Life360 closes on Palace purchase, to begin renovations

After a rezoning battle settled last month by Springfield City Council, Life360 Church closed on the purchase of the Palace theater building and soon will start renovations.

The deal for undisclosed terms with Chesterfield Village creator Dearborn Development Inc. finalized Aug. 9, said Moreno Group LLC President Caleb Moreno, the broker representing Life360. The 2220 W. Chesterfield Blvd. property that housed the Palace theater until June came under fire at council, with Chesterfield Village residents opposing its use as a church. Council approved the rezoning on July 24 to a general retail district, allowing for the use of churches.

Life360 plans to relocate its Park Crest campus at 3581 S. Kansas Ave. to the Palace building. New Covenant Academy bought the Park Crest property in April, and through the deal, Life360 is leasing it back until the move to Chesterfield Village. The private Christian college preparatory school plans to use the 9.7-acre area to run a separate campus for fifth through eighth graders.

Moreno said Springfield firm Godwin & Associates is the project architect for planned renovations at the Palace theater, and a contractor is not yet on board. He said renovations at an unknown investment cost would start within 60 days and finalize in August 2018. The process will include completely gutting the building and remodeling it.

“There will be quite a bit of exciting stuff,” Moreno said, pointing to plans for a sanctuary, kids area and classrooms.