The city of Springfield has hired Suraksha Bhandari as its new professional planner, bringing a blend of international experience, architectural training and research-driven urban planning to city hall.
Bhandari comes to Springfield from Salt Lake City, where she completed a master’s degree in city and metropolitan planning at the University of Utah and worked in both academic and professional planning roles. Before moving to the U.S., she worked for five years as an architect and planner in Nepal and earned a master’s degree in disaster risk management – experience she says drives her interest in building resilient cities.
In an interview with Illinois Times, Bhandari said Springfield’s blend of history and opportunity drew her to the job.
“Springfield is a city with historical and cultural background,” she said. “I want to bring my educational and professional expertise to work with the mayor’s vision and find opportunities for growth citywide. I’m honored to join the city of Springfield and excited to work with the community to help build a vibrant and resilient city for today and for the future.”
Bhandari said she had been familiarizing herself with the city for several months before applying and has now been in Springfield for about three weeks. She said her background in architecture helps her approach planning holistically, from understanding the city’s history to communicating ideas through maps, sketches and visual tools.
“When we talk about planning, there are different phases – from envisioning to plan-making to implementation,” she said. “Architecture has helped me respect the city’s character and prioritize work that honors history while planning for the future.”
Amy Rasing, director of the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, said Bhandari stood out among a strong field of candidates.
“You’re not just talking about someone who has a degree – you’re talking about someone who has been working in the field across the United States as well as her home country,” Rasing said. “She brings insight, experience and a completely fresh set of eyes. Many of us who have lived here a long time forget what we have to offer. She sees those strengths and brings ideas informed by places she’s worked before.”
Rasing noted that Bhandari had already spent time in Springfield prior to applying and arrived with a working familiarity with its neighborhoods, downtown and local culture – something the interview team said set her apart.
Bhandari’s appointment comes less than a year after the city created the professional planner position – an effort that initially drew public scrutiny when Mayor Misty Buscher appointed Sean Pritchard as Springfield’s first city planner.
Pritchard was named to the role despite not having a college degree. His background included work in insurance, finance and business development, as well as a position at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, where he helped manage statewide business incentive programs.
While Pritchard emphasized his various professional certifications and career experience, his appointment raised concerns within the planning field. Urban planning experts noted that mid-sized cities typically hire planners with formal training, often including master’s degrees and professional certifications.
The situation also highlighted Springfield’s unusual history of operating without a city planner on staff. For decades, the capital city has outsourced planning work to the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission. The closest equivalent to a municipal planner had been architect Paul O’Shea, who advised the city on planning and design until 2015 but intentionally declined the title of “city planner.”
City officials defended Pritchard’s selection at the time, emphasizing his economic development background and “outside-the-box” thinking. Pritchard identified the city’s east side and downtown as priorities for revitalization. But he left the position this year after serving about six months on the job.
Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams expressed frustration with how the city has handled its urban planning, adding he has yet to meet Bhandari.
“I thought the last guy was going to try to do good, but I don’t know what happened because we just came one day and then boom, he’s gone. We heard nothing official, just through word of mouth, ‘He’s no longer with us.’”
Williams said for too long the city has ignored the needs of Springfield’s east side.
“When are we going to start working on (implementing) a plan for the east side?” he said. “They keep coming up with every other plan. … How long have we got to wait? I found a plan that’s dated 1992. There are like three or four east-side plans on the books in (the Office of Planning and) Economic Development, but they’re just paper. We never take action and actually start implementing a plan.”
Ryan McCrady, president and CEO at Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, called Bhandari’s hiring a positive step for the city.
“I think she will do a great job for the citizens of Springfield. People don’t always realize the benefits of good planning until they see it done well. … Her architecture background will not only be good for planning development but also its underlying infrastructure.”
Bhandari says she’s eager to listen, collaborate and begin the work of shaping Springfield’s future.
“This is my home now,” she said. “I’m excited to get to work.”
Scott Reeder, a staff writer for Illinois Times, can be reached at sreeder@illinoistimes.com.