Bunn Park Neighborhood Association

Article date March 2009                                                 The Chamer  Q5 Quantum Growth Partnership             2007-2011

 Common Ideas : 

• The redevelopment of neighborhoods in East Springfield is a priority.
• There are many development partners today improving property, encouraing home ownership and transforming the character of aging residential and commercial areas.
• The City of Springfield's Office of Planning and Economic Development is providing visable leadership in the community's efforts to transform these neighborhoods.
• The desire of all groups is to create a more significant degree of impact in the area.
• A common vision for large scale, multi-phased, redevelopment of East Springfield is needed to guide investment decisions and priorities.
• Coordination and collaboration amoung the groups involved and interested in the redevelopment of East springfield is essential to secure a high degree of impact.
• Funding of the redevelopment plan is central to it's success.
• The residents of the neighborhoods should be the first - line, driving force in this effort,
• A model plan that identifies style, method, funding and partners in the process of the redevelopment of specific neighborhoods needs to be created as a template for replication. 

  Proposal:

Convene a small group, professionally facilitated, "Redvelopment Summit" convened by the City of Springfield, co-hosted by Q5 and TSP.

The summit will produce the following:   

  A better understanding of:

• What has taken place, what is underway, and what is proposed for the redevelopment of East Springfield neighborhoods.
• Available redevelopment resources and their limitations.
• Current barriers to the redevelopment of neighborhoods.
• The location and character of projects now underway.
• The demographic trends of East Springfield.

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•  Our common vision of what we hope for in redevelopment ( What does it look like? Where? When?)
• A plan of immediate, short-term and long-turm next steps to realize the vision with assigned responsibilities and proposed timeline for each.
• Recognized leadership of the overall effort with a defined structure for implementation of the plan. 

The summit will position us to commission:

• A working comprehensive plan for neighborhood renewal in East Springfield that defines the character, components. phrasing, funding and roles of participants in the plan's execution.

The summit would include the following groups:

• The City of Springfield
• Office of Mayor
• Office of Public Works
• Office of Public Safety
• Office of Planning and Economic Development
• The Springfield / Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission
• The Springfield Project
• The Chamber/Q5 Diversity Development Council and other business leaders.
• East Springfield Residents' Associations
• Springfield Housing Authority.
• Neighborhood Developers.
• Others