Garrison Group Inc. is inching forward with its plans
to build a shopping center on the site of the old Esquire Theatre property
on South MacArthur Boulevard.
The city’s zoning commission recently
greenlighted several zoning variances for the project. They include
requests to build closer to the street and reduce the number of parking
spaces by 20 percent.
“We’re trading some of the parking space
for more green space and pedestrian space,” says Todd Smith,
president of Garrison Group.
In February, Smith unveiled plans to develop an
upscale retail center that would stretch along the eastern edge of
MacArthur Boulevard from South Grand Avenue to Campbell Avenue [see
“Man with a plan,” Feb. 24].
Likely tenants include a bookstore, a card and gift
shop, and a women’s-clothing outlet. Local grocery Food Fantasies
plans to relocate to the site from its current digs on Wabash Avenue.
The project’s small-scale design has won
accolades from Ward 7 Ald. Judy Yeager and neighborhood-association
leaders. They hope it sets the standard for future commercial development
along MacArthur.
But Garrison Group, which hopes to complete the
project by as early as next spring, still has several hurdles left to
clear.
Engineering firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly Inc. is
performing a traffic-impact study for the project, which includes closing
off Conkling Avenue to MacArthur and extending Leland Avenue. The plan
requires approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The Springfield City Council will vote on the
requested zoning variances at its next meeting, set for May 17. City zoning
administrator Joe Gooden expects them to pass easily.
“The issues were all resolved with the
neighbors,” Gooden says, “because there have been no
objectors.”
This article appears in May 5-11, 2005.
