It may be many months before the Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel can reopen. The 370-room, 30-story hotel at 700 E. Adams St. in downtown Springfield was damaged by internal flooding on March 27 and has been closed since then. An initial estimate from the Wyndham’s owner that the hotel would be closed for up […]
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Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase launches 5th Street Gem
Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase says she’s putting her money where her mouth is and launching her own business, 5th Street Gem, in a newly renovated building downtown after years of encouraging other entrepreneurs to invest in the area. “I have a true passion for our downtown, and not just because I represent part of […]
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IHDA funds projects in Springfield, Jacksonville
The Illinois Housing Development Authority has announced the conditional award of more than $50 million in state and federal funding to spur the development of permanent supportive housing throughout Illinois. Of the seven statewide projects slated to receive funding, one is in Springfield and one is in Jacksonville. Bluestem Housing Partners and Envision Unlimited received […]
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Charlie White joins First Women’s Bank
Charlie White has joined First Women’s Bank as a senior vice president business development officer. The bank, which will celebrate four years in business in July, describes itself as “the nation’s only bank with a strategic focus on supporting the women’s economy and closing the gender lending gap.” White spent nearly seven years as a […]
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Field of dreams
Things are progressing quite nicely with Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, according to all the principals involved. After years of uncertainty over its viability, a 180,000-square-foot dome is slated to be inflated in the latter part of June, with sports activities expected to start in October. The grand opening of the park’s primary money-making […]
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Former Sangamo Club property still on the market
It’s been a little over a year since PNC Bank foreclosed on the former Sangamo Club and so far, there have been no takers to repurpose the downtown property, despite significant price reductions since it was first listed for sale. The 28,000-square-foot building at 227 E. Adams St. was initially listed by Hurwitz Enterprises in […]
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UCB to acquire Midland Community Bank
United Community Bancorp, Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire Midland Community Bank based in Kincaid, Illinois. Midland Community Bank is a full-service community bank established in 1968 with two locations in the Christian County communities of Kincaid and Taylorville, with $66.9 million in assets as of March 31. “Midland is an excellent and […]
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Memorial Health names Drew Early as COO
Memorial Health has named Drew Early as its Chief Operating Officer, a newly created position that reflects the health system’s continued evolution. Early, who currently serves as CEO of Decatur Memorial Hospital, will assume responsibilities as COO while continuing to lead DMH until a new CEO is appointed. In this new role, he will partner […]
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Potbelly opening May 13 on Springfield’s west side
Potbelly is opening a location on the west side of Springfield on May 13, which has been in the works for nearly three years. Rob Wilbern, a certified public accountant who also owned Robert’s Automotive and several other businesses in Springfield, announced in 2022 he had signed a franchise agreement with the parent company for […]
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Hello Thailand to open in Springfield
China Express closed last month after more than two decades, but a new restaurant is already in the works to take its place on Toronto Road. Hello Thailand has signed a lease for the space at 1213 Toronto Road, located in a shopping center next to Pier 55 Lounge. “We just got the key from […]
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Major solar development opens in Sangamon County
Sangamon County is now home to the largest solar power development east of the Mississippi River. On April 30, Swift Current Energy, a Boston-based firm, held a ribbon-cutting at its Auburn office for the Double Black Diamond solar farm. The collection of solar panels was erected on more than 4,000 acres in western Sangamon County […]
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Harvest Kitchen + Bar expands hours, offerings
Harvest Kitchen + Bar held a soft opening in February, but the restaurant in Prairie Crossing has now expanded its menu and operating hours. “We’ve added a new dinner menu, which is completely different from the first menu we had focused on breakfast and lunch,” said Odette Yobal, who co-owns the business with her mother, […]