Springfield earns accolade for Renew Jordan Creek at EPA pitch competition 

The city of Springfield earned a prize valued at $50,000 earlier this month with a presentation on its Renew Jordan Creek project. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hosted a Perfect Pitch competition at its National Brownfields Training Conference in Chicago in early August. Springfield was one of three finalist cities invited to present a 10-minute pitch to a panel of judges and a live audience. Pitches focused on brownfield projects, which involve the redevelopment or reuse of previously developed land, often with the presence of environmental contamination or outdated infrastructure, according to an announcement from the city. 

Springfield’s Department of Workforce & Economic Vitality pitched the second phase of the Renew Jordan Creek project and swept top honors in three judging categories: best presentation, most likely to succeed and best investment. Audience input gauged which presentation was most compelling and which project had the most potential, according to Amanda Ohlensehlen, director of Workforce & Economic Vitality. 

The prize is not $50,000 in cash, but rather $50,000 in in-kind technical assistance, to be offered by the Kansas State University Technical Assistance to Brownfields program. 

Ohlensehlen speculated the strength of the pitch was its targeted approach to the kinds of assistance sought: environmental strategy, building reuse and planning, and development readiness. 

“We want to ensure that we have sustainable, cost-effective remediation approaches that go beyond cleanup,” she said. 

Specifically, the city is looking to form a plan for an existing structure, a 28,000-square-foot building erected in 1941 and now owned by the city. 

“We want to make sure that we’re identifying the highest and best use to provide a strong return for the community,” she said. 

The building, located at 404 N. Jefferson Ave., was formerly the home of Meek’s Lumber, Ohlensehlen said. The property began its life as a freight depot and railyard and is contaminated with asbestos, lead paint and other pollutants. The city acquired it in 2021. 

The Renew Jordan Creek project aims to retore Jordan Creek from its underground location to an above-ground course and by doing so to reduce flooding and improve water quality while also spurring economic development and quality-of-place amenities, according to the project website. 

Phase 1 of the project is now underway at an estimated cost of $33 million and addresses a portion of the creek extending from Main to Boonville avenues, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.  

Phase 2 will target areas of Jordan Creek between Robberson and Washington avenues, including improvements to Founders Park. 

“Phase 2 will really complete the project to realize the full benefits of the effort,” Ohlensehlen said. 

The competition presented some challenges, according to Ohlensehlen, who said the team wanted to include enough technical information to tell the story to the judging panel while also being a vibrant and compelling presentation suitable for multiple audiences. 

The city’s office of Public Information & Civic Engagement helped make the project clear and visually appealing with an original video, she said, and the Public Works department also helped with the messaging. 

“We definitely approached it more similarly to, say, the State of the City address that our public information office helps our mayor produce each year, rather than a technical presentation,” Ohlensehlen said. 

She said the presentation showed what the project means for the Springfield community, but it can also serve as a model for others looking to undertake similar projects. 

“Obviously, this is a transformational project,” Ohlensehlen said. “It’s demonstrating how the site is positioned for bold reinvention that aligns with the urban planning efforts the city has undertaken.” 

There were 40 entries in the Perfect Pitch competition.