YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Springfield-based Ozarks Area Community Action Corp. is in the early stages of filling space in the recently launched Nordic Landing affordable housing apartment complex with a child care center.
Kimberly Shinn-Brown, program director of OACAC's Head Start early childhood education and development program, said the nonprofit has a goal of opening classroom space for kids in the 810 W. Catalpa St. building in September 2025.
"Any income-eligible family would have access to that, but certainly we'll do a lot of heavy recruiting for families from the complex," Shinn-Brown said.
Head Start is still determining whether the center in Nordic Landing would serve infants and toddlers or preschoolers, Shinn-Brown noted.
"We already have two centers that are pretty close to Nordic Landing. Those centers have waiting lists. We don't have enough slots in our whole entire service area," she said, noting that Head Start additionally had operated in Jordan Valley Community Health Care's south-side Kingsley Street clinic for about five years but had to vacate as the health system expands the facility, and that the child care center is operating in a temporary home.
"There's such a great need," she added.
The space in Nordic Landing additionally would house office space for two OACAC home visitors, who conduct 90-minute visits with families, said Shinn-Brown.
The 41-unit, nearly 40,000-square-foot Nordic Landing opened in late spring near the Grant Avenue Parkway. DHTC Construction LLC and BP Builders LLC served as general contractors for the project designed by Kansas City-based SWD Architects Inc., according to past reporting.
DHTC Development LLC was behind the Nordic Landing affordable housing project.
Riley Shantz, partner in DHTC Development, said OACAC signed a 10-year lease for undisclosed terms to occupy the 3,500-square-foot space on the first floor of Nordic Landing.
"We always thought a day care would be a great fit," he said. "Ultimately, it did come around with OACAC."
OACAC's startup costs for the space are undisclosed, said Shinn-Brown.
Under construction beside the existing Republic branch of the Springfield-Greene County Library District – which remains in operation throughout the project – is a new building that will double the size of the original, according to library officials.
