First tenants sign on at new central Springfield development

SBJ photos by Christine Temple

Crews this morning work on the development’s parking lot.

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From the Ground Up: Retail/office center

A sushi restaurant and a dental office are the first tenants on board for a nearly completed development in central Springfield.

A new venture called Craft Sushi plans to open at the retail and office center developed by Sagamore Hill Development Co. LLC at the busy intersection of Sunshine Street and National Avenue, its owners say.

A second tenant, Duff Family Dental, is relocating from its office at 1722 S. Glenstone Ave. into a 4,600-square-foot spot in the development across from Mercy Hospital Springfield, said Ross Murray, principal and vice president of real estate brokerage R.B. Murray Co. The dental practice is planning a Sept. 10 opening at its new space, according to a Facebook post.

Murray said he has at least four letters of intent for other tenants in the space. There are 11 advertised retail spaces among the three buildings in the development, which amounts to 23,546 square feet, according to development specifications provided by Murray. Parking will be located behind the development, which faces Sunshine Street. The development cost, according to city permits, is roughly $4 million.

Sushi concept
A customizable sushi roll and bowl joint is slated to open this October at the development.

Michael and Jenny Cho are currently working on bringing their fast-casual Craft Sushi restaurant to the public.

“You choose the delivery method … you can come in and customize your own sushi rolls or bowls,” said Michael Cho. “The idea is to bring as much local ingredients to a fast-casual concept.”

Customers will have a choice of protein, such as tofu or yellow-fin tuna flown in from Hawaii, and “heavily locally sourced produce,” Cho said.

“It’s like a Subway or like a Chipotle, but with sushi ingredients,” he said. “We just thought that if we could help people eat conveniently, but also healthfully, we thought that we’d be doing the community a service.”

Cho said the restaurant is expected to open during the first week of October.

Cho said he plans to remain in his position as the director of hospitality at Hickory Hills Country Club. Jenny Cho will manage Craft Sushi’s daily operations as co-owner. She’s a freelance graphic designer by trade and created the logo for the restaurant.

At Craft Sushi, the head chef will be Keith Fuemmeler, who has worked at restaurants in Kansas City and Springfield for over 40 years, including with Cho at Argentina Steakhouse.

Murray said in-line space within the development runs about $18 per square foot, with end-cap space priced slightly higher.

Cho said he signed a three-year lease and confirmed he is roughly paying that base rate. At that estimate, lease payments would be $2,250 per month.

There are over 20,000 employees working within a mile radius of the new development, according R.B. Murray’s real estate listing, namely the Mercy campus.