Located northwest of downtown Tallahassee in the Griffin Heights neighborhood, Springfield Apartment which contains 198 existing units is poised for redevelopment. This initiative, supported by both the City of Tallahassee and Leon County, aims to transform the site and its surrounding area while engaging the community in the planning process
In early 2024, the Tallahassee Housing Authority, thru Planning grants from the city of Tallahassee and Leon County and collaboration with Columbia Residential, initiated a Community Master Planning effort for the redevelopment of the Springfield Apartments, a 1970’s era/198-unit affordable housing community located in the historic Griffin Heights neighborhood, northwest Tallahassee. This community redevelopment is part of a broader vision to strengthen Tallahassee’s neighborhoods, provide more housing for the city and address long-standing issues related to aging infrastructure, limited connectivity, and underutilized open space. The Tallahassee Housing Authority and Columbia Residential assembled a multidisciplinary team to guide the planning and visioning process, with JHP architecture/urban design selected to lead the community master planning efforts. The team was tasked with developing a comprehensive community master plan for the Springfield site through a structured community engagement process. The City of Tallahassee and Leon County have been key supporters and partners in this master planning and redevelopment initiative, recognizing its alignment with their regional affordable housing priorities. As part of this collaboration, local stakeholders prioritized Springfield Apartments as a key catalyst investment in the Griffin Heights neighborhood stabilization, redevelopment and one promoting equitable development. The Springfield Master Planning engagement process emphasized three foundational principles: Listen – Learn – Advise. The planning team’s goal was to listen to all voices in the community, learn from the community and residents’ experiences, and provide clear/comprehensive approaches for equitable and sustainable planning options grounded in urban design, environmental sustainability, and economic feasibility.
The Springfield Community workshop event began with a warm welcome, followed by an interactive Image Survey and Dots Exercise to gather feedback and ideas from residents. Participants enjoyed light refreshments while learning about the neighborhood planning process, the anticipated planning schedule and next steps.
Around 50+ attendees engaged in group tabletop exercises and discussions, and the event concluded with a Q&A session, ensuring everyone’s input was heard. It was a great opportunity for the community to shape the future of Springfield.
The third Springfield Community Workshop presented the final draft design scheme, which was met with enthusiastic approval from participants. In addition to strong resident and community support, attendees also provided valuable suggestions for further refinement. The session included both interactive discussions and Q&A, with the community actively engaged in the project moving forward.
Following the presentation, the planning team received valuable feedback from city of Tallahassee and Leon County officials, as well as the THA Board, and these will be incorporated it into the final Master Plan Presentation to ensure it reflects the broader community vision and keeps key stakeholders informed.
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