Dake Wells Architecture looks to restore midcentury building into new HQ 

An architectural firm is looking to shift to a new downtown location in a renovation project that would bring back into use a mid-20th-century building within the city’s innovation district. 

Springfield City Council conducted the first reading and public hearing Dec. 16 on a bill that would declare blight on the 521 N. Boonville Ave. property in preparation for Dake Wells Architecture Inc. to shape the 1946 structure – built for farm tractor sales and service – into its new headquarters. 

A vote on the measure is scheduled for Jan. 13. 

The single-story, flat-roofed building has strong horizontal lines that are a hallmark of midcentury architecture, with streamlined metal eaves and pronounced horizontal window muntins, as well as a rectangular spire adding a contrasting vertical line. 

According to the explanation of the bill, which describes the building as dilapidated, the building had life as a nightclub until 2007 and was then acquired by nanotechnology company U.S. Photonics Inc. Council approved a redevelopment plan for the building’s half-acre parcel in 2017 through the city’s Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority to be used as a commercial office building by U.S. Photonics, but that plan never materialized. 

Dake Wells acquired the property in 2022 and seeks to use the real property tax abatement approved in 2017 to renovate the building for use.  

Through the LCRA, projects may receive real property tax abatement on up to 100% of the assessed value of new construction or rehabilitation for a 10-year period, according to its website. 

In remarks to council, Amanda Ohlensehlen, the city’s director of economic vitality and workforce development, said the proposed project would renovate the existing 7,900-square-foot building by first demolishing two 840-square-foot additions and then constructing a new two-story, 3,500-square-foot addition. 

The project calls for $3.9 million of new investment, she said. 

She noted the redevelopment area is positioned at the northern gateway to the city’s innovation district and the downtown area. 

“It is a growing innovation park area revolving around IDEA Commons,” she said, adding that it also includes key institutional facilities like Brick City, Jordan Valley Innovation Center and the Efactory. 

The Forward SGF comprehensive plan for the city calls the area an opportunity site and proposes adaptive reuse of existing buildings. 

The revised redevelopment plan for the site, called the 521 Boonville Redevelopment Area, includes a request for tax abatement, which is necessary for the developer, listed as 521 North Investments LLC, to move forward, she said. 

The existing redevelopment plan is specific to the U.S. Photonics use, she noted. 

Councilmember Brandon Jenson said the new proposed use seemed as though it would generate less tax revenue than the previously proposed use. 

“The point of these types of redevelopment plans is to invigorate redevelopment that’s going to generate typically a pretty significant increase in tax revenues,” he said. “I don’t see this necessarily, but it is certainly addressing a pretty blighted property that needs remediation.” 

Ohlensehlen said the renovation would put the property back into productive use while supporting the innovation district. 

The taxing district is projected to receive $1,164 more tax revenue over the next 10 years, to substantially increase in years 11 and beyond. 

Brandon Dake, a partner in Dake Wells, said his company – founded in 2004 and located on the third floor of the Woolworth building on the square – is committed to downtown. 

“We want to do what we can to help revitalize downtown,” he said. “This building seems to fit perfectly with our needs as our design studio, and it’s in a great location.” 

He added that the project will take some effort by his company. 

“It will take considerable effort and considerable expense to bring it up to today’s standards because it is quite blighted, but we’re committed to doing that, and we are committed to stay in for the long term, and we are excited to be part of the revitalization of downtown,” he said. 

Dake Wells currently has 26 employees with space for 28. The new building will have capacity for 40-plus employees. 

“That’s additional payroll that comes into the local economy,” said Councilmember Abe McGull. 

Rusty Worley, executive director of the Downtown Springfield Association, said the project is complementary of the Renew Jordan Creek project. 

“This site sits as a perfect example of the private investment we’re hoping to see drawn to the area,” he said.