New possibilities for downtown properties

The economic downturn has slowed the pulse of downtown development, but behind the scenes, attempts are still being made to breathe new life into Park Central Square.

Officially, nothing is in the works for the two vacant buildings on the southwest corner of Springfield’s square. Realistically, there is no money to renovate the Newberry and Woolworth’s buildings and no tenants promising to fill the space. But that hasn’t stopped Urban Districts Alliance Executive Director Rusty Worley and downtown developer Craig Wagoner from shopping for groups to sign on to their vision of community use.

In the fall, a concept involving the two buildings carved out space for an expansion of the Springfield Greene County Library District’s downtown branch, a fine arts academy for Springfield Public Schools and second-floor office space was brought to Regina Cooper, executive director for the library.

“We would have been interested in being part of that … but we had to say no, because of funding,” Cooper said, noting that library board members and its grounds committee listened to a presentation by Worley and Wagoner and toured the buildings before declining to participate.

The library board already has laid out budget priorities for the next five years, Cooper said, including the purchase of a new bookmobile, refurbishing the Brentwood branch and finding more space for the Fair Grove and Ash Grove branches. Expansion of the downtown branch is not among those plans, she said, adding, “not unless we were to get some unexpected funding.”

SPS Superintendent Norm Ridder also listened to Worley and Wagoner’s pitch and looked at the concept drawings by Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc. for the Newberry and Woolworth’s buildings. Ridder said he’d like to see a downtown fine arts center for the students, but his interest is met with reality. “There’s just no energy behind it, because there’s no money,” he said.

According to Worley, the pitch to public entities was partially inspired by the Missouri Development Finance Board’s Tax Credit for Contribution Program, though he pointed out that the tax credit was only one of the economic development programs considered during brainstorming sessions about developing the two buildings.

“With the Tax Credit for Contribution Program, if we used that tool, the preference would have been to have public entities on the main floor,” he said.

Through the program, the building’s owners – Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris owns the Newberry under the name Lore LLC and developer Scott Tillman owns the Woolworth’s under the name FWW Redevelopment LLC – would donate the buildings to the state finance board in exchange for tax credits, according to Worley.

Worley said both building owners were involved in preliminary conversations about the ideas. “We presented it as, if we had the right public partners, would you be open to the idea? The initial response was, we’d be willing to talk about it. That’s as far as we got,” he said.

Springfield Business Journal’s phone calls to Tillman and Newberry property manager Ken Morris were not returned.

Worley and Wagoner, who owns and renovated the adjacent Kresge Building, have talked with other public entities about the concept, but there have been no takers. Wagoner said two or three people or groups would need to sign on before the project can move forward, adding that he’s still hoping the buildings would find new users by the time the Heer’s and square renovations are complete. He also hopes he’d be the developer of choice, whatever way the plan falls.

“The whole idea is that, with the Heer’s building going, these two buildings would really finish off the square. It would be great timing to get it all done together,” he said.
Both Wagoner and Worley emphasized the lack of momentum for their vision, saying it’s more about filling the empty spaces than it is about any one concept or project.

“There’s always the possibility that someone will come from the private sector and either want to lease or purchase those buildings,” Worley said.

“The main things we want to see is good uses in those buildings to compliment the new activity that’s happening all around it.”[[In-content Ad]]