The city of Jacksonville would provide publicly funded incentives for two Springfield businesses to renovate properties under new requests supported by the city Office of Economic Development.
Springfield Animal Hospital would receive up to $50,000 to establish itself in a renovated building at 1632 N. Main St., and Main Street Food Park would receive up to $35,000 to relocate to a property at 14th and North Market streets under the requests.
The OED is scheduled to present the requests Sept. 8 to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee. If approved there, legislation for the proposals would be filed with the Jacksonville City Council.
Springfield Animal Hospital
According to a staff summary of the Springfield Animal Hospital request, the business is being established by two veterinarians as a 3,400-square-foot care facility with an adjoining dog park.
The partners plan to invest $700,000 in the renovation and $300,000 in equipment, the summary states. The business would create six full-time jobs at an average annual compensation of $44,000, excluding benefits. The staffing numbers do not include the two full-time veterinarians.
The summary states that there are no animal care facilities in the urban core, and that the establishment would enhance Springfield.
The funding would come through a Business Infrastructure Grant. OED staff estimates that the city’s return on investment would be $4 for every $1 of incentives.
Main Street Food Park
Main Street Food Park has announced plans to relocate from 1352 N. Main St. to 2403 N. Market St., where it will expand to include a miniature golf, a playground and splash pad, and other offerings.
An OED staff summary of the project says the owners plan to invest $550,000 on the relocation and expansion, including renovation of a two-story, 11,000-square-foot building on the site.
The operation would generate 10 new full-time and five part-time jobs with a total payroll of $344,000, excluding benefits.
Incentives would be in the form of a Business Infrastructure Grant. OED staff estimates a return on investment of $2.40 for every $1 in incentives.
In February 2025, Council voted 18-0 in favor of rezoning Ordinance 2024-0981 for the food park. The ordinance rezoned the property from Industrial Light to Planned Unit Development.
The property is directly north of the Phoenix Arts & Innovation District, a mixed-use project on 8.3 acres of mostly vacant 20th-century industrial buildings.