NORWICH - In 2025, the City of Norwich was awarded $1 million from a Restore New York Community grant to develop an early learning center in the Commerce Chenango building to be opened in Fall 2026.

Since the initial grant was awarded, the City of Norwich resolved a loan to CCIDA to expand and improve daycare availability to the workers of Chenango County through investment in their property. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the City of Norwich, Commerce Chenango, the Chenango County Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA), and youth service organization The Place. The facility is said to be approved for 52 children under the age of 3, and geared toward enhancing early childhood development. Officials are optimistic it will be open this October.

“Having childcare available downtown is a win for business owners, community, employers, and is nothing but positive,” said City of Norwich Mayor Robert Jeffrey.

The $1 million dollar grant was awarded to the city who then entered contracts with the CCIDA. Once the paperwork is completed the CCIDA will then be administered the grant via reimbursements.

As the CCIDA pays bills associated with the project, they will be submit for reimbursement through the available funds. As Chenango County is classified as an “economically challenged county” they are able to apply for reimbursement at 50 percent of the projects completion. The CCIDA has hired Principle Design Engineering in Norwich for designing the child care center and to help manage the project and request for proposals (RFPs).