A Springfield development firm wants to build a new type of housing concept — called a "pocket neighborhood" — in Rountree, with the help of a tax break.

The $1.4 million development, planned for a half-acre at the intersection of Cherry Street and South Fremont Avenue, could be one of the first of its kind in Springfield.

What makes a pocket neighborhood special, said developer Kelly Byrne, who started Say U Can LLC with NBA player Anthony Tolliver, is a design that facilitates social interactions and a sense of community.

The plan is to tear down two vacant houses. In their place, the developer hopes to build six cottages, each with a small fenced-in front yard, encircling a courtyard with a fire pit. Their gardens and porches would face inwards, toward their neighbors.

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Each unit, which would have two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, would be rented out for about $2,000 a month, according to Byrne.

Cars would be parked in a shared garage, with six spaces, at the back of the property. Additional parking is available on the street. There would be a common gathering room in the garage building, where neighbors can host community meals, game nights and other events.

To passersby on Cherry St., the housing development would look like two single-family homes side-by-side, Byrne said.

Byrne said Rountree is an ideal place for a pocket neighborhood because it's already a social community with a strong sense of identity. There, people can easily walk and bike to destinations, such as Missouri State University or a collection of small shops on the corner of Pickwick Avenue and Cherry Street.

"There's more of a sense of community in that neighborhood than in a south-side suburban neighborhood," Byrne said. "People don't just pull into their garages, shut their doors and shut the rest of the neighborhood out."

Byrne said the layout of the housing units were designed with "empty-nesters" in mind — aging couples whose children have grown up and moved out. The most necessary rooms, including the master bedroom, office, living room and kitchen, are on the bottom floor. An extra bedroom and bathroom are located on the second floor.

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He hopes that university professors and young professionals might also choose to make the pocket neighborhood their home.

Pocket neighborhoods are appealing to people who want to live in urban, walkable environments, and don't want to bother with maintaining a large home, Byrne said.

Over the past two years, Byrne said he's had extensive meetings with Rountree neighbors to get feedback on his planned development.

"The feedback I've gotten from the neighborhood is that, in general, there's a lot of support for this project and where we’ve landed on it," Byrne said, noting that not all agree with his decision to seek tax abatements for the development.

City Council will holding a public hearing on the proposal on Monday night. Anyone can sign up to voice their opinions on the pocket neighborhood development.

In early 2017, council approved a different rezoning request for what was promoted as Springfield's first pocket neighborhood, on the east side of town.

Tax break requested

Byrne said the pocket neighborhood development would not be financially feasible without a tax break.

He believes the project should qualify for 65 percent abatement on property taxes for 10 years.

What does that amount to in hard numbers? That would mean, instead of paying about an estimated $84,000 in property taxes over the course of a decade, the developer would pay about $33,000 — amounting to a savings of $51,000 for the developer, according to Matt Schaefer, senior planner with the city.

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Taxing jurisdictions, such as the city and the school district, would receive more money from the property owner if a tax abatement is awarded and the area is redeveloped, as opposed to if no abatement is given and the land remains as-is. The difference would be an estimated $22,000, according to city documents.

In hopes of qualifying for a tax abatement, the firm has jumped through a series of hoops.

Byrne has provided the city with a detailed financial analysis that shows how much is being invested, how much revenue will be generated and how redevelopment would affect property tax assessments on the area.

Byrne has also provided inspection reports, each dozens of pages long, which detail problems at the existing houses — which he says amounts to blighted conditions.

In one house, located at 1361 E. Cherry St., there's mold, evidence of water damage, a structurally unsound stairway, disconnected plumbing, exposed wiring and other signs of deterioration.

The other house, at 1365 E. Cherry St., also exhibits deterioration, "although to a much lesser extent" the report said. There are cracks in the foundation, spotty mold growth and "loose footing" on exterior stairs.

The blight report is important because City Council must declare a property blighted for developers to be eligible to receive tax abatements on projects in the area.

Blighted or not?

As the proposal moves toward a public hearing and an eventual vote, City Council is being presented conflicting recommendations.

The developer believes the inspection reports shows evidence of blight. A mayor-appointed board, the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority, reviewed the same documents and voted to recommend this area be declared blighted.

However, city staff don't agree that the property should be considered blighted.

Staff said one of the houses — located 1361 E. Cherry St. — appears to be in bad condition. The problems with the other house, at 1365 E. Cherry St., are minor in comparison and can be attributed to a lack of maintenance, the staff summary says.

There was no "preponderance" of blight conditions, therefore city staff cannot recommend that City Council declare the entire area blighted, the summary says.

Ultimately, it's up to City Council to decide whether the area should be considered blighted so that the development firm can move forward with its plan to build a pocket neighborhood.

The City Council meeting will be held on Monday on the top floor of Historic City Hall. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.