Million-Dollar Childcare Center Filling Vacant School

A former school would find new life as a childcare center under a proposal from Tashawana Green and the Northwest Side Community Development Corporation (NWSCDC).

NWSCDC would purchase the vacant 11,547-square-foot building from the City of Milwaukee and redevelop it for use by Green.

Green, who operates a home-based childcare business in partnership with Next Door Foundation, would relocate her Train Up A Child Daycare business to the building at 3201 N. 40th St., near Sherman Park.

“This is an old school that was tucked away in this really beautiful part of the city,” said NWSCDC’s James Starke to members of the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee Wednesday morning. “We think it’s a great asset to have a high-quality daycare within walking distance [of the park.”

“Ultimately, what we are seeking to create is a nationally-accredited, employee-owned childcare center,” said NWSCDC executive director Willie Smith.

Green noted that her current operation is five-star rated by the state’s Youngstar system through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. It is located on the 4100 block of N. 42nd St.

“I am looking to provide a more quality care to children that I have on a wait list right now,” said Green.

The new center will have the capacity to host 100 children.

“We expect the total project costs to be upwards of $1 million,” said Smith. That includes a complete overhaul of the building and the addition of an elevator. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families is providing an $800,000 grant to make the project a reality. A city report says NWSCDC will provide a loan of $1.77 million. Smith said it would be a low-interest loan to make the project feasible. The CDC is deriving the loan funding from multiple providers.

“This is about three blocks away from where the Sherman Park riots began,” said area Alderman Khalif Rainey. He said the building has been vacant since he took office in 2016. “I am very confident she will be able to move the neighborhood forward.”

According to a city report, the new center is expected to create 24 full-time positions paying an average starting wage of $15 per hour.

The city acquired the property via property tax foreclosure in 2016. An affiliate of NWSCDC will pay $10,000 for the property.

The school was built in 1926. A Department of City Development report says it was originally used by the Zoar Evangelical Lutheran Church as a school, then Walther Evangelical Lutheran Church (also known as Walther Memorial Lutheran Church). Starting in the 1990s, it was used by a series of childcare providers. It was last privately owned by Rosia Reasby.

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Related Legislation: File 220291