Posted February 22, 200520 yr From the Center-City.org website, exciting news for Clark County: Center City Association Unveils An Exciting New Vision For Downtown Springfield Springfield, OH - January 26, 2005 Imagine a beautifully-crafted Downtown Springfield business and retail district bustling with activity. This is precisely the concept created by Center City Association's Vision Plan, developed in conjunction with nationally-renowned urban design, planning, and landscape architecture firm MSI. The plan and concept depict a vibrant, dynamic and rejuvenated Downtown, brimming with retail and service businesses. “This plan is both an exciting, as well as a pragmatic, approach to the transformation of our Downtown,” stated incoming Center City Board President, Craig Dillon. “The concept builds off the planning work developed during the Springfield R/UDAT initiative conducted during early 2002.” The Center City Vision creates an open, block-wide central park that connects two distinct anchors of Springfield -- the Heritage Center in the center of Downtown and the Springfield Museum of Art overlooking Buck Creek. Each block along the park will provide an opportunity to create unique and distinctive properties and retail concepts that appeal to a diverse range of businesses and consumers. In addition, the concept calls for pedestrian bridges that offer walkways to and from Wittenberg University's campus. “The concept redevelops the heart of Downtown Springfield around an open space network, featuring a consumer-oriented central park between Fountain and Center Streets,” states Keith Myers, Senior Design Partner at MSI. “Today, a downtown plan must reflect how our society is changing. People today desire not just a place to live, work or shop, but an experience.” Center City “Center City has served as a catalyst for this vision, which is a product of partnership with many public and private organizations throughout our community,” stated Horton H. Hobbs IV, Center City's Executive Director. “We are all committed to a vibrant downtown that reflects the quality and ambitions of our city.” The Center City Vision Plan creates an amenity-based destination in the heart of Downtown Springfield. It leverages the nearly $100 million investment in the downtown that has been made over the last 10 years, in order to promote new infill development. Success of the concept will rely on strong public and private collaborations. “The timing of this idea couldn't be better,” stated Matt Kridler, Springfield City Manager. “Our city is ripe for a redevelopment concept of this magnitude. It will create both an attractive new heart and vital economic entity for the region.” About MSI: MSI is a nationally renowned firm with expertise in urban design, planning, and landscape architecture with a reputation for specializing in downtown revitalization. Recent projects include the master planning, design, and implementation of the Nationwide Arena District in Columbus, Ohio and the design and implementation of the North Shore project in Pittsburgh. More information on MSI can be found at www.msidesign.com. http://www.center-city.org/vision.html Fact Sheet FAQ View the PDF (rendering)
February 22, 200520 yr Bold, especially for Springfield (a true "fallen" town with a plethora of great architecture). I really would like to see a vibrant downtown Springfield one day. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 23, 200520 yr I read an article on Springfields efforts. The other one wasnt as great though. It was about how the city wants to destroy older housing and buildings near the city center to build a new hospital of some sort. If someone has that article was sad but interesting.
February 23, 200520 yr All I can find is this: http://www.center-city.org/hospital There were a couple of other ones from the Springfield newspaper, but it requires you to register and I don't play that game.
February 23, 200520 yr A .pdf of the RUDAT plan was floating around online, too. Springfield deserves better. It does have some pretty great older buildings.
February 23, 200520 yr Very exciting for such an overlooked place. Wonder if Springfield's prime location between Dayton and Columbus will ever bring positive economic/population changes like those seen in Warren and Butler counties.
February 23, 200520 yr ^lol that map actually isn't too far off in basic outline...if up is west, and the jebediah statue is where ohio's springfield has it's fountain plaza thing...
March 18, 200520 yr The latest on the downtown hospital, from the 3/18/05 Dayton Business News: Downtown Springfield hospital project gains support Tracy Kershaw-Staley DBJ Staff Reporter Community Mercy Health Partners has taken a significant step toward building a downtown Springfield hospital. The Site Selection Advisory Committee unanimously recommended a downtown site as its preferred location for the new hospital campus. The hospital's board of trustees announced Thursday that it has affirmed the recommendation and requested hospital managers to work with Springfield city leaders to secure additional funding for the project. The decision comes after heavy pressure from community members for a central downtown location. An organization, Hospital Downtown Coalition, formed in support of a downtown site. The hospital had been considering two other greenfield locations outside the downtown area. Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2007 and to be completed in 2010. The land will be within a 102-acre area set aside in Springfield's downtown as part of an Urban Renewal Area. The hospital has budgeted $280 million for the project. MORE: http://dayton.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/03/14/daily25.html
March 18, 200520 yr So there will only be 22 acres left over for the rest of Downtown Springfield's urban renewal project?
March 18, 200520 yr I'm not sure how the acreage shakes out. The original idea was to place it just west of the other redevelopment. In other words, the hospital wasn't ever mentioned as a part of the Center City Vision Plan, but as a complement to it.
May 18, 200520 yr From the 5/18/05 Dayton Business Journal: Springfield agency lands $20M A Springfield Metropolitan Housing Authority project to rebuild the Lincoln Park area of the city received a $20 million boost late Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the authority the grant to help build more than 170 low-income homes in that area. E-mail [email protected]. Call 222-6900. © 2005 American City Business Journals Inc. http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/05/16/daily11.html
August 27, 200519 yr Don't forget the monorail! MONORAIL! MONORAIL! MONORAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL!!! ... Mono--d'oh! It did wonders for Ogdenville and North Haverbrook!
August 31, 200519 yr From the 8/30/05 Springfield News-Sun: Design team gets to work on hospital More on the new hospital By Kelly Baker, News-Sun Staff Writer Are you ready for a robot to perform your next surgical procedure? Well it might not happen just yet, but robots in the operating room is just one possibility engineer Peter Korda must anticipate as he designs the working parts of Community Mercy Health Partner’s new, nearly $300 million health care complex. Korda’s firm, Korda/Nemeth of Columbus will join Bard, Rao & Athanas (BR&A) of Watertown, Mass., as the engineers for the proposed health care complex which will be constructed in downtown Springfield. NBBJ of Columbus is the architect for the campus, slated to open in 2010. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/08/30/sns0830design.html
September 2, 200519 yr I may have missed it in the article, but does it say specifically where the downtown site for the hospital is located? Also, any word on the redevelopment ideas for the current hospitals?
September 2, 200519 yr I may have missed it in the article, but does it say specifically where the downtown site for the hospital is located? Also, any word on the redevelopment ideas for the current hospitals? I found the press release and apparently it's going to be right downtown. It will be on 45 acres on the NE corner of the intersection of North (US-40) and Plum.
September 4, 200519 yr BTW...here's the press release to which I am referring: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: JIM SENESE, 342-5841 or MATT KRIDLER, 324-7304 AUGUST 26, 2005 CMHP AND CITY OF SPRINGFIELD SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; COMMIT TO PREPARE DOWNTOWN LOCATION FOR NEW HEALTHCARE CAMPUS Springfield, OH—On August 26, 2005, leaders from Community Mercy Health Partners and the City of Springfield signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), outlining the roles and responsibilities of the two partners in preparing an initial 45-acre parcel of land in Springfield’s urban core for CMHP’s new multi faceted healthcare campus. The campus will provide space for an acute care hospital and medical office facilities. The parcel includes land south of Buck Creek, east of Plum Street, north of North Street and west of Wittenberg Avenue. (Please refer to map.) City leaders will soon begin acquiring the needed property, clearing the property of existing structures and relocating roads in an effort to create a contiguous campus environment. “We are excited to be developing a 21st century medical center for patients and their families,” says Andrew McCulloch, President and CEO, Community Mercy Health Partners. “This partnership with the City of Springfield will enable us to build a highly efficient medical facility that is designed to accommodate the latest advances in medicine, enhance the recruitment of healthcare professionals and broaden medical services like never before.” “This project is the single most important development for Downtown Springfield in recent years. The unprecedented spirit of cooperation among many partners fostered the ability to locate the complex in our Center City. We are grateful for the commitment the hospital is making, and we commit ourselves to working with them to ensure this project’s success,” stated Springfield Mayor, Warren Copeland. The campus will go beyond an acute care hospital to create a healing environment that promotes health and recovery and ministers to the well-being of patients, families, medical staff, associates and volunteers. Future growth may include ambulatory treatment and rehabilitation centers, a mental health center, a day care center, a nursing school and community-focused health education centers. “This agreement is a special pledge to Springfield and Clark County,” says Matt Kridler, City Manager, City of Springfield. “This isn’t just building a healthcare facility, this is transforming a community.” The cost of building the campus is estimated at over $280 million—the largest economic development project for Springfield/Clark County in many years. “The construction project alone would provide a major economic stimulus to the region,” says Naomi Caldwell, Vice President, Project Management and Development, Community Mercy Health Partners. She adds the campus would contribute to the ongoing availability of jobs for today’s employees and for retaining those highly skilled professionals because of the great opportunities that lie ahead. CMHP and city leaders have worked diligently over the past several months to lay the groundwork for the MOU. Kridler adds he has never seen so much community support—local, state, federal—on a project. Both partners acknowledged that their efforts on the Springfield Regional Cancer Center project two years ago provided added confidence in continuing and strengthening their working relationship. The Cancer Center, a $10 million investment in downtown, transformed a brownfield site into a state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility, close to home for residents in Springfield and surrounding communities. CMHP has selected NBBJ of Columbus, Ohio, as the architects and a joint venture team of Bard, Rao + Athanas (BR+A) of Watertown, Mass., and Korda/Nemeth of Columbus, Ohio, as the engineers for the healthcare campus project. These teams intend to design a unique healing environment that embraces patients with the ultimate in service, convenience and comfort. Caldwell says with the MOU in place CMHP can now begin working with the architects on schematic design plans, design development and construction schedules. Construction is expected to begin in 2007, with completion of the campus set for 2010. http://www.ci.springfield.oh.us/news/HospitalRelease.pdf
September 15, 200519 yr From the 9/13/05 Springfield News-Sun: Plan allows hospital to expand as needed By Kelly Baker News-Sun Staff Writer Knoxville hospital officials were less than enthusiastic when Community Mercy Health Partners President and CEO Andrew McCulloch told them Community Mercy would build its new hospital in downtown Springfield. But when he explained to them the plan to not only prepare 45.56 acres for Community Mercy’s initial complex but to gradually prepare about 40 additional acres south of the complex for growth, Knoxville officials could only ask: “How did you manage to do that?” McCulloch and city officials have called it nothing short of genius. The plan, the brainchild of Midland Properties developer Tom Loftis, will involve the creation of a non-profit entity that will invest $8 million over a 10-year period to clear out available land in the growth area for hospital use. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/09/13/sns0913hospitalgrowth.html
September 29, 200519 yr From the 9/26/05 Springfield News-Sun: Live on hospital site? Don’t sell, move yet The city has a message for people in the hospital development area — don’t move or sell to anyone or you might lose out. Tenants and home and business owners are entitled to a variety of relocation benefits under federal law. But if people sell or move before the city makes an offer, they won’t get that assistance. “We want to make sure that all of the tenants, businesses and owners are aware of the rights they have,” said Shannon Meadows, executive assistant to the city manager. To that end, the city will hold more meetings to update residents and discuss relocation. Meetings are scheduled for 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Both will be held in the Fellowship Hall at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 27 N. Wittenberg Ave. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/09/26/sns0926cityrelocation.html
October 1, 200519 yr From the 9/28/05 Springfield News-Sun: Relocation benefits explained to residents Denise Koster has raised her children in the Baltimore Place home she has lived in for 16 years. She owns it outright, with no payments, and wonders if she can end up in a similar situation when her house is bought to make way for a new hospital. “That’s all (my children) know and they are being uprooted,” Koster said. “My whole family lives in the area and we all have to move.” Koster joined about 90 people at a meeting in St. John’s Lutheran Church on Tuesday evening to hear about relocation benefits for residents and businesses in a 45-acre area slated for a new hospital. The city and Community Mercy Health Partners have laid out the framework to purchase, demolish, clean up and prepare the site for $31 million. That also includes the cost to move roads, utilities, businesses and residents in the area roughly bounded by Yellow Springs Street, Wittenberg Avenue, Buck Creek and a relocated North Street. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/09/28/sns0928relocationmeet.html
October 20, 200519 yr From the 10/19/05 Springfield News-Sun: City Commission approves three purchases for hospital site Springfield city commissioners took the first steps to acquire property and relocate people in the Southwest Downtown Urban Renewal Area. Commissioners approved buying three properties in the downtown hospital area at their meeting Tuesday night. Community Mercy Health Partners plans to build a hospital campus on about 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek. The city will purchase the properties and raze the structures, using a combination of hospital, federal and state dollars. Less than $1 million in local government money will be used. The city expects to close on the three purchased properties by the end of the month. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/10/19/sns1019citycommission.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=7
October 24, 200519 yr From the 10/23/05 Springfield News-Sun: Downtown business owners anxious about being displaced By TIM BUCEY News-Sun Staff Writer Garrigan’s Office Plus has been committed to downtown Springfield since 1939 and being displaced by a new hospital won’t change its thinking. Many of the businesses that will be displaced by the initial phase of the new Community Mercy Health Partners hospital share Garrigan’s view that they want to be a part of what could become a vibrant downtown. “The last five years or so I’ve seen a renaissance, and I’d like to be a part of it rather than being a victim of it,” said Joe Garrigan, a third-generation operator of the office store. A list provided by Midland Properties — the local real estate development company charged with land acquisition for the new hospital site — shows 21 commercial enterprises in the 45-acre core hospital area. They range from a gas station/convenience store to a fast food chicken franchise and a barbershop. All those questioned say they want to stay downtown, in an area with a similar high traffic flow, and need to make a quick transition from their current locations to new ones. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/10/23/SNS1023DowntownBusinesses.html
November 1, 200519 yr From the 10/30/05 Springfield News-Sun: City encourages businesses moving for hospital to stay here Springfield city officials say every effort will be made to allow those businesses soon to be displaced by the building of a hospital to relocate back in the downtown. Many say they want to stay and the city says it wants to accommodate those requests. Beyond the hospital core area is another 75 acres south of West Columbia between South Center Street and Yellow Springs Street that is open to development. The Crowell-Collier building sits in the middle of the acreage. Community Mercy Health Partners has expressed a desire for 40 of those 75 acres for future expansion. Meadows said the remaining 35 acres could be used for private/commerical development. She said the goal is to stimulate the private market downtown, not just clear room for a hospital, which will serve as the flagship. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/10/30/SNS1030BusinessAcquisition.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=7
December 20, 200519 yr From the 12/15/05 Springfield News-Sun. No, I don't understand the headline either: State association presents award to Bob Suver The Clean Ohio Council awarded the city of Springfield more than $900,000 on Wednesday, the third grant from the state to revitalize brownfields. The money will be used to purchase, demolish and clean up the Haucke complex on Main Street between Lowry Avenue and Plum Street. The site could be used for a medical office building as part of a future expansion of a downtown hospital, said Shannon Meadows, executive assistant to the city manager. “This is just another step in the progression of redeveloping downtown,” she said. The council awarded $40 million in grants to 15 projects, including the city of Springfield. It had received more than $56 million in requests for 24 projects. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/12/15/sns1215cleanohio.html
February 2, 200619 yr From the 2/1/06 Springfield News-Sun: City extends limit to building Springfield city commissioners at their meeting Tuesday approved extending a building moratorium in the Southwest Downtown Urban Renewal Area until Feb. 28, 2007. The moratorium allows for repairs and demolitions but prohibits additions or new buildings without an appeal. The area is where Community Mercy Health Partners will build a new hospital but the city doesn’t know which blocks will be used. The moratorium needs to be continued until the footprint is known, said Tim Gothard, director of engineering and planning. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/02/01/sns0201citycomm2.html
February 16, 200619 yr From the 2/11/06 Springfield News-Sun: Demolitions may start in April Houses in the hospital redevelopment area might start coming down in April. The demolition specifications went out to bid this week and contractors already have called. The city plans to purchase, demolish and clean up about 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek to make way for a new hospital. Commissioners looked at the project during their retreat Friday. They also reviewed economic development, safety, neighborhood services and public works. The city has 30 properties bought or under contract in the hospital area. It has spent about $1.17 million on acquisition, nearly $6,000 under budget. The city also has relocated 28 families. That equals about $227,000 spent to relocate tenants and $273,000 to relocate homeowners. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/02/11/sns0211ccretreat.html
February 25, 200619 yr From the 2/24/06 Springfield News-Sun: Managers chosen for construction Community Mercy Health partners has hired Dayton-based Danis Building Construction Co. and McCarthy Building Companies Inc., of St. Louis, as consultant managers for the hospital’s proposed new health care complex. The construction management team will oversee the construction of the proposed $300 million complex slated to open in late 2010. “They will help us bring the construction in on time and on budget,” said Naomi Caldwell, Community Mercy’s vice president of facilities management and development. The team will hire the project’s subcontractors. “It’s a common vision to get as much local (subcontractors) as feasible,” said Danis president Tom Hammelrath. He said the complexity of the project could affect the ability to hire local contractors for some areas but local hiring will be “paramount.” MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/02/18/sns0218westend.html
February 26, 200619 yr All stories from the 2/26/06 Springfield News-Sun: Smooth moves? So far, relocating residents from hospital area going well The city’s relocation team came across a child living in a home with high lead levels in the hospital redevelopment area. “It was very, very dangerous to that child,” said Joe Fetsko, a relocation specialist working with the city of Springfield. “Now they are now living in a lead-safe house.” The city is clearing land in about 45 acres of downtown near Buck Creek for a new hospital. As of Feb. 1, the city had 54 residential cases open — 14 homeowners and 40 tenants. Of those, 12 families have moved out — five homeowners and seven tenants — for a total of 35 people. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/02/26/sns0226relocation1a.html Project could help fund other renovations By BY SAMANTHA SOMMER News-Sun Staff Writer Judy Monhollen and her husband own several houses in Springfield and believes the hospital project will raise property values. They sold two rental properties on North Plum Street to the city and said they received a fair price. “We were very pleased,” Monhollen said. “Of course we would have liked for it to go a little bit quicker, but knowing we were one of the first properties purchased, they were trying to get everything ironed out.” The city is clearing property in 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek to make way for a new hospital. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/02/26/sns0226reloclandlord.html Some pain, some pluses in relocating Freda Antonio-Avilez misses her neighborhood sometimes, but she is glad her family isn’t cramped into a two-bedroom house anymore. She, her husband and three children now have a five-bedroom house with a large yard to call home. The family relocated from Baltimore Place in December when the city bought their house on Merritt Street. The city paid her $43,000 for her house and provided her with nearly $42,000 in relocation benefits. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/02/26/sns0226relochomeowner.html
March 1, 200619 yr From the 3/1/06 Springfield News-Sun: City Commission hears opposition to hospital site A group called Save Our Springfield opposes a new hospital near Buck Creek and asked city commissioners to postpone a new zoning category. Commissioners held a hearing and first reading to create a new downtown medical campus district zoning Tuesday. They likely will vote March 14. The district allows a hospital to rezone an entire campus for a new downtown hospital, rather than each building individually. “It gives the hospital more flexibility,” said Tim Gothard, director of engineering and planning. Lawyer Timothy Mara said he represents about 300 residents who signed petitions opposing the city’s plan to clear about 45 acres to make way for a downtown hospital near Buck Creek. Other vacant, downtown properties could be used, Mara said. “It makes no sense to drive people from their homes and businesses and destroy a rare historic neighborhood on the edge of downtown,” he said. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/03/01/sns0301citycommission.html From same: Officials brainstorm urban development Downtown housing, improvement along Buck Creek and private investment were among the proposals discussed during an urban design conference this week sponsored by the Center City Association and the Westcott House Foundation. A key point of discussion was the development of the area around Buck Creek, which could support a number of private businesses and housing, said Mayor Warren Copeland. “A piece of this is both hopefully attracting people to live downtown and also attracting people to come downtown for activities.” Copeland said. “Buck Creek is something we really have as a resource to make that happen.” MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/03/01/sns0301urbandevelop.html
March 16, 200619 yr From the 3/15/06 Springfield News-Sun: City OKs new hospital zoning By SAMANTHA SOMMER News-Sun Staff Writer Springfield city commissioners approved a new zoning category for a downtown medical campus district Tuesday night, which some called too weak. The district allows a hospital to rezone an entire campus for a new downtown medical center, rather than each building individually. Cincinnati lawyer Timothy Mara represents about 300 residents who signed petitions, calling themselves Save Our Springfield. The new zoning regulations aren’t strong enough, Mara said. A helipad, mental health center and animal testing facility are allowed, he said, without restrictions on hours or locations. Mara said they should explore the spectrum of regulations. The hospital also won’t spark business, Mara said, because the medical campus will offer shopping, food and overnight accommodations so people won’t leave. Mayor Warren Copeland said the plan is for businesses to offer those services, not the hospital. “Frankly, I think your argument is ludicrous,” he said to Mara. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/03/15/sns0315citycomishredux.html From same: Demolition of houses may start in late spring Houses in the hospital redevelopment area might start coming down in late spring. Springfield city commissioners held a first reading Tuesday night to award a demolition contract to General Contractors, Steve R. Rauch Inc., Triangle Excavating and Tony Smith Wrecking. Commissioners likely will vote on the contracts on March 28. The companies will share up to $1.5 million. Having four contractors will allow the city to have multiple demolitions at once, said Shannon Meadows, executive assistant to the city manager. The city is clearing about 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek to make way for a new Community Mercy Health Partners hospital. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/03/15/sns0315citycommissionside.html
March 21, 200619 yr From the 3/20/06 Dayton Business Journal: Downtown Springfield to have unified vision Dayton Business Journal - March 17, 2006 by John Wilfong DBJ Staff Reporter Like many other struggling rust belt cities, the past few decades haven't been the best for downtown Springfield. Thousands of manufacturing jobs fled the area and buildings were left vacant to deteriorate and erode the once-vibrant downtown. Families fled to the suburbs and development and investment followed them out of downtown. But officials are hoping that's soon to be just a part of Springfield's history. Area leaders have formed several task forces to pull together several significant downtown investments worth at least $350 million. The various organizations are sharing information and coordinating their projects in a way officials haven't seen in the past. Community leaders are ready to roll out the effort to the Springfield business and arts community at a public event March 22. Officials said part of the plan is to leverage initial downtown investments to establish a retail and activity area to help bolster further private development. MORE: http://dayton.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2006/03/20/story7.html
March 24, 200619 yr From the 3/23/06 Springfield News-Sun: Downtown players working on strategy Craig Dillon believes the sum of downtown projects can be greater than the individual pieces if leaders work together. “This is a unique opportunity to shape the development of our city over the next 10, 15 years,” said Dillon, Center City Association’s board president. About 70 people attended an urban design workshop Wednesday that Center City and the Westcott House hosted. It expanded on a similar session last month with representatives from major institutions such as the city, hospital and Wittenberg University, to connect those projects and look at the in-between spaces. The meetings are an attempt to share ideas and make a long-term plan for downtown redevelopment, Dillon said. The workshop included a review of different redevelopment projects, followed by brainstorming. Naomi Caldwell, Community Mercy Health Partners vice president of facilities management/development, talked about the downtown hospital planned near Buck Creek. Caldwell has met with several groups of paramedics lately to discuss traffic and ambulance access to the site. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/03/23/sns0323centercity.html
March 24, 200619 yr Now that I know this hospital site I am going back to Springfield to take some pix. This is a particularly old neighborhood for Springfield, based on some old maps I ran across at the libraries...
April 19, 200619 yr From the 4/19/06 Springfield News-Sun: Hospital, city expect May votes on plan The city of Springfield and Community Mercy Health Partners are nearing a vote on a redevelopment agreement for a downtown hospital. The agreement probably will be voted on by city commission next month, no earlier than the May 9 meeting. The hospital board’s executive committee also anticipates voting on the agreement in May. The city and hospital signed a memorandum of understanding in August that set the general framework for purchasing and clearing about 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek for the hospital. Commissioners last week extended that memorandum until the end of May. That allows for commissioners to approve changes to the Southwest Downtown Urban Renewal Plan before the redevelopment agreement is in place, said Shannon Meadows, executive assistant to the city manager. The changes include adding the hospital development into the renewal plan. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/04/19/sns0419hospitalupdate.html
May 31, 200619 yr From the 5/31/06 Springfield News-Sun: Likely hospital site picked for view of Buck Creek City commissioners OK agreement with Community Mercy Health Partners that lays out development plan. By Valerie Lough Staff Writer The Springfield City Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the redevelopment agreement between Community Mercy Health Partners and the city in what officials call a step forward for the new hospital downtown. “It’s going to allow the hospital to continue moving in the right direction,” said Commissioner Kevin O’Neill. “The commission is committed to putting the hospital down here and we’re going to continue going down that path.” The city and hospital signed a memorandum of understanding in August that set the general framework for purchasing and clearing about 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek for the hospital. The redevelopment agreement lays out the plan for turning the 45 acres into the new hospital campus. The first phase of the project, planned for the area closest to Buck Creek where the hospital itself will be located, is set to be clear by October 2007, City Manager Matthew Kridler. The spot where the hospital will be built was chosen for its view of Buck Creek, Kridler said. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/05/31/sns0531citycommission1.html
May 31, 200619 yr Woah...a bit more extensive than I thought. Actually this plan sort of sucks. Read the small print. 1900 to 2000 parking spaces, with most of the site being taken up by "parking drives and landscaping". Essentially a "suburban solution"...replacing an inner city neighborhood with a hospital surrounded by parking lots (albeit nicely landscaped curvy parking lots).
July 12, 200618 yr From the 7/12/06 Springfield News-Sun: City told to slow down on hospital project By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer A Cincinnati lawyer for Save Our Springfield urged city commissioners to slow down on the hospital project. Tim Mara said at the commission meeting Tuesday the city is making a sham of the historical survey in federal regulations. That could haunt the city, he said. “If that happens, don’t blame those of us who have repeatedly urged the city to comply with the legal process,” he said. Shannon Meadows, executive assistant to the city manager, said the city is complying. The city has conducted a historical survey of structures, which is part of a larger environmental review required by federal regulations. The document will be available for public comment soon. Several downtown advocates rebuffed Mara. “We feel very strongly that this project needs to move forward,” said Sam Beloff, co-chairman of the Downtown Business Alliance. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/07/11/sns0712citycommission2.html
July 18, 200618 yr From the 7/15/06 Springfield News-Sun: Review process delays razing homes City had to determine which agency’s rules it needed to follow for environmental study. By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer The city of Springfield had no idea it would take so long to start razing houses in the hospital redevelopment area. “Has it been frustrating for us? Absolutely. But I think we’re on the right track,” said Shannon Meadows, executive assistant to the city manager. The city of Springfield is buying property in about 45 acres downtown near Buck Creek to make way for the new hospital. Demolition contracts were awarded in March and houses were expected to start coming down in late spring. But an environmental review process complicated by the number of federal agencies involved has dragged out demolition. The city has received money from three federal agencies — the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/07/15/sns0716hospital1a.html
July 31, 200618 yr From the 7/30/06 Springfield News-Sun: Where does the hospital consolidation stand? By Kelly Baker Staff Writer The announcement was 16 years in the making: Springfield’s two rival hospitals had agreed to become one, and within five years they would build a new modern acute care hospital in Clark County. Two years after that July 2004 merger, Community Mercy Health Partners has consolidated many of Mercy Medical Center’s and Community Hospital’s services and realigned and reduced staff. It expects next year to break ground just west of the Springfield Regional Cancer Center for the construction of a proposed $300 million health care complex. Patient satisfaction ratings have increased, according to the company’s surveys, and each of the city’s hospitals has earned national and local recognition for care. Before the merger, Community and Mercy employed 3,613 people at their 10 local facilities. Today, after the consolidation of some services, that number is 3,570. Next month the hospital board is expected to name a new president who will be expected to build on the last two years and lead the corporation through the grand opening of the new hospital in 2011. Today the News-Sun looks at the status of the consolidation process and the hospital construction project. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/07/30/sns0730hospitalfront.html From same: Hospital may need to cut the number of beds in new facility Some parts of the building may not be used at first. By Kelly Baker Staff Writer The overall size of the building will remain the same but the bed count at Community Mercy’s proposed new hospital has not been determined. The new hospital originally was projected to have 350 beds, but a drop in patient admissions has designers rethinking the configuration, said Naomi Caldwell, vice president of facilities and development. The drop in admissions also prompted staff reductions in the first half of 2006. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/07/29/sns0730mergermain.html
August 9, 200618 yr From the 8/9/06 Springfield News-Sun: Cincinnati lawyer contends meeting of advisory group on downtown development violated Sunshine Law By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Two lawyers argued Tuesday whether the city of Springfield violated the open meetings act. Cincinnati lawyer Timothy Mara filed a lawsuit in Clark County Common Pleas Court last month alleging the city violated the Ohio Sunshine Law by denying him access to a meeting of stakeholders last month. Mara described the group as a public body assigned to develop a consensus about land usage downtown that could lead to zoning changes. Timely access to the information discussed in the meetings is vital to his ability to defend his clients opposed to the downtown hospital site, Mara said. “This is a committee of elite people meeting behind closed doors to put together a plan that will affect other people’s homes and lives,” he said. The city described the group as people with a stake in downtown development advising city staff in an information-gathering process. The group isn’t appointed by or advising the city commission, city Law Director Jerry Strozdas said, and is therefore not a public body. The land-use map the group and consultants will produce won’t be binding and only conceptual, Strozdas said. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/08/09/sns0809citycourthearing.html
August 19, 200618 yr From the 8/18/06 Springfield News-Sun: Homes in hospital area not free game Police urge people to report vandalism of houses in the redevelopment area to them and not City Hall. By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer A woman called City Hall instead of police last week to report a theft in the hospital redevelopment area. So Police Capt. Bruce Sigman urged people to call 911 to report crimes, such as thefts of aluminium siding and copper pipes. Thefts of siding and pipes are a problem across town, Sigman said, and lately people have targeted the hospital redevelopment area because of the growing number of empty houses. “Some people think these are free game to take whatever they want to take,” Sigman said. Since the city began buying properties last fall, police had 29 incident reports at those properties, mostly thefts, suspicious activity or disorderly conduct. Four arrests have been made. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/08/18/sns0818hospitalthefts.html
August 28, 200618 yr From the 8/28/06 Dispatch: Battle over hospital oversight in Springfield leaves scars Monday, August 28, 2006 By Holly Zachariah THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The union that lost on Election Day last year in Springfield says asking voters to create commissions that hold private hospitals publicly accountable is still a good idea. But union organizers, who spent more than $325,000 to fight the state’s largest hospital system in November, say it became so personal and ugly that they don’t know whether they will try the approach again. Voters in Springfield rejected Issue 9 in November. It would have authorized creating a three-person elected commission to oversee operations at Springfield’s two private, nonprofit hospitals — Community Hospital and Mercy Medical Center. The two hospitals merged in 2004 under Cincinnati-based Catholic Healthcare Partners. Once a $280 million campus is built downtown in 2011, both hospitals are expected to close and fewer employees are expected to be needed, though the hospital hasn’t said how many jobs would be lost. Such anticipated changes are behind a groundswell of union support among some employees. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/08/28/20060828-A1-06.html
October 1, 200618 yr From the 9/29/06 Springfield News-Sun: Lincoln Park housing razed New housing will include rental units and owner-occupied dwellings, made possible by a $20 million grant. By Samantha Sommer Friday, September 29, 2006 After more than a year of paper work, the first of the Lincoln Park townhouses came down in about 15 minutes Thursday morning. The Springfield Metropolitan Housing Authority began razing its 210 Lincoln Park units as part of a $20 million HOPE VI grant. The housing authority will put 108 new rental units on the site, many as single-family houses, along with 38 homes for sale. http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/09/28/sns092906smha.html
November 13, 200618 yr From the 10/28/06 Springfield News-Sun: Lawyer sues city, feds over hospital project By Samantha Sommer Friday, October 27, 2006 Timothy Mara, a Cincinnati lawyer representing Save Our Springfield, has sued the city of Springfield and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Dayton on Wednesday on behalf of two residents — Rebecca Caudill of 315 N. Yellow Springs St. and Jefferson Dobson of 509 N. Plum St. He alleged the city and corps violated the National Historic Preservation Act by purchasing property in the hospital redevelopment area before completing historical and archaeological reviews required when using federal money. "They've been making a farce of the process, and they can't say they didn't know because I've warned them many times," Mara said. City Manager Matt Kridler refuted that, saying the city has followed all the regulations and worked closely with the federal government. It has used no federal money so far, only state, city and hospital dollars. The historic architecture review is done, Kridler said, and the archaeological survey is underway. "We're quite confident that we stand on good ground, have been following the requirements and have been doing this in the proper fashion," he said. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/10/27/sns102806lawsuit.html
November 17, 200618 yr From the 11/1/06 Springfield News-Sun: Commissioners review draft for downtown redevelopment By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Tuesday, October 31, 2006 Many different groups have ideas for downtown redevelopment, so the city hopes a unified plan will organize them. Springfield city commissioners reviewed draft proposals of a downtown unified plan at their meeting Tuesday night. The plan includes land-use, parking and traffic maps, as well as some design standards. The map suggests what type of land uses the city would like to see in the future, said Heather Whitmore, planning and zoning administrator. The map suggests several districts, most of which would allow mixed uses. Commissioner Dan Martin liked that, saying cities such as Toledo have developed flexible zoning to reuse historic buildings with retail on the bottom floors and residential or office above. The design standards include suggestions such as rear parking and types of exterior materials. The plan also calls for making Limestone Street and Fountain Avenue two-ways. Urban planning firm MSI developed the plan by talking with and using master plans from several downtown stakeholders, including Community Mercy Health Partners, Wittenberg University and the Center City Association. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/10/31/sns110106citycommission.html
November 17, 200618 yr From the 11/2/06 Springfield News-Sun: View sketches of the hospital Downtown hospital vision begins to take shape By Kelly Baker Staff Writer Thursday, November 02, 2006 Eight floors. Patient towers. Garden views. Conceptual drawings of Community Mercy Health Partner's new hospital, released this week, show glimpses of what 42 acres northwest of Springfield's downtown might look like by mid-2011. On Monday, Community Mercy's board of trustees approved the site plan for the proposed $300 million health care complex, which gives an idea of how the building will fit. The site plan makes Lowry Street the main entrance to the complex, which will be bordered by Buck Creek to the north, Yellow Springs Street to the west, Columbia to the south and the Springfield Regional Cancer Center to the east, said Naomi Caldwell, Community Mercy's vice president of facilities and development. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/11/01/sns110206hospital.html
December 23, 200618 yr From the 12/1/06 Springfield News-Sun: Residents offer ideas for downtown design By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Thursday, November 30, 2006 Joe Fritts wants to see a well-lit downtown with ample green space, including rose gardens. "We used to be known as the Rose City," Fritts said. "Now we're the city where nothing grows. It's important for us to have a landmark we're known for." Virginia Weygandt wants a walkable downtown that integrates and preserves existing buildings into any new design standards. Paul Miller would like to see a multi-purpose arena for all kinds of events. Those are some of the ideas generated at a downtown design workshop Thursday night at City Hall. About 30 people came to the workshop. They reviewed master plans from groups such as Center City Association and Wittenberg University. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/11/30/sns120106workshop.html
December 23, 200618 yr From the 12/6/06 Springfield News-Sun: Surgeons look into new niche hospital Specialized surgical center could take revenue away from Community Mercy Health Partners. By Kelly Baker Staff Writer Wednesday, December 06, 2006 Some local doctors are considering opening their own specialty hospital, which city, state and local officials said could devastate Community Mercy Health Partners. The Springfield surgeons have hired Cincinnati consultant Don Jensen to determine the viability of a niche hospital for surgery patients. Jensen said plans are "very preliminary." Officials from Community Mercy Health Partners and local leaders are meeting to discuss how such a hospital could affect the city's existing hospitals and its plans to build a $300 million health care campus downtown. The surgeons said a limited-use hospital would allow them to be more involved in the care of their patients. But Community Mercy President George Miller said it would drain the hospital of a revenue stream it needs in order to fund its uncompensated and under-compensated services such as many emergency room and charity care cases. Surgery provides the greatest profit margin for the hospital, Miller said. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/12/05/sns120606hospitalmain.html
December 23, 200618 yr From the 12/13/06 Springfield News-Sun: Group discusses ideas for downtown By Samantha Sommer Staff Writer Tuesday, December 12, 2006 Julie Garrigan doesn't want Springfield to look like Hilliard or Beavercreek. "Why not take a stand and maintain a standard of who and what we want to be?" she said. About 20 people discussed what those standards should be at a downtown design workshop Tuesday. The workshop is part of a unified planning process of the city to unite several master plans from groups such as Wittenberg University and the downtown hospital. A consultant for the city has developed a proposal that calls for different land use districts and design standards. MORE: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2006/12/12/sns121306redevelopment.html
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