Commercial Street's New Life

Her yearlong sales pitch wasn’t successful in landing the Portland, Ore.-based restaurant chain, which has a long tradition of operating in historic buildings. Springfield just didn’t have the right demographics.

Nowadays, though, Collette has renewed hope of landing the perfect buyer for her 12,000-square-foot building – a former fire station with 14-foot ceilings and a 6,000-square-foot courtyard.

Commercial Street has become hot property.

Bustling commercial center

Redevelopment of the long, run-down stretch of Commercial between Grant Avenue and Washington Avenue is in full swing. It’s a top priority of City Councilwoman Collette and other city officials.

It’s also a darling for private investors, who have spent about $1.8 million on the street in the last year alone, according to Urban Districts Alliance research.

“It’s a historic area,” Collette said. “I was attracted to it because of its authenticity.”

Collette was attracted to Commercial long before most investors. She’s owned the former fire station since 1995 and two other buildings, 200 and 312 E. Commercial, since 1980 and 1991, respectively.

But, for nearly 40 years, Commercial has been known more for its homeless shelters than its history. Now, Collette and others want to resurrect the bustling commercial center – thus the street’s name – that sprang from railroad business in the 1870s.

Harmony

Senior city planner Vern Morgan wrote the strategy guide for redevelopment last August. He targeted live music as the catalyst for reinvigorating the six-block stretch. There are nine venues in the city’s concept plan.

The July reopening of Ron Walker’s live-music venue Lindberg’s, 318 W. Commercial, is the early highlight.

“It’s absolutely stunning; it’s gorgeous,” Collette said of Lindberg’s. “People are just clamoring for it to get open.”

Jim and Carol Murrow bought 203 and 205 W. Commercial from Springfield Victory Mission two months ago and plan to turn that 18,000-square-foot space into lofts and a nonalcoholic, nonsmoking jazz, blues and gospel club within two years.

The Murrows also own 406 South Ave. downtown, home to Maria’s Mexican Restaurant.

Victory Mission is relocating its men’s mission to the corner of Broadway and Commercial.

Sarah Trammell, UDA’s Commercial Street community development coordinator, is spearheading a daylong concert Aug. 19 on Commercial Street. Big Smith will headline the inaugural C-Street Jam, which will feature food vendors and 10 bands, all of which are volunteering their efforts to make the concert possible with only a $6,000 budget. Sponsors are still being secured.

“When Commercial Street succeeds, live local music will, too,” Trammell said. “I definitely think that it would be a signature event for the street.”

Multipronged attack

Music isn’t the only force behind Commercial’s new life.

UDA and Commercial Club are using grant money to improve sidewalks, and an eclectic mix of businesses is emerging.

Lofts are important, and they’re in demand, said Collette, who owns four. There are about 40 existing lofts on Commercial with just as many on the drawing board. Lease prices on Commercial are $600 to $1,200 a month, about 20 percent less than downtown, she said.

Kids Rags Upscale Boutique, a children’s clothing store, failed after only six months at 320 E. Commercial. Kids Rags relocated May 8 to 1330 E. Battlefield Road.

Owner Tonia Harris said the stigma Commercial Street had as being home to the homeless kept customers away from her children’s clothing store.

“I never had any problem with anybody,” Harris said. “It’s just people’s perception. I was hoping it would take off a little faster, but I think, for retail, it’s going to take quite awhile.”

Lindberg’s Walker said Kids Rags failed for an obvious reason. It just didn’t fit the street’s new mood: “cool urban.”

“You start with the nightclubs and stuff, and then you can have the supporting stuff,” said Walker, possibly the most active private investor on the street. Walker’s been involved in a dozen projects and invested around $2 million during the last two years.

“You’ve got the Kaleidoscope-type stores and maybe tattoo places,” he added. “It’s a variety of things that the same clientele wants to see. Gradually, it just turns into a daytime (destination).”

Nellie Dunn’s Used Furniture and Antiques succeeded for close to 20 years at 211 E. Commercial. Now, former manager Deborah Bunch successfully operates The Style, a similar merchant of vintage clothes, jewelry, furniture and décor at the same location.

Mike Wingo, a former News-Leader photographer and co-founder of 417 Magazine, opened a photography studio two months ago at 200 E. Commercial. He was doing corporate work from home but wanted to expand his studio operations.

“I think a photography studio leans a little more toward the art side,” Wingo said. “I think that that may – gosh, I hope so – fit in just a little bit better down here.”

Lyle Foster, a business consultant who splits time between Chicago and Springfield, bought 217 E. Commercial last August and plans to open a café/coffee shop there within a year.

Architect Justin Hough bought 311 W. Commercial in September 2004. It houses his firm, Outre Design Collaborative, and will soon feature his retail outlet, Green Box, that sells environmentally friendly building materials. Jason Mitchell and Michael Mardis are co-owners of the two ventures.

Perhaps the street’s most unique tenant will be attorney Shawn Askinosie’s chocolate factory. Askinosie bought 514 E. Commercial from Walker – who also owns 426–428 W. Commercial and 224 E. Commercial – and plans to begin operations before fall.

Askinosie’s chocolate factory will anchor Commercial’s redevelopment on the east, while Walker’s Lindberg’s will anchor it on the west.