’s Pizza in Chatham now Dew Chilli Parlor
After more than two decades of providing pizza to Chatham residents, Mike Monseur and John Leskovisek have transitioned their restaurant to chili instead. Godfather’s Pizza, 21 Cottonwood Dr., is now a Dew Chilli Parlor, joining Dew Chilli Parlor Pub and Grill at 301 North Grand Avenue West. Two previous Dew Chilli locations on South Dirksen…
City-operated ambulance service to be considered
Springfield City Council members will consider spending $280,000 in the next fiscal year on what could be the first step toward a multimillion-dollar, city-operated ambulance service to supplement privately operated ambulances and shorten response times in medical emergencies. The money to buy a single ambulance appears on page 165 of the city’s 400-page budget proposal from…
Dabble Springfield relocating to Sangamon Avenue
Dabble Springfield, a do-it-yourself arts and crafts studio that brought a new concept to the capital city last year, is now expanding to a larger space. Sisters Ashley Striplin and Amanda Terry launched their new venture in March 2023 with a location at Sixth Street and North Grand Avenue. On Jan. 10, the business will…
Building permits – Jan. 1 – Jan. 7
Building permits – Jan. 1 – Jan. 7 Sherman Investors LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2339 S. Dirksen Parkway. Contractor is Steven Risen and the project is valued at $45,000. McDonald Corp. % Mary and Paul Breznay received a commercial remodel permit for 901 North Grand Ave. E. Contractor is Ken Struder and…
Planet Fitness opening second Springfield location
Planet Fitness is expanding its presence in Springfield with a second location in the works. “Our target is to open by early spring,” said Luke Schwartz, marketing manager for franchisee Black Duck Partners, which operates locations in 12 different states and Canada. Approximately 19,000 square feet of space in the Sangamon Center North Shopping Center,…
Clocktower Café opens
Brunchfield Café closed less than a week ago and the restaurant is already reopening today with a new name and new ownership. While Clocktower Café, 751 S. Durkin Dr., will retain some of Brunchfield’s signature dishes, the new café will have more of a focus on traditional American classics than the Cajun-inspired food for which…
Springfield Clinic, Blue Cross make a deal
After two years of financial and emotional stress for thousands of central Illinois patients, those covered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois regained in-network access to Springfield Clinic medical providers on Jan. 1. Chicago-based Blue Cross and the clinic issued statements Dec. 22 that they have reached a new five-year agreement allowing the…
Seoul 4 Soul opens downtown
Seoul 4 Soul, a Korean fusion bistro, is opening today in downtown Springfield. Chefs Kimsimone Manning and Emily Tylman have teamed up to open a restaurant in the upper level of Buzz Bomb Brewing Company at 406 E. Adams St. “Seoul 4 Soul has been my baby since I started culinary school back in 2014,”…
Fairgrounds Café to open on Peoria Road
Fairgrounds Café will open soon at the site of the former Jungle Jim’s Café, which was a landmark on the north end and Route 66 for more than three decades before closing in January 2023. Jack Ahmedi and Buka Nuhiji purchased the property at 1923 Peoria Road in August. “We’re still in the process of…
Building permits – Dec. 18-Dec. 24
Sangamon North LLC % SLK Global Solutions America received a commercial remodel permit for 1873-1979 Sangamon Ave. Contractor is James Construction and the project is valued at $850,000. Memorial Health System received a commercial remodel permit for 701 N. First St. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $4.998 million. Hedley Plaza…
Eagle Golf and Grill opens
Eagle Golf and Grill, a public golf training facility with a full-service restaurant and bar, has opened on Springfield’s west side. The location at 3941 Pintail Drive includes five golf simulator bays, a 1,200-square-foot indoor putting and chipping green and a training area for students, in addition to the restaurant and bar. Jim Lee co-owns…
HSHS hires new CFO
Hospital Sisters Health System has announced Michael Scialdone will join the system’s executive leadership team as senior vice president and chief financial officer, effective Jan. 8, 2024, and oversee system financial services. “Michael brings over three decades of health care finance and operational leadership experience along with a faith-based mindset that will support our mission…
Rail improvement project delayed
Completion of Springfield’s rail improvement project will be delayed beyond 2025 because the project failed to secure $138 million in funding from the federal government. Springfield and Sangamon County backers of the years-long project had hoped 2025 would be the last year of construction on the massive project to alleviate rail congestion in the city’s…
Building permits – Jan. 15 – Jan. 21
LLD RE LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3451 Lumber Lane. Contractor is LLD RE LLC and the project is valued at $1.6 million. Jackson Properties LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 4501 Alex Blvd. Contractor is Michael Von Behren Builder, Inc., and the project is valued at $380,115. White Oaks Plaza LLC…
Best Places to Work alumni spotlight: B&B Electric
Named one of the Best Places to Work in 2020, B&B Electric, a licensed electrical contractor that delivers electrical solutions to commercial, institutional or industrial projects, is unique in that it has been a family-owned and operated business for four generations. Tim Brinkman, partner and executive vice president, is a member of the fourth generation…
New Year’s resolutions for a stronger business
The start of a new year can be filled with a sense of optimism about what’s to come, but for some entrepreneurs it can also be a time of high anxiety, not knowing what might happen in the months ahead. This year will surely bring a few surprises, but you don’t have to wait and…
Why leaders should read: My three books
When I was new to management, the boss announced that all department heads would be assigned a book to read and that it would later be discussed as a group. I was skeptical at the time, but in hindsight, I’m forever grateful. That assignment spurred me on to read many more books on leadership, management…
New laws
Our legislature has been at it again, passing a slew of new bills that have now been enacted into law. Mandatory paid leave Perhaps the most significant new law is the “Paid Leave for All Workers Act.” Illinois was the third state to pass a law requiring employers to provide paid leave to employees…
100+ Who Care in Springfield
Members of the 100+ Who Care in Springfield play a bit of a numbers game. The group’s intent is to recruit at least 100 people who will donate $100 each with the goal of voting for and awarding $10,000 to a local nonprofit, all in under 100 minutes. Jenny Vaughn, board president, summed up the…
Making the elegance of historical architecture relevant today
One of Douglas Pope’s favorite activities is people-watching at the Broadgauge on the Petersburg square. “I like to watch folks who haven’t been there before walk through that front door,” Pope said. “One hundred percent of them just start looking around, and I can see their jaws drop, and I really get a kick out…
Scheels Sports Park development on track “There is no delay in any of the financing”
Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe remains on track to be fully operational by spring 2025 on Springfield’s south side despite recent questions from City Council members about the way public money will flow to the project and the viability of private financing scheduled that will cover half of the total $67 million in costs.…
Lake Springfield Tavern
Given my fondness for tavern fare, I was surprised I had never been to Lake Springfield Tavern. I’ve driven by hundreds of times, and I don’t think I even recognized that it was a tavern. Folks tell me that Lake Springfield Tavern has been around since Stevenson Drive was a dirt road. And, from exterior…
Notable engineering and construction projects of 2023
Engineering the future: moving Springfield forward The work of Moving Pillsbury Forward, the nonprofit created to take ownership of the former Pillsbury flour mill complex at 1525 E Phillips St., is to prepare for environmental cleanup and future redevelopment and is key to the story of the biggest engineering project in Springfield, spanning more than…
Sangamon County could see first wind farm soon
A German clean energy company plans to file applications with Montgomery and Sangamon County officials early in 2024 for approval to construct the first phase of a four-county, $450 million wind farm development known as Grand Prairie Energy Park. UKA Group’s North American affiliate, based in Stuart, Florida, would build about 60 wind turbines in…
HSHS donates 190 beds to Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach
Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) has donated 129 hospital beds to Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach as it standardize its beds across the health system. By the time the first project phase is finished, 190 beds taken out of service will be donated from five hospitals in Illinois and Wisconsin, including HSHS St. John’s Hospital in…
Prairie Heart Institute hosts heart walk and health fair
The Prairie Heart Foundation will host Powered by Prairie, a heart walk and health fair, on Feb. 24, 8-10:30 a.m., at Williamsville High School Fieldhouse, 900 S. Walnut St., Williamsville. All of the proceeds benefit local Prairie cardiac rehab services in Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield. Donations will support new…
Q&A With Eric Klinner
Where were you born and raised, and what was your career experience before joining AIA Illinois? I was born and raised in Quincy and went to Quincy University. I worked in retail management and sales, then I worked for an association management company running five to seven associations on a daily basis. What made you…
