The Springfield City Council plans to ask the federal government if it can use arena grant money for Park Central Square and quarry project.
Tuesday (11-10) the council agreed to ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to shift earlier grant funds.



FROM LOUISE WHALL, SPRINGFIELD SPOKESWOMAN:

Springfield has about $2.4 million in Economic Development Initiative funds pending that were originally targeted for a multi-purpose arena across from Jordan Valley Park. Since that time, new arena projects have been built or are under construction at Missouri State and Drury University; the former arena land has been sold for future hotel development to John Q. Hammons Enterprises.

The money is designated for “community gathering” facilities and both the Quarry at East Trafficway and South National Avenue and the Square would fit the designation, said Mary Lilly Smith, Economic Development Director.

The goal for the Quarry would be to clean up the southern third of that property, which has for the most part finished settling enough to warrant some development, with grass, landscaping, fencing and a methane gas flare that would burn off the underground gasses.

The northern two-thirds of the property continues the settling process at a rate too fast to justify any significant development for a couple of more years. The Jordan Valley Advisory Committee has been monitoring the Quarry progress and has approved design plans that can be adapted for the southern section.

The funding for the Square would address some interior renovation following the completion of the outside perimeter’s new sidewalks and other amenities.

The outside and inside perimeter projects were switched around after a controversy arose a couple of years ago regarding the significance of the Square’s design. Noted architect Lawrence Halprin, who died recently, included many of his trademark design principles on the Square.

Smith said the integrity of the Halprin design could be maintained, while making other necessary improvements such as disability access, lighting and electrical infrastructure, repairing the fountain’s infrastructure and repairing the gazebo. The goal also would be to include a community room for public use in the vicinity of the Square.

Mayor Pro Tem Dan Chiles, a vocal proponent of maintaining the Halprin design, said he supports the new plans to maintain its integrity while accommodating issues such as disability access that weren’t factored into the era of Halprin’s original design.

Two Councilmembers expressed some skepticism about the plans. Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky said she will be disappointed if the City has to spend much more of the funding on revising the original Square plans; Smith said she thought most of the original plans could be adapted, but some modifications would be necessary. The original redesign would have brought the inner Square up to street level, but under the new scenario, it would remain sunken, with improved access, to maintain the Halprin design. She also would like to tie future Square redevelopment to the Heer's renovation by owner Blue Urban.

Councilman Scott Bailes questioned whether the City should commit the funding to the Square unless it would reduce situations where people loitering or congregating make other visitors feel uncomfortable. He noted the number of times the Square has undergone past transformations and wondered why this one would be more effective.

Mayor Jim O’Neal acknowledged the Square's past, but said he thinks the new Council has one shot at “getting this done right.”

He pointed out that the funding can't be used elsewhere in the City’s budget.

“Let’s make the best of what we have in front of us,” he said, encouraging citizen involvement to take a fresh look at the project.

No formal approval was required; the Council gave informal approval to send the request to HUD to redirect these funds one final time for these two projects.