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Victory Mission is requesting a rezoning to redevelop Victory Square, its men’s shelter at 1610 N. Broadway Ave.
Photo provided by Springfield Victory Mission Inc.
Victory Mission is requesting a rezoning to redevelop Victory Square, its men’s shelter at 1610 N. Broadway Ave.

Victory Mission plans $7M shelter redevelopment

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Springfield Victory Mission Inc. plans to redevelop its men’s shelter near Commercial Street but needs city approval of a rezoning request to start the project.

City Council is considering the nonprofit’s request to rezone nearly 2 acres at 1610 N. Broadway Ave. and 1701 N. Irving Ave. from highway commercial to a planned development. Victory Mission intends to redevelop its shelter, dubbed Victory Square, into a new two-story, 35,000-square-foot building north of its existing one, as well as add three duplex apartments on the southern half of the property. Plans were presented at council’s meeting last night.

Executive Director Jason Hynson said after the meeting the first-phase shelter project is expected to cost around $6.5 million. The duplexes would come in a second phase, costing roughly $500,000. If the rezoning is approved, the project has no set start date and would take around a year to complete, according to nonprofit officials. The existing building would remain operational until the new building is complete.

Victory Mission officials say the current building, used since 2001 as both a 50-bed overnight shelter and 110-bed transitional service center, operates in an outdated and obsolete former nursing home. It sits west of historic C-Street and between Commercial and Division streets. Highway commercial zoning ordinance amendments made by council in 2013 require a conditional use permit if within 500 feet of a residential district and prohibit uses within 1,000 feet of an elementary or secondary school, according to city documents.

The shelter is within 500 feet of a residential district and 700 feet from Weaver Elementary School, preventing Victory Mission from remodeling or enlarging the current building without a zoning change, said City Planning and Development Director Mary Lilly Smith. A zoning change to a planned development would allow the proposed uses to locate within the distance limitations, she said.

Jared Davis of project engineer Anderson Engineering Inc. told council last night Victory Mission doesn’t plan to change the intensity or scope of services provided.

“The services they are providing and the number of beds and everything else is staying the same as their current operation,” Davis said. “The building they are in does not allow them the ability to upgrade.”

Councilperson Phyllis Ferguson said she hears from residents in the nearby Grant Beach Park area about concerns of shelter occupants roaming the streets of the neighborhood during the daytime. Hynson said the new shelter plans include a half-gym where Victory Mission can run programming and classes. It also will have an increased staff presence. Additionally, residents are able to stay inside during the day, a change from the prior policy of all men needing to be out of the shelter between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. The policy was ended amid the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

“We realize we want to be better neighbors,” Hynson said, adding the nonprofit has college students volunteering to pick up trash weekly in the neighborhood. “We’re going to be more intentional with that.”

Hynson also addressed council questions about screening processes at the shelter, noting all occupants have to provide photo identification and are screened for crimes on public sex offender registries and the Case.net online management system. A licensed professional counselor also is on staff to help with mental health screenings, he said.

Victory Mission’s rezoning request was unanimously approved last month by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Council is expected to vote on the measure Jan. 25.

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