Civic Park advisers choose planning firm

The Civic Park Advisory Committee will pursue a contract with LMN Architects of Seattle, Wash., to develop a master plan for Civic Park.

A subcommittee announced its recommendation of LMN at a July 8 meeting of the advisory committee. The decision to select LMN was unanimous.

"It is our feeling that LMN had the overall best qualifications. Their presentation stood out to us as the best," said Bill Compere, chair of the Civic Park Advisory Committee.

Nancy Brown, a member of the committee, pointed out that LMN's presentation focused on the history associated with Springfield, and its plan included incorporating those historical elements. The group is affiliated with Larkin & Associates locally.

Benjamin Alexander, senior planner with the city and the staff representative to the advisory committee, said that the consultant will be under contract by July 31.

He projects that the master plan will be complete in May 1999.

About $22.5 million will be raised over 20 years through a capture of the increase in Springfield's hotel-motel tax for the development of phase I of the park, which will comprise 35 acres.

LMN was one of four consultants chosen as finalists for the project. BRW Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn.; Camiros Ltd., of Chicago; and Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum Inc., of St. Louis, were the other finalists.