Building permits – Dec. 29 to Jan. 4
629 East LLC received a commercial structure remodel permit for 631 E. Adams St. Contractor is Jason McKemie and the project is valued at $150,000. Bridge Real Estate LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3161 West White Oaks Drive. Contractor is PH Broughton & Sons and the project is valued at $130,000. Hjem Homes…
Pritzker signs ‘medical aid in dying’ bill amid religious opposition
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law Dec. 12 that will allow terminally ill adults in Illinois to take life-ending medication prescribed by physicians. The controversial bill overcame strong opposition from religious groups and some disability rights advocates who feared it could endanger Illinoisians with disabilities. Critics call the practice “assisted suicide,” while those who support the law…
Gabatoni’s Italian Restaurant
I’ve been going to Gabatoni’s since I arrived in Springfield in 1999 and maybe even in 1992 while I was here for a judicial clerkship. I was saddened when the pandemic led the prior owners to shift to takeout only, which lasted even after the COVID-19 restrictions eased. But, with new ownership and a re-do…
Mylas Copeland on the importance of giving back
University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Janet Gooch and vice chancellor for student affairs Jamarco Clark put their heads together to create the UIS Chancellor’s Thinkers Series. Clark said this initiative “grew out of conversations between the chancellor and me about creating opportunities for people to engage constructively, even when perspectives differ. Too often, society struggles…
Big dilemmas for tiny houses
The recent passage of a moratorium on tiny houses in Ward 2 comes with some conditions, namely, that the city engage in a review of zoning and housing policies, hold at least two community engagement sessions, assess economic, environmental and social impacts of tiny homes in Ward 2, and make recommendations to the city council…
Best practices for performance reviews
Ah, the performance review… the human resources tool that everyone loves to hate. Managers and employees alike struggle to find value in reviews, but when done right, they guide career development and keep the organization moving forward. With turnover still high in many organizations, and with so many workers still in a remote or hybrid…
Rail consolidation a long time coming
Construction for Springfield’s Rail Improvement Project began in 2014 with construction of an underpass at Carpenter and 10th streets and the final phase will begin next month. Over the last decade-plus, new railroad bridges have been constructed at Fifth, Sixth, Ash, Laurel and Cook streets and South Grand Avenue with underpasses constructed at Madison and…
Regulations change for disadvantaged businesses
Federal regulations changed in October for all businesses seeking contracts as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Those businesses now need to provide additional documentation – including personal financial information – and must be recertified due to an “interim rule” from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The changes directly affect…
Notable projects underway in Springfield
Scheels Sports Park With the success of Legacy Pointe anchor SCHEELS, developers Steve Luker and Dirk McCormick have partnered with local organizations and the city of Springfield to create Scheels Sports Park, part of a 276-acre mixed-use development located off MacArthur Boulevard near the I-72 interchange. One of their innovative partnerships is with tenant Springfield…
Q&A with Phil Martin
Phil Martin started working on job sites with his father, Russ Martin, at a young age and graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After starting his career with Turner Construction Company in Chicago, he returned to Springfield in 1991 to work at Martin Engineering Company,…
