Driving Around Springfield, Illinois Hood - East Side in 4k Video

Filmed on Saturday, July 22 2023, I drive around the East side of Springfield, IL to see what's going on.

The video begins at the "Poplar Place" neighborhood which is currently being demolished.

Poplar Place is well-known as the most dilapidated area of Springfield.

The neighborhood is slated for a $38 million redevelopment, with the majority of funds coming from federal and state tax credits, along with $2.2 million from the city of Springfield.

The neighborhood contains 244 units - mostly duplexes. In 2011 there were several shootings and 1,391 calls for police service at Poplar Place. The crime rate has decreased significantly due to most residents vacating the neighborhood. Today, only 15% of the units are occupied.

Near the end of the video, I drive past the abandoned Pillsbury Flour Mill. Pillsbury Mills opened in 1929. By 1950, Pillsbury employed 1,500 workers in Springfield.

In 1991, Pillsbury sold the plant to Cargill. Cargill operated the plant for 10 years, before selling it for scrap in 2008.

Between 2008-2015, the abandoned plant underwent "urban mining", and all usable materials were stripped from the facility, leaving it with serious safety issues.

Today, the property is owned by "Moving Pillsbury Forward", an organization with the goal of completely demolishing and redeveloping the site.

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