Despite the rain Tuesday morning, customers arrived in droves to the unveiling of the the new Springfield Hy-Vee supermarket along MacArthur boulevard.
The city offered special tax incentives in hopes of spurring growth along MacArthur.
Springfield Alderman Cory Jobe was president of the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association when the idea to bring Hy-Vee about came around. He says the building brings life to the core of the city.
"It's not easy reinvesting in an older corridor. It's much easier to go out on the far west or south side on an empty corn field. So this was a rehabilitation project. There was some remediation work which is costly to do," Jobe said.
Springfield Mayor Mike Houston says the development does more than create jobs.
"But what they really are doing, is they're going to be a catalyst for other activity up and down MacArthur boulevard," Houston said.
The nearly 21 million dollar supermarket is creating more than 130 full time jobs along with several hundred part time workers.
