Vecino Group breaks ground on $13.5M Sankofa development

A crowd of around 70 people braved chilly temperatures and intermittent sprinkling at a groundbreaking event this morning that celebrated the start of construction for what officials say is the first from-the-ground-up project on Commercial Street in more than five decades.

Springfield-based The Vecino Group LLC, which operates next door to the project site, is the developer of Sankofa, a $13.5 million development at 411 W. Commercial St. designed with 42 affordable apartments, a street-level business incubator and retail space. The Vecino Group was joined by representatives of the city of Springfield, Greene County, the Missouri House of Representatives, The Bank of Missouri, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust, the Multicultural Business Association and Harmony House for the ceremony at Commercial Street and Campbell Avenue.

The project site, which is an empty lot, already showed signs of early activity, with dirt work underway and construction equipment on-site. The Vecino Group announced early last month that it had closed on the property purchase, according to past reporting.

Jordan Gibson, Vecino Group senior vice president of organizational development, introduced a series of speakers at the event this morning.

"This moment is truly incredible and unique. We're laying the foundation for a stronger, more connected community," she said.

Bob Dixon, the Greene County Commission's presiding commissioner, said he's excited to see the "ripple effect" that would be created by the Sankofa development. Greene County previously distributed $4.5 million to The Vecino Group through its allocation of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.

"I'm thrilled to see what the possibilities are with that ripple effect," Dixon said, noting affordable housing was one of the top priorities identified in the ARPA funding distribution process.

Tony Lewis, community bank president for The Bank of Missouri, which is helping to finance the Sankofa project, said the loan closed Dec. 27.

"What this does is serve as a catalyst for future economic development in this corridor," he said.

Speakers also included Joe Robles, board chair of the Multicultural Business Association, and Jared Alexander, executive director of Harmony House.

Robles said the Multicultural Business Association would operate the planned incubator space, which would work to develop local small businesses through space in the building and "hopefully working capital." Alexander said Harmony House is partnering with The Vecino Group to help provide stable housing for victims of domestic violence.

Spring 2026 is the targeted completion date for Sankofa. Vecino Construction LLC is serving as general contractor for the over 40,000-square-foot project designed by Vecino Design LLC, according to past reporting.

Springfield City Council in December voted for the city's Industrial Development Authority to issue $8 million in multifamily housing revenue bonds for the acquisition and construction of Sankofa by Sankofa 411 LLC, according to past reporting. Council considered a rezoning of the property in 2023.