Children's Campus breaks ground

In 15 months, the southeast corner of 5th Street and Minnesota Avenue will officially be home to one of the largest collaborative projects in Wyandotte County.

On Tuesday, officials with the $16 million Children’s Campus of Kansas City project broke ground on the future three-story, 72,000 square-foot building that will house a myriad of community services for families and young children.

Tuesday’s groundbreaking marks the latest step in a multi-year effort to generate support and community partners for the project.

Martha Staker, president of the CCKC Board of Directors, said more than three dozen people have worked during the last five years to make the project possible, noting that as of Tuesday, the group has secured 90 percent of funds needed for the $16 million project.

“We’re building our future right from the start,” Staker said of the project’s emphasis on early childhood education and family services. “All children will benefit from what we will learn.”

Staker announced the project’s three major tenants: the Family Conservancy, the Juniper Gardens program of the University of Kansas and Project Eagle from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

“This will offer a one-stop shop, reducing the need to visit multiple locations,” University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway said. “Children will be put on the path to achievement.”

The campus is also the latest project in a much broader attempt to rebuild downtown Kansas City, Kan. The building will stand just yards away from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency region headquarters, and will be across the street from the proposed “500 block” project.

“This is the right spot for a children’s campus,” Unified Government Mayor/CEO Joe Reardon said. “I don’t think there’s a higher calling than that.”

Four groups have donated at least $1 million to the project, including the Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Charitable Trust, Dickinson Financial Corporation, J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation and the Unified Government.

Dickinson Financial donated the 3.5 acres the building will sit on, which was formerly the home of Bank Midwest.

Once the project opens, the CCKC will offer early childhood education, educational outreach for parents, family support services and health, mental and oral heath services.