What Readers Think

What do you think should be built on the 1.7 acres of downtown land between the Springfield Expo Center and the Jordan Valley Car Park?

For poll results, click here.

Reader Responses

Retail

The area needs something to attract visitors on a daily basis and not just (during) events. An office complex will bring daily workers to the site, but daily visitors would depend upon the nature of the tenants. There needs to be something that will connect downtown to Jordan Valley Park. As it stands now, downtown is too far away to pull visitors from the park and vice versa. —Bob Bryant, Meridian Creative Alliance

Office

I’m not sure of the downtown office vacancy or absorption rates, but it would seem we don’t have much Class A office space downtown – and it shows. —Dave Hewitt, EFCO Corp.

Other

I think the extra land between the Jordan Valley parking garage and the Expo Center should be made into one or two good-size community rooms with kitchens for various meetings and dinners, etc., that the public can rent at a discounted price. With the parking so handy, it would be great for singing groups to practice in and excellent for a credit union annual meeting. It would be reasonably priced and accessible for disabled people. —Lori Johnson, TelComm Credit Union

I would like to see the parking facility expanded into the arena space. It would enhance the ability of the public to attend events at the Expo Center. —Jennifer McClure, Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield

I would like to see a planetarium somewhere in Jordan Valley Park. It could be staffed by interested university students and could offer similar experiences to the St. Louis Science Center or the Kansas City Museum and its planetarium. It could offer simulated entertainment outer space rides, similar to those at MGM and elsewhere. It might be a great opportunity to combine this effort with the Natural History Museum recently discussed in the media. Parking would be convenient and it would be another informational/entertainment draw for center city. —Ben Webb, Webb & Associates Architects and Interior Design

The city should go ahead with a multipurpose arena. Even though Missouri State University is getting a new arena, there are still a lot of activities that could be held there to raise money for the complex. Springfield attracts several nonschool sports championships (youth basketball, volleyball, etc.). This also would give a place for the city parks department, Boys & Girls Club, etc. to hold tournaments in a really nice facility. I’m not sure what happened between the city and Drury University merging to share a facility, but I felt this was an excellent plan for both parties. —Susan Sivils, Sifford Contract Interiors

I think a community center that includes a swimming pool, running track and a place to play volleyball and basketball would be good for all ages. It could be available for private parties, too. —Byron Robison, Great Southern Insurance

I would absolutely love to see park in our park. When did parks become buildings? We desperately need more greenspace/ real park space downtown, and I honestly thought that was the whole idea of Jordan Valley Park. Perhaps it’s just too tempting to “build something.” Or is that just what we know best? In other cities, even the smallest spots can become wonderful public greenspaces. —Lori Tack, Ozark Greenways

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Other

We need a Natural History Museum and/or planetarium – something to help further the educational experiences of our children. It would be a complimentary tourist attraction to (Hammons Field). —Ida M. Garrett, Interactive Design Applications

Click here to read former SBJ columnist Bob May’s light-hearted look at ideas for the vacant downtown property.