Members of the Springfield Economic/Urban Renewal board discussed which of several downtown-owned parcels should be the immediate focus for CETA’s development work, and several members said the US Bank site should be the first priority.

That choice matters because infrastructure already exists at the US Bank site and it could catalyze infill across adjacent blocks; board members also noted the Buick assembly surface-parking parcels provide short-term flexibility but are lower on the priority list.

Board members and staff framed the choice around available capital, timing and coordination with other city-owned parcels. Staff reminded the board that CETA borrows against the tax base and must plan borrowing in multi-year chunks to match development timelines and market conditions.

Several members suggested “poking” the market — publishing interest and soliciting developer proposals — to surface creative concepts and private partners. One board member said that soliciting interest could “get some people to the conversation and the table,” and staff agreed that market outreach would help clarify how downtown parcels would interact with the city-owned museum/arts-center parcel.

Board members raised design and livability concerns including building height, shading of the north side of the street and the desire to prioritize pedestrian-friendly, denser development rather than a car-centric suburban pattern. Staff cautioned that full commitment to design or construction dollars should wait until the city reaches specific land-use approvals and financial readiness.

No formal motion was taken at the retreat. The board asked staff to pursue market outreach on the US Bank property and to return with the results and any recommended next steps. Members also discussed maintaining balanced focus between Glenwood and downtown projects given deadlines in the urban renewal plan for planning and implementation over the next five to ten years.

The board did not adopt a binding timeline at the retreat, but members discussed staging priorities and asked staff to report back as market interest is gathered.