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Springfield Business Journal’s longtime downtown home at 313 Park Central West is listed for sale.
SBJ photo by Mike Cullinan
Springfield Business Journal’s longtime downtown home at 313 Park Central West is listed for sale.

SBJ plans move to Chesterfield Village

Posted online

After calling downtown home for most of its 40 years in existence, SBJ Publishing Inc. will be on the move this summer to Chesterfield Village.

The company, which produces weekly newspaper Springfield Business Journal and daily business news via SBJ.net, has listed its office, 313 Park Central West, for sale through NAI Enterprise LLC. The 111-year-old, three-story building has an asking price of $650,000.

Jennifer Jackson, SBJ publisher since 2011, said the search for a new home had been ongoing for a couple of years. Jackson took over as owner of SBJ Publishing in 2017, after her mother, founding publisher Dianne Elizabeth Osis, retired.

“It was a hard decision for us to leave downtown, and it wasn’t anything I was in a hurry to do,” Jackson said. “In making plans 10 years out or for the long range of Springfield Business Journal, I knew that I would rather focus my attention, energy and money on growing this business as opposed to caring for this real estate.”

While searching for a “special place” to transition SBJ, Jackson began discussions with Chesterfield Village developer Larry Lipscomb. A 10-year lease-purchase agreement — with an undisclosed monthly rate — on the property is in place with Lipscomb. The office space at 2101 W. Chesterfield Blvd., Stes. B103-105, comprises 4,000 square feet, which formerly housed Mettemeyer Engineering LLC, CJD Engineering LLC and Sygna Technology LLC.

“He is assisting us with infill to suit our needs,” Jackson said of Lipscomb, adding a $625,000 price has been set if the building is purchased within the first five years of the agreement.

The publication, which was established in 1980, has occupied the downtown building since 1996, Jackson said. Save for about five years, the company has been located downtown, she added.

“Downtown has been a great home for Springfield Business Journal for a very long time,” Jackson said.

Upon her retirement, Osis retained ownership of the building. Jackson said her mother wants to divest in property, which ultimately spurred the decision to sell and find a new home.

The current headquarters for SBJ is bigger overall on three floors, but Jackson said the company is only utilizing about 3,700 square feet, with staff spread out on the first two floors.

“We’ll be able to create some more open and collaborative workspaces that aren’t possible here,” she said of the Chesterfield Village space.

GHN Architects & Engineering did architecture work, including designs for conference and photography studio space, for the infill project, she added, with Jim Lorenz of Lorenz Enterprises LLC serving as contractor. Infill work is ongoing, with Jackson anticipating an early July move.

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