City Council approves Grant Avenue Parkway Redevelopment Plan
On Monday, Nov. 28, City Council voted to approve a redevelopment plan for the Grant Avenue Parkway Redevelopment Area, generally bounded by Olive Street to the north, Catalpa Street to the south, Campbell Avenue to the east and Douglas Avenue to the west.
Springfield Department of Economic Vitality staff along with planning consultants with PGAV briefly presented the contents of the Redevelopment Plan, outlining economic development and neighborhood revitalization resources along a portion of the Grant Avenue Parkway corridor.
The goals of the plan are to provide financial assistance programs to support private economic development and neighborhood revitalization along the Grant Avenue Parkway improvement corridor and into the surrounding neighborhoods.
The approved Redevelopment Plan will enable property owners and developers in the redevelopment area to request partial real property tax abatement through the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) Law (“Chapter 99”) or Urban Redevelopment Corporations Law (“Chapter 353”).
- Under the LCRA option, the taxable value of a property essentially becomes “frozen” for a period of a 10 year period so that property owners who choose to renovate, add on or construct new on their property are protected from the increase in property tax associated with the rise in the value of their property. This program can help facilitate all qualifying redevelopment projects within the Redevelopment Area.
- Under Chapter 353, real property taxes may be abated for a period of up to 25 years. Real property taxes are abated during the first ten years, based on 100% of the increase in assessed value of land and improvements. During the remaining 15 years, real property taxes are abated based on 50% of the assessed value of land and improvements. This program can help facilitate larger redevelopment projects within the identified Redevelopment Area.
As per state statute, both tax abatement mechanisms require the preparation of a blight study and a redevelopment plan. The approval of the Redevelopment Plan and accompanying blight study will fulfill this role in either process and take two major steps out of the way, saving property owners and investors time and money.
Redevelopment area property owners or developers seeking tax abatement will still be required to go through an application process and provide certain financial information about their proposed project. The process to use the Chapter 99 incentive takes approximately 22 days, including an application step and review by the LCRA. To use Chapter 353 requires an approximate 60-day process involving conferring with City Staff, completing an application, and seeking City Council approval. Both processes require an application fee.
“Neighborhood revitalization and economic development tools are vital as we work alongside the upcoming roadway improvement construction to transform the Grant Avenue Parkway corridor,” explains Economic Vitality Director Amanda Ohlensehlen. “This Redevelopment Plan will coordinate with the previously established Grant Avenue Corridor Plan to help support the type of development and revitalization envisioned by the community through this project.”
Past Community Engagement Information – September, 2022
Past Community Engagement Information – April, 2022
The City of Springfield has engaged planning consultants with PGAV to conduct a qualifications analysis of a portion of the Grant Avenue Parkway improvement corridor. The study is intended to help identify what areas qualify for a variety of economic development and neighborhood revitalization tools.
The study area (14 mb PDF) encompasses Grant Avenue between Catalpa Street to the south and Olive Street to the north. The analysis will examine properties located roughly between Patton Avenue to the east and Douglas Avenue to the west.
The goals of the study are to create resources for economic development and neighborhood revitalization along the Grant Avenue Parkway corridor and into surrounding neighborhoods. The consultant team will look for opportunities to leverage private investment in commercial and residential properties and will identify programs to provide benefits to existing residents.
Neighborhood Revitalization and Economic Development are two of the four overall goals of the Grant Avenue Parkway corridor improvement effort. This analysis will work in coordination with extensive corridor planning efforts to facilitate private investment that will work in-step with the public infrastructure improvements and the community’s vision for this corridor.
(14 mb)
PGAV has conducted preliminary field observation of properties in the study area. Later this spring, the team will facilitate open opportunities for residents, property owners and developers to engage in the process and provide input. Sign up to receive details on upcoming input opportunities and receive updates on the Grant Avenue Parkway project.
“We want to know what type of private investment people are interested in, whether that’s people investing in new commercial development or homeowners investing in their homes,” explains PGAV project leader Andy Struckhoff. “We also need help identifying the challenges and potential barriers to investing in the area as well as the unique opportunities.”
A final study report and recommendations are expected to be brought to City Council in late spring 2022.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
City Council approved the GAP Redevelopment Plan on Nov. 28
View the Presentation from the Sep. 29 meeting.
View the Complete Redevelopment Plan
Sign up for our mailing list to receive notifications of future events.