Downtown Springfield is the heart of our city, but more importantly, it is a neighborhood. It belongs first to the people who live here, work here, study here, worship here and return here again and again because it feels like theirs. Tourism is a vital piece of downtown’s economy, and we’re glad to welcome visitors. But if we treat tourism as downtown’s primary purpose, we will keep chasing weekend wins while missing the daily life that makes a downtown resilient. The long-term success of downtown Springfield depends on serving Springfield residents first, because when a downtown works for locals, it becomes magnetic to everyone else.
I’m in my first month as executive director of Downtown Springfield, Inc. (DSI), but I’m not new to downtown. Like many, I’ve built routines and memories here: grabbing coffee before a meeting, stopping in for lunch or dinner, showing visitors the places that remind me why this city matters. That’s why the recent conversation about declining foot traffic and the real hardship it creates for downtown businesses hits home. These concerns aren’t abstract. They’re lived realities for owners and employees working to keep the lights on, make payroll, and keep doors open.
Here’s the truth I want us to say out loud: tourism is not, and cannot be, the main service downtown provides. Tourism is an outcome of a healthy downtown ecosystem, not the foundation. A downtown designed around residents creates the kind of authenticity visitors can feel. A downtown designed around visitors alone often feels like a stage set, busy in bursts, quiet when the buses leave, and too fragile when trends shift.
Imagine downtown as a garden. Visitors are welcome to admire it. Some will take photos. Some will tell friends. Some will come back year after year. But visitors are not the ones who plant the seeds, pull the weeds, or water the beds. Residents do that. Local businesses do that. Workers, artists, students and families do that by showing up on ordinary days, not just special weekends. If we build a downtown that residents rely on and love, tourism will follow. But if we build a downtown mainly for tourism, we risk neglecting the very people who sustain it through every season.
This resident-first mindset is exactly why DSI has been evolving its mission to serve the entire downtown community, not just a subset of stakeholders. We are community-focused and expanding our impact so downtown works better for the people who use it every day. That shift matters because it aligns our work with what downtown needs most right now: stronger civic pride, more consistent daily activity, and a broader sense of shared ownership.
So what does “resident-first development” actually look like?
First, it means listening and then acting. Our planning work has shown that downtown has an image problem and that perceptions can be outdated or exaggerated. You don’t fix that with slogans. You fix it by addressing the everyday friction points like parking, safety, identity and having places that invite people to linger. To put action behind these priorities, DSI is hosting a community conversation, “AMA with Jay,” on April 30. It’s a chance to share our vision, hear directly from residents, and begin taking concrete steps forward together.
Second, it means placemaking that is authentic and community-driven. This includes creative tools like banners, murals and public art, not as decoration for decoration’s sake, but as ways to make downtown feel alive and welcoming. The goal is to create spaces where residents feel proud to bring friends, take their kids, spend an hour or run into someone they know. When people start saying “let’s go downtown” without needing a special reason, foot traffic becomes steadier and businesses gain the confidence to plan, staff and invest.
Third, resident-first development means economic growth that is strategic, not scattershot. New businesses are always welcome, but we can’t treat recruitment like tossing seeds onto unprepared ground. Entrepreneurs need the right conditions to succeed: support systems, clear information and a pipeline that helps good ideas become sustainable storefronts. DSI has done this work before and is preparing to build on it. Momentum on Main began as workshops that helped entrepreneurs move toward opening brick-and-mortar locations downtown, covering topics like financing, permitting and navigating city processes. Our partnership with Isringhausen Imports to deliver the DRIVE Grant, supporting startup costs such as remodeling, inventory and equipment, does the same. These are resident-first strategies because they build local capacity and help Springfieldians start and sustain businesses that serve Springfieldians.
Fourth, it means using partnerships to strengthen our downtown economy. DSI is committed to being a connector, working closely with organizations like the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, Innovate Springfield, the Small Business Development Center, the Office of Planning and Economic Development and the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Simply “filling vacancies” is not a strategy. Real strategy means understanding spaces and markets, reducing barriers and supporting businesses that meet community needs whether that’s services, retail, food, arts or experiences that make everyday life in Springfield richer.
Finally, resident-first development means planning for change instead of being surprised by it. Downtowns everywhere are adapting to remote work, shifting office footprints and evolving retail habits. The answer isn’t nostalgia, and it isn’t doom. It’s resilience. That is more housing downtown, more reasons to be there outside of 9-to-5 and more public spaces that support family life and community connection.
If we do this well, tourism grows with downtown. Visitors don’t travel for empty streets and checklists alone. They travel for place: districts that feel alive, cared for and distinct. When downtown meets residents’ everyday needs through safety, beauty, small business growth, creative programming and spaces people genuinely use, tourism becomes an added benefit of a strong local core.
Downtown Springfield doesn’t need to choose between residents and visitors. It needs to remember the correct order. Invest in locals first. Build the garden for the people who tend it daily. And then proudly open the gate to everyone who wants to experience what Springfield has built together.
Jay Shanle is the executive director of Downtown Springfield, Inc. He previously served as DSI’s director of communications and program director for the Springfield Area Arts Council.
Join Jay Shanle at his “Ask me anything” event.
This article appears in April 23-29, 2026.
