Building permit roundup – Trinity Lutheran Church, Ferguson Building, Binny’s
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church obtained a permit to build an addition onto the church located at 220 S. Second St. Joyner Construction Services is the contractor, and the project is valued at $700,000. Bright New Day Investments, Inc., obtained a permit to renovate the entrance of the Ferguson Building, located at 524 E. Monroe St.…
ALPLM a top three Illinois attraction, according to USA Today
Voters in USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice Travel Award Contest have selected Springfield’s Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum as a top attraction in Illinois. The museum, which voters on USA Today’s 10Best.com ranked as the number three attraction in Illinois, is the top Illinois attraction outside of the Chicago area. Since the Abraham…
Sept. 21 elected officials reception
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and presenting sponsor Hanson Professional Services, Inc., will host the second annual elected officials reception on Thursday, Sept. 21, from 5-7 p.m., at the Illinois Association of REALTORS, 522 S. Fifth St. This event is designed to provide Chamber members the opportunity to network and interact face-to-face with those…
Committed to Downtown – for another 50 years
BY THOMAS C. PAVLIK JR. When you’re open for business in the same community for more than five decades, you’ve probably done a few things right. And let’s be honest: you’ve probably made a few well-intentioned mistakes, too. This year marks our 50th anniversary, and we’re proud to have served the capital city for the…
CMT goes solar – Project is largest of its kind in Illinois
BY NAOMI VELAZQUEZ GREENE Harnessing the sun’s energy is the newest project undertaken by engineering firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, and it’s the largest such project in Springfield. Headquartered in Springfield, CMT just completed installation of a solar plant atop its west side office, which promises to save energy while serving as a model for…
A breath of fresh air – Springfield gets bigger role in American Lung Association
BY ROBERTA CODEMO The American Lung Association has a long history in Springfield dating back more than 30 years. Now, a new chapter is being written, with the Springfield office recently opening a second location to accommodate its growing needs. The move comes at a time when the American Lung Association is undergoing internal changes.…
Ardoin named human resources manager at Hanson
Hanson Professional Services Inc. announced that Rob Ardoin has been named human resources manager at the Springfield-based engineering firm. Previously, Ardoin was the human resources business partner at H.D. Smith Speciality Solutions in Springfield and a recruiter for Memorial Health System in Springfield. Ardoin replaces retiring human resources manager Tracye O’Connor, who has been with…
Chamber releases economic impact study on proposed EmberClear plant
By Patrick Yeagle A proposed natural gas plant near Pawnee would bring needed development to Sangamon County, according to an economic impact study released this week by the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. The study comes as the Springfield City Council weighs whether to approve a deal with a plant that would partly compete with…
Brewing supply store opens in Springfield
By Patrick Yeagle Springfield beer and wine brewers have a new option for supplies with the opening of Capitol City Brewing Supply this week. Owned by father-son team Jeremy and Blake Burris, the new shop opened Aug. 30. Blake Burris says his father, Jeremy, got into homebrewing with wine, then expanded into beer. Blake, now…
Virden bookstore expanding to Springfield
A longtime staple of Virden’s downtown business scene is expanding to Springfield. Books on the Square opened in Virden in 1992 and will soon open its second location at 427 E. Washington St. in downtown Springfield. Co-owners John and Jeannie Alexander of Virden started Books on the Square together. John Alexander says he was a…
Rauner vetoes creation of state-run workers’ comp insurer
By Patrick Yeagle Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday vetoed earlier this month a bill which would have created a state-run insurance provider for workers’ compensation. The veto comes amid debate over whether private insurers bilk employers through allegedly outsize premiums. In 2011, Illinois adopted several changes to its workers’ compensation system, including lowering reimbursement for…
Minimum wage hike likely dead after Rauner veto
By Patrick Yeagle Gov. Bruce Rauner last week vetoed a bill which would have raised the statewide minimum wage to $15 per hour. The bill’s sponsors vow an override vote attempt, but it likely lacks enough support to reach the required three-fifths majority. Among other provisions, Senate Bill 81 would have raised the current $8.25…
Illinois renews ‘angel investment’ tax credit for tech
By Patrick Yeagle Illinois renewed a tax credit last week aimed at spurring investment in new technology companies. The previous “angel investment” tax credit expired at the end of last year, but on Aug. 24, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a law renewing it through 2021. Angel investment loosely refers to individuals or groups using their…
Former Goodwill building to house different nonprofit – Building permit roundup
By Patrick Yeagle The former Goodwill building on North 11th Street in Springfield is slated to become the new headquarters for a different nonprofit. Capitol Reuse Center Inc. purchased the building at 815 N. 11th St. earlier this year for $15,000 and obtained a permit this week from the City of Springfield to remodel the…
Rauner expected to sign bill touted by immigration-business coalition
Gov. Bruce Rauner is expected to sign a bill next week which is touted by a coalition of business and immigration interests. Senate Bill 31, known as the Trust Act, would prohibit arrests based solely on a person’s immigration status, among other provisions. The Illinois Business Immigration Coalition praised Rauner for saying he would sign…
Steven Warren joins Hanson Professional Services
Hanson Professional Services Inc. announced this week the hire of Steven Warren as land acquisition project manager. Warren fills the role vacated by Dennis Hollahan earlier this year, when Hollahan became the firm’s internal legal counsel. A licensed professional land surveyor, Warren most recently served as acting chief of the Acquisition Management Section and chief…
Target gets solar installation – Building permit roundup
The Springfield location of retailer Target is getting a rooftop solar installation. Located at 3445 Freedom Drive, the Target store obtained a permit from the City of Springfield on Aug. 14 to install a 420-kiloWatt solar system. EFS Energy Inc. of Springfield is the contractor for the project, valued at $649,101. Other permits approved by…
Bally Vaughn Apartments sold after four years vacant
A Springfield apartment complex has been sold, following four years of vacancy. Diana and David Rodriguez of Tampa, Florida, bought Bally Vaughn Apartments, 1317 W. Washington St., in July through their company Springfield Village LLC. The purchase was announced via press release by Rosemont, Illinois-based real estate firm Foresight Realty Partners LLC. The press release…
