The former Subway restaurant at 3422 Freedom Dr. is being converted to a Papa John’s Pizza location, which will replace the nearby Papa John’s on Chatham Road. Pending city inspections, the new location is scheduled to open on April 8.

The local director of operations, Jamie Cartwright, said in a written statement, “The new location will be larger to handle the demand for our growing business. It will offer more parking and easier access.” Cartwright also noted that the Freedom Drive location features a drive-thru and will allow for delivery to Chatham.

Papa John’s Pizza has two other Springfield locations at 2605 Stevenson Dr. and 121 North Grand Ave.

The area franchisee is Bajco Group, a privately held business enterprise based in Canfield, Ohio. Its affiliated companies currently own and manage more than 130 Papa John’s Pizza restaurants across nine states in addition to a commercial real estate portfolio in the Midwest.