Former Springfield medical office to become daycare

John Whitacre, who owns and operates the business, said if approved the daycare could be open as early as this summer with about five full-time staff members. Only a portion of the building would be used initially, although the goal is to expand within a year or two.

Whitacre currently operates the Smart Start Academy daycare at 2105 S. Kenton St. in Springfield, which received a conditional use permit in 2010 and serves about 120 children with about 20 full-time employees, according to the permit request.

There is a need for more daycare service in the city, Whitacre said.

“Our other center’s been open for about six years now and for the last year or so we’ve only had availability every once in a while and most people are on a three-month waiting list,” Whitacre said. “It’s something that’s been in the plans for quite a while because we are consistently turning away families on a daily basis that are looking for child care. We just don’t have the availability at our current center to handle additional children.”

The Harding Road property was previously owned by Mercy Medical Center of Springfield, but was recently sold for $365,000, according to property records.

The facility used to house a hospice program and medical offices for Community Mercy Health Partners, said Dave Lamb, a spokesman for CMHP. But the hospice program recently moved into a new facility on McCreight Avenue, he said.

“One of our programs, Community Mercy Hospice, moved from that building to newly renovated space in the Mitchell-Thomas Center at 100 W. McCreight Ave.,” Lamb said. “The Mitchell-Thomas Center is a building we own that we began renovating last year and moved in several other departments.”

Gregory and Karen Sowards, Whitacre’s in-laws, are listed as the building’s new owners.

The new location will allow the center to offer services to another area of Springfield, Whitacre said.

“In Springfield location is often very important because you’re picking up or dropping off often times on your way to work or school,” Whitacre said. “It needs to be located where the the children are. With Snowhill school being so close by, it’s an ideal location.”