Renew Jordan Creek groundbreaking celebrates $33M project to reduce flooding, provide public amenity

Although construction began in December, officials gathered Friday to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for Renew Jordan Creek, a project to bring a buried streamway back to the surface and construct amenities along its path.

Due to high winds, the event began with remarks indoors at Missouri State University’s Brick City, but it then moved outside for a ceremonial gold-shovel soil-toss photo with 18 officials representing city, state and professional team involvement. Project completion is anticipated in late 2026, according to city officials.

The project is aimed at reducing downtown flooding and improving water quality, as well as providing pedestrian and connectivity enhancements and sustainable greenspace integration, according to city officials, who add that eventually, the Jordan Creek master plan calls for improvements to Founders Park and other city-owned property downtown.

In remarks during the ceremony, Mayor Ken McClure called the project a turning point.

“It’s about more than just uncovering a waterway,” he said. “It’s really talking about what is going to be new life for our community, its heritage, that goes along with the very practical aspect of reducing flood risk. It will enhance the economy, really, of our entire community.”

McClure said Jordan Creek, with headwaters located northeast of the construction site, has been confined to its boundaries beneath the city for nearly a century, and flooding has been a problem downtown.

“It’s certainly an opportunity for economic growth,” he said, noting the project aligns well with Forward SGF, the city’s 20-year comprehensive plan. “What we’re trying to do, of course, is strengthen downtown’s core – make it really an amenity. It’s going to be vibrant; it’s going to be something where people are going to want to come and spend time.”

The city reports the project cost is expected to total $33 million. Funding for Phase 1 construction comes from the city’s level property tax, its quarter-cent capital improvement sales tax and its Department of Environmental Services’ green infrastructure and clean water funds.

External funding sources are local and state American Rescue Plan Act funds, including ARPA allocations from the state Department of Natural Resources and Department of Economic Development. Grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources are also in the mix, as is Clean Water State Revolving Fund program assistance.

Dan Smith, Springfield’s director of Public Works, said the project is a crucial step toward addressing downtown street flooding and the property damage that results from it. He said the project will improve the flow of stormwater, increase capacity and water quality, and create a system that’s better equipped to handle heavy rains, and future phases will continue these improvements.

“The Renew Jordan Creek project is a testament to what can be achieved through innovative engineering and strong partnerships,” he said.

Brad Bodenhausen, MSU’s vice president for community and global partnerships, recalled Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce community visits of years past, with participants seeing water features that served as gathering places in other cities and envisioned bringing that kind of amenity to Springfield.

“We always dreamed about what that would look like and how we could make that happen here. Due to a lot of vision and the long-term commitment, we’re able to see that as a reality,” he said.

He praised the project for its collaborative spirit. During the ceremony, archeological teams from MSU’s Center for Archeological Research were actively excavating the site to look for artifacts as part of a site study, and MSU’s Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute provided research expertise about the creek.

Tim Rosenbury, Springfield’s director of quality of place initiatives, said the city’s comprehensive plan envisions a downtown that is vibrant, welcoming and connected to nature.

“Great cities invest in spaces that inspire people to create, to collaborate and to grow,” he said. “Renew Jordan Creek will do precisely that. It will transform a hidden resource into a visible asset, achieving not just environmental and infrastructure ends, but also setting a stage for cultural enrichment, public gathering and economic development.”

He said the new green spaces and walking trails will connect to the existing trail system, including the Grant Avenue Parkway, and will create gathering areas to contribute to an inviting, outdoor-focused downtown.

“This is the kind of investment that contributes to making Springfield a more desirable place to invest in and to live and work and visit,” he said.

Robert Abney, environmental analyst with the Missouri DNR, which provided $10 million in financial assistance for the project, called it an environmental victory and a public safety improvement. He also deemed it a model project for sustainable and resilient urban environments.

“With a project of this size, there are always expected and unexpected hurdles, and they can sometimes kill a project that’s as big and ambitious as this,” Abney said. “I’ve just seen a tremendous amount of perseverance, and it’s really a tremendous achievement.”

In an interview after the event, Matthew Simpson, the city’s mayor pro tem, said it was an exciting day because of what it means for the future of downtown.

“We see a lot of buildings that are vacant or underutilized now,” he said. “These can be places where people are working, places where people are living, and then they’ll be able to walk out their doors and enjoy this beautiful amenity,” he said.