TIF Commission sends two downtown proposals to city staff

The Springfield Tax Abatement and Tax Increment Financing Commission, tasked with recommending one of the proposals for the land between the Springfield Expo Center and the Jordan Valley Car Park, Monday voted to send two proposals to city staff to review and negotiate: HCW Evergreen LLC’s four-star hotel with optional office space and BKD’s two multistory office buildings.

A proposal for a five-story office building by John Q. Hammons is no longer in the running, as the commission suggested it's too similar to BKD's proposal. A fourth option – a joint administrative complex for Springfield School District and Springfield-Greene County Parks – was withdrawn after officials cited a later-than-expected construction start date of 2009–2010.

BKD could still choose Hammons as developer for its proposed development.

See SBJ's March 12 issue for more on this story.