SPRINGFIELD — Kim’s Donuts has been serving the East High Street neighborhood, along with nurses, doctors and patient families, for 7 years.

When Springfield Regional Medical Center moves from the corner of East High Street to downtown in November, it will take around 40 percent of Kim’s Donuts clients with it, said Rose Zettler, owner of the donut shop.

“I’ve got to wait and see what will happen,” Zettler said. “Hopefully (hospital staff) will remember we’re still here. ... I really hate seeing them leave and I appreciate the business we get.”

Since 1932, the hospital has been at the corner of East High Street and Burnett Road, and around it neighborhoods, gas stations, convenience stores and more have gathered.

“As a city commissioner and mayor I’m very concerned about what happens,” said Mayor Warren Copeland. “The east side community has the most at risk in the whole moving around of the hospital. The hospital and medical office buildings are really significant to the economy on the east side of Springfield.”

Some of the surrounding medical offices will remain in the East High Street area until a proposed medical office building is built on the new campus in the future. But as of Nov. 13, most of the campus will be completely vacant.

This is a concern for property owners, who fear a vacant building could mar the neighborhood and drop property values.

“If it sits there vacant it’s going to become an eyesore,” said Sherri Boak, manager of 200 different apartments in the area, including those in Williamsburg Plaza. “Are people going to be getting in, like vagrants or the homeless? Will there be fires or rats?”

Boak said she is also concerned that some of the hospital staff who are her tenants will eventually move closer to the new hospital.

Harvey Bank, president of the East High Street Neighborhood Association, shares some of Boak’s concerns.

“It’s going to be a humongous problem for all of us in terms of jobs, housing and supporting the local businesses in Burnett Plaza as well as on Main Street,” Bank said. “It’s a big unknown.”

The owner of Burnett Plaza, Ramy Eidi of Eidi Properties, said based on his tenants he doesn’t expect a huge impact. Burnett Plaza currently houses an Ace Hardware, a small veteran’s clinic and a Family Dollar.

A Family Dollar spokesperson said the corporation is not concerned about the move.

“We feel that the community has supported us and we have no plans to move or close,” said Josh Braverman, Family Dollar spokesperson.

Across the street is a Speedway, which on a typical Thursday morning was packed with people getting coffee and snacks. Speedway does not allow franchise owners or managers to speak with the media, but a corporate spokesperson said that the company supports the hospital move.

“The hospital is moving within the city limits, it’s not really relocating out of town, we’re actually pretty comfortable with the move,” said Shane Pochard, Speedway spokesperson. In fact, Speedway has another location just about a mile away from the new hospital.

Owners of Med-Ox Home Medical, a company specializing in home respiratory equipment west of the hospital on East High Street, are also unconcerned about the impact of the move on their business, but they worry about the neighborhood.

“Our primary concern is what’s going to happen to the community or whether something will take its place, and that the community doesn’t become run down,” said Mark Auckerman, one of the owners of Med-Ox.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0371 or emason@coxohio.com.