IDEA Commons



Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship, and Art (IDEA) Commons is an initiative headed by Missouri State University with the support of the City of Springfield and the Springfield Building Development Corporation (SBDC) to redevelop a portion of Springfield's Center City into a new type of urban research park that will be blended with residential, office, retail, entertainment, and industrial land uses, and supported by University programs. The IDEA Commons planning area encompasses approximately 88 acres within Center City, bounded by East Chestnut Expressway to the north, Water Street to the south, North Campbell Avenue to the west, and Jordan Creek to the east.
Map of the boundaries for the IDEA Commons, next to the East Meadows
In 2010, the City of Springfield Department of Planning and Development drafted a plan to help coordinate future planning and development efforts within the IDEA Commons planning area. Several public meetings were held during the planning process to solicit community input. On October, 4, 2010, the IDEA Commons Plan (PDF) was officially adopted as an element of the Springfield-Greene County Comprehensive Plan.

Form Based Code
One of the recommendations in the plan is to explore the possibility of adopting a Form Based Code (PDF) Zoning District for the area. Form-based code zoning districts encourage mixed-use development and include a strong design element to create an urban setting that accommodates mixed uses.

An important step in preparing the form-based code district is to get input from the public on the design components that will comprise the code for the IDEA Commons. A design charrette was held, August 31 - September 9, 2010, during which city staff engaged local design professionals, property owners, and other stakeholders. For insight into the ideas presented, review the final report from the design charrette closing session (PDF).

Infrastructure Deficiencies Inventory
A stated objective in the IDEA Commons Plan is to upgrade public infrastructure to provide:
  • Adequate water and sewer service
  • Complete streets
  • Public open space and other amenities
  • Storm water facilities
To meet that objective, the plan recommends the city develop a plan for infrastructure improvements that is coordinated with all service providers and private development projects.

Improvement Plan
Staff has begun the process of developing a plan to coordinate infrastructure improvements inside IDEA Commons. It recently completed an infrastructure deficiencies inventory (PDF) that specifically exams the current condition of sanitary sewers, stormwater facilities, streets and sidewalks, and public utilities (water, natural gas, and electricity). The information contained within this report will help staff and area stakeholders identify and prioritize needed infrastructure improvements.

Additional Resources