Editor’s note: This article has been corrected to reflect Ben Boyd’s marital status and that the building is roughly 9,000 square feet. The entire property is nearly 19,000 square feet.

For the first time since being built in 1904, a historic church in Old Colorado City will be used for something other than praise and worship and all things God.

The building at 2927 W. Pikes Peak Ave., which most recently functioned as Pikes Peak United Methodist Church, is being remodeled into HavenStone Schools, billed as offering quality child care in a refined learning environment. The anticipated opening date is August.

A group of Army combat veterans are behind the project.

“We came together around two challenges we see affecting the military and broader community in Colorado Springs: a shortage of quality child care and the difficulty many military spouses face in finding stable employment,” said John Buonforte, one of four owners.

The friends, who along with Buonforte include Luke Brunea, Kelly Walsh and Ben Boyd, all live in Colorado Springs and are becoming known around town as the  “Daddy Day Care” guys.

But unlike the characters depicted by Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin in the 2003 movie of the same name, these men know what they’re doing. The founders have a mission, a plan and a drive to bring their vision over the line with no fallout.

“We’ve seen the need firsthand from our time in service at Fort Carson, and we decided to take action and build something that meaningfully serves the community,” Buonforte said. “We want to give back.”

Colorado Springs is considered a “child care desert,” he noted.

A 2024 report by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Economic Forum showed 16,441 licensed child care slots operating in El Paso County for a population of 46,560 children ages infant though 4 years old. Using that data, there are nearly three children in the community who could potentially use early childhood education for every available seat.

And if active-duty military are worrying about what’s happening on the homefront, they can’t concentrate as much on their jobs in the field, Buonforte said.

“We’ve seen on deployment with other soldiers that their top priority isn’t their own safety or security but that of their children and families back home,” he said.

That reality got the friends thinking nearly two years ago, as they rejoined civilian life after being medically retired from military duty.

Boyd had encountered a lack of child care while he was stationed at Fort Carson and had two small children at the time. He was frustrated and concerned at having difficulty finding placement for the kids, when he noticed the church at Pikes Peak Avenue and 30th Street was for sale, Buonforte said.

“At the beginning of 2024, we were trying to figure out something good we could do for the community and still make sense of the numbers financially. We knew this was something the community needed that we could work on together and also provide good employment opportunities,” Brunea said.

The buddies had been involved with residential and commercial development in the past and thought, why not venture into a new business?

Child care is not an easy sector to gain footing in, but the owners say they’re dedicated to providing a top-notched choice for up to 120 babies and toddlers from infants to 5-year-olds. They’re hiring 35 staff members, including an experienced director, to lead the way.

“We’re learning a lot,” Brunea said.

Setting up such a center means meeting licensing regulations that include meeting regimented industry standards and following procedures and protocols, not unlike the military, Buonforte said.

Since many families that need child care in Colorado Springs are connected to the military, “We’re interested in how can we make life for military families better,” he said.

Said Brunea: “We want to send our love back to the community and create a space of safety where children can experience a sense of wonder.”

And the name HavenStone is meant to imply a safe harbor for children and parents, according to members of the founding team.

The partners bought the old church building last June, with needed asbestos and lead remediation dropping the price to around $1 million, and the U.S. Small Business Administration guaranteeing a loan.

Given that Colorado Springs founder, Gen. William Jackson Palmer, provided $100 in grant money in 1904 for what was then First Congregational Church to construct its own building on two donated lots, Buonforte said the HavenStone Schools creators want to preserve the important piece of history as much as possible.

A zoning change will add a historic preservation overlay to the property, and they are applying for designation on the National Register of Historic Places.

Modern changes are taking shape during the estimated $2.2 million rehab that began in July 2025. There are now handicapped-accessible ramps, contemporary playground equipment is going in, advanced security has been a priority, and 10 individual classrooms are being sectioned off on both levels.

At the same time, general contractor StreamHome Construction also is retaining the stained-glass windows, some made in the faceted style of U.S. Air Force Academy Chapel, the turn-of-last-century red-stone masonry, interior beams and overhead lighting.

“It’s a balance between keeping  historic preservation and giving it the right facelift and upgrades,” Buonforte said. “One of the most important things is the feel of the sanctuary.” That’s where some the most stunning stained glass can be seen and natural light flows in.

The bell was already missing from the belfry when the new owners purchased the property, he added. The old bell tower is becoming the new IT room.

The roughly 9,000-square-foot building has housed various churches. Opening as First Congregational, it was renamed in 1917 as Pilgrim Congregational Church. With a denominational change in 1925, it became Trinity Evangelical Church, according to historical accounts.

A merger in 1946 produced Trinity Evangelical United Brethren Church, and another merger in 1968 gave way to Pikes Peak United Methodist Church.

That congregation disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in June 2023 over doctrinal differences. Following the split, the congregation joined the Global Methodist Church and merged with Westside Global Methodist Church on Oct. 1, 2023. The congregation also listed the building for sale around that time and moved to 701 N. 20th St.

Among the items reportedly placed in the 1904-dated cornerstone of the building are a copy of the church seal, a photograph of the pastor, editions of local newspapers, a souvenir guide to the region and a church manual. The cornerstone will remain in place, Buonforte said.