Flour mill redevelopment to include environmental clean-up
As Scott Crise exited the Springfield school board, he was praised by fellow board members as level-headed, calm and thoughtful in his words and actions.
The long-standing mill silos dating back to the 1900s once produced roughly 35,0000 pounds of flour a day, but for the past 50 years have sat empty and abandoned. Now, the property near the corner of Chestnut Expressway and National Avenue could be revamped into a restaurant as local developers move ahead with redevelopment plans and seek tax abatement.
Located at 610 N. Prospect Ave., the two flour mill silos have been vacant for decades, but now two local sisters, Sheri Perkins and Renee Textor, hope to bring new life to the property. Their redevelopment plan won the approval of the Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission on Thursday, putting the pair one step closer to turning the property into a restaurant-retail space.
Their plans include a two-story, 4,603-square-foot casual dining space that will include a covered patio, office and storage space, 55 parking spaces and an accessory retail space. According to city documents, the project is estimated to cost roughly $2.6 million.
Colleagues also noted that during tense moments or long meetings, Crise was often the one to interject humor. He did that again at the April 9 meeting, thanking his daughters Cynthia and Natalie for the experience he gained in the district while they were students.
“And for getting married during the
Preliminary rendering of the proposed new two-story restaurant that is part of the redevelopment plan for former flour mill site at 610 N. Prospect Ave.
A revitalization of the area
Named the Sisters Mill Project, the redevelopment plan declares the area blighted so the developers can take advantage of tax abatement as a way to support the redevelopment through the Chapter 353 Urban Redevelopment process outlined in city code. If approved by Springfield City Council in May, the tax abatement would span 25 years. During the first ten years, all of the assessed value of improvements to the property and land would be frozen, while during the remaining 15 years, half of the assessed value would be abated.
While this phase of the project does not include reuse of the remaining mill structures on the property, they will remain there and be stabilized and rehabilitated to set the stage for future re-use of the building. According to the plan document, no concrete plan exists for the buildings, but long-term goals could include “artisan retail shops, mixed-use or residential components.”
The site's blight designation includes environmental contamination from the mill days. While lead-based paint is present inside the silo buildings, the property itself has contaminated soil. City Senior Planner Matt Schaefer said while the mill was operating there was a 25,000-gallon fuel tank above ground and residue has been found in the soil. Part of the redevelopment will include remediating this contamination, which the plan notes could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The development could bring in over $300,000 in additional property taxes over the course of the 25 years. The project schedule estimates construction to be completed by Fall 2025.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.
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