Conferences and Meetings
  1. Welcome to APA Missouri
  2. Conferences and Meetings
  3. 2020 Missouri Chapter Conference

Mobile Workshops

Zeke Hall, Mobile Workshops Coordinator

APA Missouri Chapter is excited to offer three outstanding mobile workshops and one bonus, self-guided tour during our 2020 conference. All three guided mobile workshops are scheduled during the first day of the conference, Wednesday, October 7th, and will leave from the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center. Conference registration opens at 11:00 AM, so you can plan to arrive early to check-in and then enjoy lunch at one of many nearby restaurants, including Fire & Ice inside the hotel. There will be a conference welcome speech at 1:15 PM and the mobile workshop groups will gather for instructions at 1:30 PM. No workshop will go past 5:00 PM. Due to health considerations, all mobile workshops are capped at 12 participants and everyone is being asked to drive themselves. 

To offset this inconvenience, the conference committee has greatly reduced the price traditionally charged for mobile workshops and has set the ticket price for each at $10. We have also developed a bonus tour to help you explore the Great Places of Springfield while you are in town. Each of the bonus locations offer shopping, unique restaurant experiences, and are walking distance to local micro-breweries. Thank you for your interest in the mobile workshops and for your flexibility and understanding of the constraints we are working under to make them possible this year. If you have any questions regarding the mobile workshops, please contact me at ezekiel.hall at modot.mo.gov.

-Zeke Hall

Mobile Workshop A. Back to School: Re-purposing Vacant Historic School Buildings as Community Resource Epicenters

Map: Back to School mobile workshop

This mobile workshop will provide a tour of two historic 100-year old schools that have been rehabilitated and re-purposed to serve the community needs where they are located. The mission of the Drew Lewis Foundation (DLF) at the Fairbanks is to improve the quality of life in under-served urban neighborhoods. Learn about the variety of programs offered including educational and vocational programs, garden-to-table initiatives, public health services, housing resources, and community events. The O'Reilly Center for Hope in the former Pepperdine school is a "one-stop shop" for all affordable housing activities. This community hub provides resources to citizens who are anywhere on the housing continuum from homelessness to affordable home ownership. Participants will hear about the various collaborative actions that took place to redevelop these schools.

Mobile Workshop B. Introduction to Ozark Greenways: Jordan Creek Greenway

Map: Jordan Creek Greenway

This mobile (walking) tour will include a short stroll down a section of the Jordan Creek Greenway Trail that intersects with a variety of public and private projects. Along the walk, representatives from the City of Springfield and Ozark Greenways will provide an overview into the challenges, successes, and future of the Jordan Creek Greenway trail. The tour will include a brief presentation, and introduce participants to a number of adjacent community facilities accessible from the trail including the Creamery - Springfield's Regional Art Center, Jordan Valley Park and Ice Park, and will conclude at the Forward SGF Planning Studio for a brief overview of future projects connected by the Jordan Creek Greenway trail including the Jordan Creek Renewal Project, Grant Avenue Parkway, and West Meadows.

Mobile Workshop C. Eden Village: Confronting Homelessness with Tiny House Villages

Map: Eden Village I & II

This mobile session will involve a tour of the first successful tiny house village for the homeless in Springfield: Eden Village I.  Participants will gain firsthand knowledge of tiny house village design and siting issues, land use challenges, resident outcomes, and planning integration strategies. If time allows, Eden Village II, which has recently broken ground, will also be visited. 

FREE Bonus Mobile Tour. Great Places of Springfield: Self-Guided Tour (no CM credits available)

Map: Springfield's Great Places

Get to know the host city of the 2020 APA Missouri Chapter Conference by visiting its designated Great Places. Springfield boasts a recognized Great Neighborhood, Great Place, and Great Street, awarded in 2014, 2015, and 2018 respectively. 

  • Rountree Neighborhood is one of historic charm and diversity, conveniently located by the Missouri State University campus and the center-city of Springfield. It is home to 1,100 households from college students to families young and old. It contains a diverse collection of 1900 to 1930's architecture and spacious tree-lined, grid pattern streets. Rountree boasts a unique neighborhood commercial node (which once served as a turn-around for a downtown trolley car), serving neighbors and visitors alike and is a quick bike ride away from professional baseball, performing arts, and a host of unique restaurants. At the center of the neighborhood is the Rountree Elementary School, which opened in 1917 and is today the site of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. Rountree is among three neighborhoods in Springfield with an Urban Conservation District (UCD). Rountree's UCD, approved by Springfield City Council in 1985, is a zoning overlay district with special standards, recognizing and protecting the unique nature of the area.
  • Park Central Square has been  a great public space in Springfield since the 1800's. Today, the Square is the main public gathering place in Springfield and hosts demonstrations, rallies, parades, festivals, concerts, nightlife, outdoor cafes, and much more. With public art, access to public transportation, historic charm, and modern amenities, the Square is a hub of activity and a magnet for redevelopment. 
  • Historic C-Street (Commercial Street) is located in the oldest part of Springfield. This six-block local and National Register Historic District enjoys the grassroots support of local businesses and property owners who advocate for its preservation and pursue resources and incentives for continued investment. The Commercial Club, a local merchants association, was established in 1930. Local public art is displayed along the corridor, which is lined with infill redevelopment and renovated historic buildings. The street boasts a diverse range of locally-owned art galleries, service organizations, flea markets, unique restaurants, shops, small offices, loft living, and small bars with live music venues. An iconic site on C-Street is the Historic Jefferson Avenue Footbridge, constructed in 1902, which spans thirteen tracks of the BNSF rail yard. A Saturday open air market from April-October provides access to healthy foods and local wares, while a variety of annual street festivals throughout the year such as Pets & Pumpkins, Heroes & Holidays, and Summer Solstice Art Fair bring residents of all ages together. In 2009, the Commercial Street Community Improvement District was established and assists in maintenance and development of the corridor while residents and businesses have incorporated sustainable design and green development. C-Street is a target area for the City’s Brownfields Program, helping to characterize and assess over 20 redevelopment properties. Historic C-Street truly epitomizes a great street as it brings people together to both preserve important historic assets but also plan for the future.