After a competitive procurement process, the City of Springfield and City Utilities have selected engineering and consulting firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly as the consultant for the Lake Springfield Master Plan. The plan is projected to be complete by summer 2024.

“We are excited and proud to be part of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to work with our community leaders and agency partners to reimagine where the vision of Lake Springfield intersects with nature, recreation and economic development,” said CMT Vice President of Business Development & Strategy Director Steve Prange, PE. “We realized early on that we were going to need a very unique team for this project. We assembled a diverse team of planners, engineers, architects, environmental scientists, economists and recreation specialists that will provide a blend of local and national expertise to reimagine the potential for Lake Springfield.”

The plan will be a catalyst for new economic development and recreational opportunities for the Lake Springfield area, identified as a redevelopment opportunity area during the City’s Forward SGF comprehensive planning process.

Lake SGF Master Plan elements will include:

-recreational expansion opportunities

-adaptive reuse planning for the decommissioned power station

-hydrological studies 

-water quality and ecological preservation planning

-economic development and workforce development opportunities

-transportation, access and wayfinding

-land use recommendations.

“The stage is set to create a truly innovative vision for Lake Springfield with water as the key element,” said Senior Planner Oliva Hough, who is managing the project. “One of the main goals for this project is to improve access to this local water amenity while enhancing the natural environment. With CMT and the team Steve Prange has assembled, we now have top-notch experts in place and are ready to begin planning what Lake Springfield could be.”

Background

Through an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), and $200,000 from the Hatch Foundation, City Utilities of Springfield and the City of Springfield’s Environmental Services Department is funding the development of a master plan for the area, including and surrounding the former coal-powered plant (James River Power Station). Redevelopment will complement Lake Springfield Park and Boathouse, which are jointly operated by CU and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.

Community engagement

A community visioning process for the future of Lake Springfield is planned for this fall or early 2023 and will include public engagement events, a presentation tour and a city-wide survey. 

The community engagement process will outline what the community sees for this area of Lake Springfield. Residents, neighbors, business owners, developers, schools, parks, non-profit agencies and more will collectively take part in identifying the areas of opportunity and concern in the area. This process will help the team zero in on a list of specific goals for the project.

Visit https://lakesgfmasterplan.com/ for updates about the plan and how you can get involved. 

For more information, please contact Cora Scott at 417-380-3352.