Local elected officials, community leaders and children from the Ossining Children’s Center (OCC) gathered today at the site of OCC’s new Rebecca and Arthur Samberg Building. The celebration marked a major milestone in construction, as the final steel beam was added to the building’s framework. The girder was decorated and signed by the children and staff of OCC.
Construction of the new Children’s Center is moving forward rapidly, with millions of dollars already invested thanks to generous support of the larger Ossining community as well as New York State and Federal Community Block Grant funds administered by the Westchester County Planning Department. OCC’s $17.8 million capital campaign to support the project has raised more than $14 million to date. The campaign also includes an expansion of OCC’s scholarship program to enable additional working families to enroll their children at the Center. The Center is projected to open the doors of the new building in September 2020.
Once completed, the 27,000 square foot facility will house all three of OCC’s existing programs and offer enhanced classroom space and large outdoor play areas with Hudson River views. The new Center will enable OCC to meet the growing need for infant, toddler, preschool and after-school care in Ossining.
“Every year we turn away dozens of families for infant care because we just don’t have the space,” said OCC’s Executive Director Howard Milbert. “Our new facility features two additional infant class rooms. That means over a dozen families in our community will gain access to reliable high quality educational childcare who may not have had it before.”
In addition to providing stability for families, the new Center will help anchor the State Street neighborhood, generating increased economic activity and creating job opportunities for local residents. A new high-profile childcare center in the village will help attract parents from the wider community.
“Topping off ceremonies are a long-honored tradition in our business, acknowledging the completion of one phase of construction and the beginning of the next,” Said Greg Burns, President of of New York Operations for Consigli Contruction. “It’s also a chance to thank the people that are here on site every day and celebrate their hard work, dedication and commitment to this endeavor. It’s inspiring to see the final piece of steel put in place for a project that will serve Westchester County families for years to come.”
For more than 120 years the Ossining Children’s Center (OCC) has been providing nurturing care and education for children ages 8 weeks to 12 years. The OCC creates a foundation for children’s life-long intellectual, social and emotional development, and serves as a community resource and advocate for families. Since its inception, OCC’s philosophy has emphasized the education of the whole child, nurturing every aspect of a child’s development.