NIH Child Care Center
The NIH Northwest Child Care Center (NWCCC) is once again moving forward after experiencing a delay during the design phase in 2014. This long awaited facility will be situated at the corner of Center Drive, between the NIH Fire Station and the Children’s Inn, and will have capacity for up to 170 children between 6 weeks and 5 years of age. It will increase the overall volume of available childcare spaces on campus while also providing a new home to the occupants of one of the smallest centers on campus.
The inception of this facility has been spearheaded by the Office of Research Services (ORS) and the NIH Child Care Board, in collaboration with the Office of Research Facilities, to address the ever increasing need for full-time child care to both attract and retain high caliber employees at the NIH. Funding was secured for the project but significant challenges in the planning and design phases have led to delays. The design is now being completed as part of a collaboration between many groups within the NIH to address evolving requirements for issues ranging from security to environmental compliance.
The center will be environmentally forward in addressing storm water concerns including the first installation of a pervious parking lot on the NIH campus, as well as a green roof and pervious sidewalk along the main pedestrian path adjacent to Center Drive. It has been designed with the utmost consideration, meeting not only Maryland State Child Care Licensing Requirements, but also providing a warm and welcoming environment for the children of NIH families.
The NWCCC is anticipated to break ground this fall and will take about one year for completion. Once the contract is awarded for construction, expect to see additional fencing and project signage installed as well as sidewalk closures and intermittent traffic restrictions in the area. Due to the large volume of construction traffic during the early phases, it will be necessary to re-route pedestrian traffic for safety reasons. All efforts will be made to minimize the disturbance to the NIH community. The opening for the Center is expected to be Spring 2017.
Any questions can be directed to Tonya Lee, ORS Child Care Programs Manager, leet2@mail.nih.gov, or Stephanie Hixson, ORF Project Officer, hixsons@mail.nih.gov.
