The Springfield City Council has passed an ordinance to build a new apartment complex on South MacArthur Boulevard.
Major renovations are underway at the Town and Country Shopping Center in the 2300 to 2500 block of South MacArthur Boulevard, a strip mall that includes a Chuck-E-Cheese and the closed Hibachi Grill Supreme Where the buffet is located.
Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, at the shopping plaza in the 2300 block of MacArthur Boulevard.
The Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a new apartment complex with green space at its Nov. 20 meeting, and the ordinance passed unanimously on Dec. 17 in the City Council chambers.
Once the ordinance is passed, construction on the final apartment complex can begin.
More: A new 40-unit apartment complex could be coming to Springfield. this is all we know
The petitioner and owner of the complex is Larkspur Properties, a Miami-based investment firm that purchased the 260,000-square-foot shopping center in 2022 for $5.7 million. Apartment building with up to 40 apartments for rent.
How much does an apartment cost? Larkspur President David Bernstein said at the Nov. 20 meeting that a one-bedroom would reflect market value, which if built today would be $1,100.
Michael Higgins, president of the MacArthur Boulevard Association, said the group is pleased to see the ordinance pass and fully supports the construction of the apartment complex.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen new apartments on this side of Chatham Road in Springfield,” Higgins said. “That doesn’t happen a lot, period.”
As new apartment complexes come to MacArthur, Higgins hopes to see continued development within the city, primarily in the downtown core, where he believes businesses are suffering due to low population density.
Without proper population density within a city, grocery stores and other facilities won’t be able to build downtown and spur more growth.
“Look at gentrification, first it’s population density, then it’s the demand for grocery stores,” Higgins said. “The next thing is this.
Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development, and other news topics for the National Journal Register. You can contact her at CLgrant@gannett.com; on X (formerly Twitter): @Claire_Granted
This article originally appeared in the National Journal-Register: New apartment complex to come to Springfield after City Council vote
