ITHACA, N.Y. — Ithaca College will provide space for some of the Coddington Road Community Center’s childcare operations while the center undergoes a $4.8 million expansion project.
Pending approvals from the Town of Ithaca planning board and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Coddington’s services for a preschool group and the afterschool program will move to the large meeting space in the College Circle Apartments Community Building. The programs will be housed in the Community Building for the duration of the project, expected to begin this July and last about two years.
The change will bring about 42 children, ages 3 through 12, to campus Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will be no disruption to regular campus operations and students will have access to the Community Building.
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“This is the embodiment of our Ithaca Forever strategic-plan goal of developing cross-sector and community partnerships that address challenging issues, optimize resources, and serve the public good,” Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish said in a press release. “The demand for childcare in the Ithaca area far outstrips the number of available spaces, and we are delighted to help provide much-needed opportunities for families — including Ithaca College families — who might otherwise not have access to such care while construction is taking space. Additionally, we look forward to exploring opportunities for this to provide new academic experiences for our students.”
The annex building that houses the programs that are moving to Ithaca College will be removed from the property prior to Coddington breaking ground on the addition, Executive Director Heather Mount said.
“This collaboration will not only allow us to continue operations in a safe manner, but it will [also] offer possibilities for multi-generational learning experiences,” she said. Since the college does not have an on-campus childcare facility, the experience will provide useful information should the college ever consider adding one.
Coddington is in the midst of a campaign to raise $1.6 million toward the project, which will add new classroom, gym, office, and storage space along with a commercial kitchen and address accessibility, code, and safety improvements. The three new classrooms will allow the center to care for up to 48 more children, ranging from 8 weeks to 5 years old and double the capacity of its afterschool program.
Founded in 1892, Ithaca College offers 90 degree programs in business, communications, humanities and sciences, health sciences and human performance, and music to about 5,400 students.