By Mike Mendenhall & Karen Brune Mathis
Staff Writers
Rethreaded Inc., which creates jobs and training for survivors of human trafficking, cleared another regulatory hurdle in its move to a larger headquarters campus near Springfield.
City Council voted 18-0 on Jan. 26 to rezone 515 E. Ninth St. from industrial light to planned unit development. Council member Ju’Coby Pittman was absent for the vote.
The action allows Rethreaded to covert three buildings at the site for office, retail, commercial, warehousing, light manufacturing, counseling services and vocational training uses.
The Council Land Use and Zoning Committee voted 6-0 to advance Ordinance 2020-0722.
According to a Jan. 7 memorandum, the city Planning Commission voted 6-0 to recommend approving Rethreaded’s rezoning request.
The Rogers Towers law firm is the applicant. Boundless Futures LLC is listed as the property owner.
Rethreaded describes itself as “a conscious gift company that uses business to benefit our community and our world” through long-term employment coupled with life and career development for survivors of human trafficking.
Products include its signature scarves as well as accessories, jewelry, house goods, food, coffee and other items made by Rethreaded or offered through complementary organizations. Its website is rethreaded.com.
The Jacksonville-based nonprofit has been operating for 10 years in a space donated by Load King Manufacturing Co. at 820 Barnett St. in the Rail Yard District.
A written description filed with the rezoning legislation said Rethreaded’s Barnett Street facility includes retail and office space at the front of the building and production, warehousing and meeting space.
The nonprofit “has outgrown the space and has a waiting list of survivors that generally exceeds 10+ women on any given day,” the description said.
The three buildings near Springfield comprise 42,500 square feet of space on 2.31 acres. The site is near Walnut Street about a half-mile east of North Main Street.
A sign at the property is posted as Great Expectations Auction & Estate Liquidators.
According to the rezoning description, Rethreaded intends to renovate and use the Main Building to expand its business to serve more survivors. The document says the nonprofit plans to lease the other two buildings to “compatible businesses.”
The two buildings also provide additional space for Rethreaded’s growth, the document states.
The main building at the Springfield site also has event space that can be used for Rethreaded’s events that raise awareness about human trafficking and to raise funds to support the business, according to the document.