City Council OKs east-side housing expansion
Springfield City Council members on Feb. 18 approved $1.5 million in city funding for a 50-home addition to the Nehemiah Expansion affordable-housing project on the east side. The two 10-0 votes – to spend $1 million in federal HOME grant funds and $500,000 in property tax revenues from the Far East Tax-Increment Financing District –…
Springfield Clinic Urgent Care Plus ribbon cutting Feb. 21
Springfield Clinic will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, for the region’s first high acuity urgent care. Urgent Care Plus is intended to bridge the gap between a traditional urgent care and the emergency room, offering high acuity care in a more accessible and efficient setting. The event will take…
Former Hooters property to be auctioned
The former Hooters restaurant in Springfield is getting ready to go up for auction. Commercial real estate website Loopnet.com lists 3241 Horizon Drive as scheduled for auction Feb. 24-26, with a starting bid of $190,000 for the 4,262-square-foot building. The property is listed with broker Daniel Elliot of SRS Real Estate Partners, a Dallas-based commercial real…
Pop-Up Chicken Shop opening Springfield location
A new chicken restaurant is moving into the former KFC on West Jefferson Street in Springfield. Aaron Francis launched Pop-Up Chicken Shop in Bloomington in 2018 and opened a second location in Peoria last year. A third location is now in the works for Springfield, but he said he has even bigger plans. “I’m licensing…
Jacksonville EDC launches second phase of Make My Move campaign
The Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation has launched the second phase of its strategy to bring new residents to Morgan and Scott counties. The campaign, featuring new “live, work and invest” videos, digital advertising and a relocation incentive on MakeMyMove.com, places a targeted focus on recruiting an increased workforce to local businesses in the Jacksonville…
Building permits – Feb. 10 – Feb. 16
Anderson Estates LLC received a commercial accessory structure permit for 417 E. Cook St. Contractor is Sheppard Landscaping and the project is valued at $27,000. D.E.R. Jr. LLC received a commercial permit for 1701 W. Jefferson St. Contractor is Martin Engineering Company and the project is valued at $165,000. Autozone #2659 % Property Management Dept.…
Three Twigs owners to take over The Railyard
Dec. 24 was the last day of operations for Three Twigs & Co., but owners Emily and Tim Lewis said at the time they intended to bring back the business in some form. The next phase is now taking shape, as the couple has signed a lease for The Railyard property at 2242 S. Sixth…
Harvest Kitchen + Bar opens in Prairie Crossing
A mother-daughter team has launched Harvest Kitchen + Bar, serving American classics with a twist, at 4241 Conestoga Drive. Odette Yobal, who co-owns the new venture with her mother, Vivian Dominguez, described it to SBJ as “an elevated aesthetic but still affordable and approachable for everybody.” Related The current menu includes breakfast staples such as pancakes,…
Next phase of east-side housing development in jeopardy
A proposal to construct 50 more single-family homes for low-income renters may hinge on whether Springfield City Council members grant an exception to a 2023 ordinance that guarantees union involvement in the hiring and pay of workers on large projects. The proposed fifth phase of home development in the Nehemiah Expansion project would provide desperately…
Kelsey Harms opening Café Amulet in Petersburg
Feb. 23 is the final day of operations for 1st and 3rd Boutique and Wine Bar in Petersburg, but the business will soon reopen with a new name and different focus. “We’ll be closing on the building the following week,” said Kelsey Harms, who is purchasing the property at 105 S. Seventh St. from Liz…
Jeff Myers joins Hanson Professional Services
Jeff Myers recently joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s Springfield headquarters as a senior project manager. He will work to advance Hanson’s Illinois Department of Transportation and local government transportation engineering endeavors and serve as a project manager for transportation engineering projects. Myers worked for IDOT for more than 30 years, most recently as the Region…
Building permits – Feb. 3 – Feb. 9
Michael O’Hagan received a commercial remodel permit for 2631 Bluebird Court. Contractor is Michael O’Hagan and the project is valued at $4,000. Denise Boksa received a commercial accessory structure permit for 301 Harbor Point Place. Contractor is Benjamin Dewitt and the project is valued at $14,000. Standard Investment Co. received a commercial demolition permit for…
Papo’s Cafe and FED Kitchen merge
A Springfield restaurant and a meal prep service have joined forces and unveiled a new business model. “Essentially, Will Hoecker and I are merging both entities into one,” said Celeste Malham, co-owner of FED Kitchen, of the new partnership with Papo’s Café. “It’s kind of like Pease’s does with BUNN Gourmet.” Celeste and her husband,…
City Council enacts new conflict-of-interest standards
The Springfield City Council voted 8-0 on Feb. 4 to spend about $1.5 million in TIF funds to help a local couple renovate a dilapidated building in the 300 block of East Adams Street. But the Ward 5 representative on the council, Lakeisha Purchase, who has worked with Martin and Laurie Haxel for two years…
The Lumpia House opens on MacArthur Boulevard
The Lumpia House, a restaurant serving traditional Filipino food, has opened following a successful trial run of its food truck with a similar name. Rolando Cabral and his wife, Myrna Balabag, launched The Lumpia Truck in September while in the process of identifying a brick-and-mortar location. Meanwhile, Travelers Kitchen, 1731 S. MacArthur Blvd., closed Oct.…
Memorial Health announces new president and CEO
The Memorial Health board of directors has selected Dr. Mandy Eaton as the organization’s next president and CEO. Eaton will join Memorial Health on April 1, succeeding Ed Curtis, who previously announced plans to retire after a 50-year career with Memorial. Curtis’ last day will be March 31. “I’m honored to be joining Memorial Health…
City of Springfield shuts down 11 massage parlors
Eleven massage parlors in Springfield have been closed down, while another 25 believed to be operating legitimately will be issued local licenses in coming weeks. City officials mandated the closures as part of the much-anticipated rollout of an ordinance passed by the City Council in June 2024 to crack down on massage establishments believed to…
Wing It On! coming to Springfield
A Springfield business owner and entrepreneur has signed a franchise agreement to bring Wing It On! to the capital city. Founded in 2011, Wing It On! serves buffalo-style wings, tenders and chicken sandwiches with 24 signature flavors, both sauces and rubs. “I love chicken wings,” said Billy Wilder, the Springfield franchisee, who also owns Gracie…
Building permits – Jan. 27 – Feb. 2
Todd and Leanne Smith received a commercial remodel permit for 520 E. Allen St. Contractor is Todd Smith and the project is valued at $60,000. Frank J. Vala % Community Care Systems Inc. received a commercial accessory structure permit for 405 N. MacArthur Blvd. Contractor is Porter Electric LLC and the project is valued at…
Japan House to replace Empire Korean Steakhouse
Empire Korean Steakhouse and Bar is preparing to close, but the space will promptly transition to a new restaurant concept operated by the same family. “My dad is taking over the business operations,” said Kevin Huang, who has been running Empire Korean Steakhouse since it opened in October 2022. Huang said the new restaurant, Japan…
Green Toyota breaking ground on $11 million expansion
Green Toyota is planning an $11 million project intended to significantly modernize and expand the Toyota showroom, service area and customer amenities. The groundbreaking for the major expansion and renovation project at 3901 Wabash Ave. will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 3. “We are thrilled to break ground on this state‐of‐the‐art renovation…
‘Blatantly unlawful’ federal spending freeze sends state scrambling
State agencies, nonprofit organizations and a host of other entities that rely on federal funding were thrown into chaos Tuesday following the release of a White House memo that froze – at least temporarily – the distribution of all federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs. Late Tuesday, however, the Associated Press reported that…
UIS partners with SIU School of Medicine to study how cancer spreads
Scientists at University of Illinois Springfield and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine are teaming up to investigate how certain cells in the body connect and encourage the spread of cancer. The project, led by Natalya Zinkevich, UIS assistant professor of integrated sciences, and Sophia Ran, SIU professor of medical microbiology, immunology and cell biology,…
St. John’s welcomes students for health care bootcamp
HSHS St. John’s Hospital welcomed 21 high school students from across central Illinois for its fifth High School Healthcare Bootcamp on Dec. 30. The bootcamp for juniors and seniors interested in a career in health care gives students a realistic look into various health care roles, while also allowing an opportunity to make connections in…
Motivated by faith and family
Quigg Engineering Inc. has served clients since 2006 and “provides a progressive and thoughtful approach to planning, engineering and surveying, always remaining aligned with clients’ needs, to provide professional, quality and timely engineering and consulting services,” according to the company’s website. Engineers innovate and solve problems, but beyond highway and bridge design, land surveying, environmental…
Motivation: spread something positive
Flu season is upon us, but do you know what’s just as contagious as the flu? Motivation. A recent Johns Hopkins University study found that when we see other people challenging themselves and achieving “exceptional success,” we’re more likely to do the same. This is tied to motivation – when you see others do something,…
Cozy Dog Drive In
I’ve never been a big fan of hot dogs. A few times a year when I’m at the ballpark or some other big venue I’ll opt for one, especially if brown mustard is available. Or late at night after a few beers, a Chicago dog might be called for – but not your general boiled…
When boilerplate is not the best option
I recently met with a prospective client to discuss representing him in a possible business venture. As we discussed the scope of my representation, he said that he planned to sign some standard contracts with various venders and he would not need my help because, other than the price terms, it was all just boilerplate.…
Q&A With Amy Rasing
Amy Rasing joined the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development in 2023 as a grant manager. In December, Mayor Misty Buscher nominated her as the new director of OPED, and her appointment was confirmed Jan. 7 by the Springfield City Council. She has worked more than 30 years in nonprofit agencies on the local,…
New day care built on Springfield’s west side
Many parents have struggled since the pandemic to find quality child care. The upcoming opening of Kardinal Kids, 260 S. Bradfordton Road, will help fill this need. Started by Kasi Maisenbacher and her husband, Ryan, Kardinal Kids came to fruition because of this lack of child care. The property, just west of Route 97, has…
Notable building projects in 2025
Within a few blocks of each other, both public and private landowners are doing their part to support community reinvestment, working with architects and contractors to find creative, sensible ways to evolve and age in place. The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Springfield School District 186 and entrepreneurs Court and Karen Conn are…
Area bankers predict commercial real estate trends for 2025
The annual meeting of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, held Jan. 23, touted eight notable projects in the area. Highlights included plans for an Amazon distribution center at the intersection of Bissell Road and North Dirksen Parkway, a Frito-Lay warehouse at the south end of town and the Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe that…
Business owner arrested in murder-for-hire scheme
A man accused of putting out a $10,000 contract to have a Collinsville woman killed may find it difficult to fulfil his own contract with the city of Springfield – to raze 38 dilapidated houses. Sammy J. Shafer Jr. owns S. Shafer Excavating, a company based in Pontoon Beach that does work throughout the Metro…
Golden Hour Bake House opening Feb. 8
Golden Hour Bake House will open Feb. 8 at 11 W. Old State Capitol Plaza, and the business will now feature a breakfast and lunch menu in addition to baked goods. In 2023, Alli Donaldson launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund her dream of opening a brick-and-mortar location for her business. She had been…
Businesses and organizations invited to take part in the UIS Career Connections Expo
Businesses and organizations are invited to register for the Career Connections Expo at the University of Illinois Springfield. The Expo will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 21, at the Recreation and Athletic Center (TRAC) on the UIS campus. In addition to the Expo, registered employers are invited to participate in…
Luca Pizza closes, D&J Café reopens
D&J Café reopened today, but the restaurant’s sudden closure earlier this week had nothing to do with the closure of Luca Pizza, another business owned by Lee Rupnik. “We had a pipe break on Monday. The plumber came in and replaced the pipe but didn’t turn the water back on and check for more leaks,”…
HSHS names CEO of Illinois Physician Enterprise
Dr. Leanne M. Yanni has been named president and CEO of Illinois Physician Enterprise for Hospital Sisters Health System beginning March 17. In this role, Yanni will have strategic and operational responsibility for HSHS Medical Group, Prairie Cardiovascular, Physician Clinical Integration Network, LLC, HSHS ACO, LLC and Prairie Education & Research Cooperative. Yanni is a…
Building permits – Jan. 20 – Jan. 26
Lea Collins received a commercial accessory structure permit for 1987 Wabash Ave. Contractor is Swiatek Inc. and the project is valued at $50,000. Steve Zhao received a commercial remodel permit for 3061 Wabash Ave. Contractor is Steve Zhao and the project is valued at $250,000. G W Foundation Inc. received a commercial remodel permit for…
