The vacant block in downtown Springfield across from the Governor's Mansion may be on the brink of becoming a city park, Mayor Misty Buscher told Illinois Times recently.
"I'm referring to it as the 'North Mansion Park,'" she said. "We've had conversations with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and with landscape architects to create a park-like setting that would be an Illinois natural habitat: plants and trees."
The Illinois General Assembly has allocated $4 million in the current state budget for "design, construction, improvements and other capital expenditures" of the block. But first, the city must have an environmental study conducted to determine whether contaminants in soil make the area unsafe for recreational use.
A preliminary study of the soil in the area found gasoline, diesel fuel, oil and other chemical compounds, Buscher said. A phase two study needs to be conducted to see if the contamination can be mitigated.
It will cost $27,000 to conduct the study and it must be paid for with city funds, she said. An exact timeline for how long the study would take has not been determined.
"It's been sitting as it is for so long," Buscher said. "And I truly believe our community would like to see this happen. I do hear some people in the community say they want to get it on the tax rolls. They want to see taxation coming through, but not everyone in the community says that. The majority likes the green space and doesn't want to lose the opportunity for the concert series."
The empty lot just north of the Governor's Mansion was once the site of the YWCA building, which was razed in 2017. Over the years, various ideas ranging from a law school campus to an apartment complex and private businesses have been proposed for the site.
But so far, the primary use for the vacant lot has been as the home of the Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series.
Since the land is next to the Governor's Mansion, Buscher said she has made a point of working with Gov. JB Pritzker's administration.
"I personally have had conversations with the governor. ... The reason that I wanted to have conversations with the governor and the first lady is that it is right next to the Governor's Mansion, and we want to be good neighbors," the mayor said. "We want it to look aesthetically pleasing when they look out the window. I think a law school downtown would be great. But I don't know if you're at the Governor's Mansion having a reception you'd (want to) look out and see a giant building there."
She added that neighboring businesses and organizations have expressed similar sentiments regarding having the area remain green space.
Buscher added there is plenty of vacant downtown office space that can be redeveloped for business, office developments or a law school.
"We've asked the landscape architects to create something that would be natural habitat, have some seating – with an open amphitheater feel – because Levitt AMP is there. We still want to embrace things that make it very natural," Buscher said.
While Union Square Park, across from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, already provides green space, Buscher said this park could include features unique to downtown.
"One of the conversations is to have a playground area. It wouldn't be metal playground equipment. It could be playground equipment that looks like a broken-down tree, but it's actually something you can climb on so everything looks very natural. That would be aesthetically pleasing," she said. "Not a lot of downtowns have green space, and I hate for us to lose that. We have enough vacant buildings downtown that we need to repurpose.'"
Her view was echoed by Carlos Ortega, executive director of Downtown Springfield, Inc.
"A lot of work and dedication has gone into creating that vibrant concert series throughout the last three summers," he said. "(The park) is going be an excellent addition to our downtown. It will provide that flow of individuals from the community who engage with our downtown."
