Contractors Put Tools to Good Use with Markman Expansion

Construction of a new $4 million, 24,000-square-foot childcare facility is well underway in Attleboro. 

The exterior of the soon-to-be new home of Markman Children's Programs has been constructed, and contractors are busy working on the interior of the school, which will house its 40 staff and more than 200 children, from four weeks old to Grade 6. 

"We are on target to move into Phase I of the building this summer, probably in August," Markman children's program director Dianne Bardsley said. "The building is slated to be complete in mid-July.

"We will start to move in July, but it will not be open until August," she said. "What will hold us up is the realignment of the intersection that the city and our contractor is doing."

After more than a decade of planning, Markman was able to secure Dacon Corporation to design building, which will be completed in two phases. 

Once complete, Markman will have the space to increase its capacity by 30 percent from, 221 to 286 students, according to the school.

The school has also secured $2.1 million for phase I, which consists of 13,000 square feet and room for 150 children. Phase I of the project is expected to be complete by the end of the summer. All preschool and kindergarten students will move to the new location, while school-age classrooms and staff at 95 Pine St. will remain at that site until Phase II is constructed.  

When students and staff move in, they'll move into a "green" building. Along with recyclying 95 percent of the old wood and materials from the buildings that once occupied the property, the school made sure that the building designs include the use of recycled materials, energy efficient mechanical systems, and the ability to maximize solar efficiency.

Going green made sense for Markman, according to Bardsley.

"We were able to work with Dacon, who provided $10,000 of in-kind services on some of the things that are green and also economical," Bardsley said. "It is sort of natural when you are in childcare to be a recylcler and respect the enviroment."

In order to prepare for Phase II, which is two to five years away, Markman Children's Program will begin a fundraising effort. 

The group is hosting a gala with live music, a silent auction and raffle as part of its capital campaign on Aug. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the new facility. Tickets for the gala are $50.