New development approved for Ozark square in place of collapsed downtown building

After a 100-year-old building collapsed in late 2022 on the historic Ozark downtown square, the lot at 101 W. Church St. abutting the City Hall has remained vacant. But now, new plans have been approved for a building to take the spot.

The plans include a four-story building to be built and used by Torgerson Design Partners (TDP), a local architecture and design group, that includes nods to the historic surrounding buildings and area yet adds a touch of modernity. The building will serve as TDP's home office and include a tenant space on the ground floor, though a tenant has not yet been selected. TDP currently is housed on the square at 116 N. 2nd Ave.

The preliminary designs show red brick exterior with arched windows and large glass windows on the corner of the building. The designed approved Monday night was different from initial proposals show more than a month ago that encountered staunch opposition. The main changes made were to the exterior design to be more compatible with the historic aesthetics of the square. While the first design included a modern glass glazing on the corner windows, this was removed while large windows still remained for conference rooms. More details were added to the top of the building with the brick color also changing.

John Torgerson, founder and president of TDP, said the biggest challenge in the design was to balance compatibility with the historic nature of downtown while not confusing visitors to think of the building as historic itself.

"I don't know how to be more compatible, honestly," he told the Ozark Board of Aldermen Monday night.

The plans were presented through a development agreement that municipalities use to encourage site development and lay out responsibilities and nuances of the development. But the proposal that ultimately was approved was not without challengers either. The board vote ended in a tie, which left it up to Mayor Don Currence to be the decider. Before casting his vote to approve the plan, he said his goal is to do what's best for the city, without any personal agenda. An earlier vote in April had denied approval 4-2 ahead of the redesign. The only alderman to change position was Alderman David Snider.

Points of contention

The scale of the building was one of the main discussion points. The plan indicates the footprint to be 30 feet by 84 feet, larger than the original building. To give way for this scope, the agreement includes the city giving up three feet of public right-of-way on the east side of the property along North 1st Street. Currently, the lot is 27 feet wide. In exchange, the developer will give up a part of an alleyway on the north side of the property that abuts city property to move a sewer main line there that would otherwise be underneath the building.

Through this eastward expansion, the developer will be responsible for removing, and replacing, the existing sidewalk along the street between Church Street and Brick Street. With the narrowing of the street, North 1st Street will likely be converted into one-way traffic flowing into the square. Currently, the street is open to two-way traffic and includes parallel parking spots on both sides of the street. According to the city documents, the city acknowledges the possible need for this, but will evaluate the affect on traffic and determine final configuration of traffic and street parking.

The owner of the building next door, Steve Devine, was one of five people who spoke against the development at Monday night's meeting. His concerns were focused on the grand scale of the proposed building and the easements for the sewer main and the alleyway that could potentially also impact his property. Torgerson said at the meeting that the current alleyway is not accessible on the west side and therefore is impassable as is.

Before voting against the development Monday night, Alderman Jean Ann Hutchinson said her concern was less about the design and more to do with setting precedent for allowing developers to take more of city property. She also said she does not see the bargain of giving away three feet of current sidewalk as a good deal for taxpayers who paid for the original sidewalk.

Similarly, Alderman Eddie Campbell was also concerned about the fourth floor extending higher than the courthouse that anchors the square. At the core of those arguing against approval were concerns about retaining the square's historic character and remaining true to the city's roots.

Hopes of moving forward

The development also received messages of support from residents as well as the Ozark Chamber of Commerce and Show Me Christian County, the local partnership that provides resources and encourages development of the county. Kristen Haseltine, president and CEO of Show Me Christian County, said that while the building will not generate sales tax revenue, the jobs created there and the people brought into the square for work will create the same economic impact.

More: Chadwick Flyer Trail development will soon move into Springfield. Here's what is planned

Aldermen who voted for the development expressed the desire to move forward and fill the corner that has remained empty for the past year and a half, especially with a local business owner taking the lead.

With the mayor's tie-breaking vote Monday, the development has a green light to move forward. The developers will now pursue all the necessary building permits, with hopes of starting construction soon. According to the development agreement, the building must be completed and ready for occupancy by July 1, 2026.

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozark downtown square finds new building on corner after 2022 collapse