The Enos Park Master Plan is the culmination of eight months of research carried out by Mansur Real Estate Services (Indianapolis, IN), The Lakota Group (Chicago, IL), and the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission. The Plan identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the Enos Park neighborhood and proposes changes in city codes, zoning, and funding sources to renovate and revitalize this historic neighborhood located immediately north of the historic downtown area of Springfield.
Master Plan (PDF)
Enlarged Maps of Study Area (PDF)
When the Mid-Illinois Medical District was originally created, a Master Plan was conducted focusing on their growth and development. The final Plan, released in 2005, referenced the need for strong, connected neighborhoods but mainly focused on the medical and commercial development. The goal of the Enos Park Master Plan was to examine the residential component as well as the need for supportive neighborhood services and link the growth of the two areas together.
The EPNIA first became involved in discussions with Mansur Real Estate Services in early 2009, after the City of Springfield and the Greater Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce highlighted a project in Indianapolis known as Fall Creek Place. This revitalization of a 100 year-old neighborhood garnered Mansur national recognition and many awards for the stunning redevelopment that took place over a 10-year period.
Read more about Fall Creek Place…
In the summer of 2009, board members of the EPNIA and the Ward 5 alderman took a trip to Indianapolis to meet with representatives of Mansur and tour Fall Creek, along with a current redevelopment project in Indianapolis. Shortly afterwards, the EPNIA sought TIF funding to pay for a consulting agreement to complete a Master Plan. The Lakota Group, who had already been chosen to work on a redevelopment study for a major commercial corridor in Springfield, was selected as a sub-consultant, along with the Springfield Sangamon Regional Planning Commission.
Work began in 2010, and the Mansur/Lakota team began making trips to Springfield to survey the study area and hold focus group meetings. EPNIA board members, along with representatives from the Medical District and City of Springfield, were invited to participate in the various focus group sessions. A public hearing was held early on to outline the timeline for the plan and explain the parameters of the study. Another public forum and press conference were held at the end of the study to unveil the Master Plan and outline the steps for moving forward with the consultant’s recommendations.
EPNIA spearheaded the announcement of three separate initiatives:
1) Creation of Enos Park Development, LLC to serve as a non-profit land bank.
2) The Springfield Art Association’s commitment to exploring the creation of a cultural campus.
3) The re-opening of Susie Qs, a neighborhood restaurant that had been vacant for several years.
While the Master Plan has many components and it will certainly take years for all aspects to come to fruition, EPNIA wanted to demonstrate that many different entities were already moving forward with the recommendations spelled out in the plan.