Originally Published inthe Root Rvier Current – September 16, 2025
By David Phillips
SPRING VALLEY – This community is coming together to fill a hole in the heart of Spring Valley created by a fire that destroyed a historic downtown building in 2017.
A courtyard with places for people to relax and interact with each other is replacing the empty space in a row of downtown buildings on the west side of South Broadway Avenue.
O’Connor Court, named after Steve and Char O’Connor, both of whom served in Vietnam, is a project of the Spring Valley Business Alliance with input from Hanson-Raabe VFW Post 4114, which owns the property.
An early morning fire on Oct. 9, 2017, didn’t injure any individuals, but it was devastating to the community.
The historic 1871 building was one of Spring Valley’s most historic properties and home to Johnny Ringo’s Bar and Grill, a popular spot for local residents. Additionally, this building was a resource for the local VFW, which once owned the building and still had a passageway from its neighboring hall.
Local business owner Shelly Skindelien, of the downtown pet grooming business Shiny Hiney, is taking the lead on the project for the alliance, which is also working on an overall downtown redesign among other community projects (see New Design for Downtown Spring Valley, published by Root River Current).
