Council approves sale agreement with health center

Springfield City Council on Monday night approved the final contract terms to sell 72,000 square feet of the L.E. Cox building, 440 E. Tampa St., to Advocates for a Healthy Community Inc., which operates the health center.

The agreement sells the building for about $1.63 million, or $22.58 per square foot, the appraised value of the property.

JVCHC has 60 days to close on the property, which will be the new home of its operations currently located at 630 W. Kearney St.

The health center plans to buy and renovate the facility with $10.6 million in state funds earmarked for the center in June as part of a $60 million package for Missouri’s federally qualified health centers.

Health center Executive Director Brooks Miller told Springfield Business Journal in November that he hopes to be in the new facility, which is across the street from the center’s dental clinic, by the end of 2008.

While initial plans don’t include the addition of new services, Miller said the space could allow for future expanded offerings including an urgent-care program and space for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department’s Women with Infants and Children program.

“Long term, we hope to be able to develop a hub up there,” Miller said.

See SBJ’s Dec. 24 issue for more from the Dec. 17 council meeting.