Heer’s reaches full occupancy ahead of 1-year anniversary

The redeveloped Heer’s building this summer hit 100 percent occupancy, ahead of the one-year anniversary of its ribbon-cutting ceremony last August.

Jim Nichols, president of developer Dalmark Development Group, said the downtown building first became full heading into June and has hovered around that mark ever since. A residential move-in Friday will bring it back up to 100 percent, he said, noting a waiting list for apartments also exists.

“It speaks a lot to how vibrant downtown is,” he said. “The interest of that urban walkable experience and I think the historic nature of the building itself, all in one package, is very appealing.”

The Aug. 11, 2015, ribbon-cutting event - following the first residents moving in Aug. 7 - for the $15.8 million redevelopment project introduced first-floor commercial tenant IntrinsiQ LLC, a health care software firm. The division of Fortune 16 company AmerisourceBergen Corp. (NYSE: ABC) moved in to 17,700 square feet early this year on the bottom floor, where the Springfield Police Department also operates an office. The building’s top floors comprise 80 apartments.

Kansas City-based Dalmark’s redevelopment of the Heer’s building brought to an end 20 years of vacancy. Three previous developers failed in their attempt to renovate the historic building: local businessman Warren Davis in 1995, Columbia’s Vaughn Prost in 2004 and St. Louisan Kevin McGowan in 2007. In an October interview with Springfield Business Journal, Nichols said his goal was for the Heer’s building to be 100 percent occupied by the end of 2015.

Yesterday, Nichols said Dalmark is seeking further development opportunities in Springfield, but no plans have been cemented.