A new mixed-use child care and affordable housing facility is coming to Bloomington, and that’s music to Laura Buck’s ears – literally. A showpiece of the new facility will be an innovative music-themed installation, designed to engage young learners in the arts while honoring a local legend. “It’s going to be really special, and we’re so excited to get started,” said Buck, director of programming at South Central Community Action Program.
The musical learning space celebrates Reverend Doctor Marvin Chandler, a Bloomington native, award-winning jazz pianist and civil rights pioneer. Chandler passed away in 2023, and his family is honoring his legacy by lending his name to the outdoor space at the new facility, the Reverend Doctor Marvin Chandler Early Childcare and Education Center. It’s an opportunity to blend elements of local history, the civil rights movement and musicality into the early child care curriculum. “This partnership with the Chandler family allows our children to see that someone from our hometown grew up and accomplished so much,” said Buck, “and hopefully will spark interest in finding out more.”
“We are so pleased, proud and excited that our dad is being honored in such a way. He would be humbled but happy that the community thinks to remember him. The touch of the music is especially heartfelt.”
Once open, the Chandler Center will fill a gap in the Bloomington child care landscape. The area’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs are typically at full capacity, and often have lengthy waitlists. Unlike those programs, which are provided at no cost to families but have strict income limits, the Chandler Center can operate with more flexibility around tuition and accept families who may be just over the threshold for Head Start services. “We’re able to accept CCDF vouchers, and that’s a great way for families to supplement the cost of child care,” Buck said. “We can also work with families on sliding scale fees as needed.” Slated to serve eight infants and 20 toddlers across three classrooms, the Chandler Center offers a much-needed option for high-quality, affordable care to families in need.
A true community effort, Buck highlights funding from the Early Years Initiative as instrumental in ensuring the project’s viability, with additional financial support from the Summit Hill Community Development Corporation, First Financial Foundation and South Central Community Action Program. Bloomington Housing Authority will manage the second floor of the facility, made up of three two-bedroom apartments reserved for those who meet affordable housing requirements.
Co-locating housing and child care in a mixed-use facility has been a dream for years, Buck said. “It just makes so much sense for families to have a singular hub. We’re thrilled that this project is one of the first to bring that concept to Bloomington.”
Families who live in the apartments upstairs could utilize the child care center on the first floor, dropping children off on the way to work and eliminating extra commute time and expense. “Transportation can be a significant barrier in this part of the city,” Buck explained, “so part of our motivation was that this is such a perfect location to house this development.”
Looking ahead, Buck anticipates that additional wraparound services such as job training, workforce development and family services will be offered at the facility and that the model could be replicated at additional sites across Bloomington.
“My hope is that these additional child care seats will alleviate the burden on parents having to choose between work and child care because of cost. The pressure to find a seat, along with the financial pressure – it feels like an impossible situation for so many people,” said Buck. “We’re so excited to bring this to the community and create new opportunities for families and children to thrive.”
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