News & Events>The Vailsburg Child Development Center at Ivy Hill, Newark, New Jersey

The walls are up; the roof is on…the project is ahead of schedule.

To a nonprofit involved in community development work, those words are almost as sweet as fine music.  

Unified Vailsburg Services Organization (UVSO) is a human services and community development agency serving residents in the Vailsburg section of Newark, New Jersey. The nonprofit organization is making great progress with its largest construction project to date – a 14-classroom early education center on Irvington Avenue in the Ivy Hill section of Newark.

When completed, the Vailsburg Child Development Center @ Ivy Hill will provide 210 childcare slots to three- and four-year-old children within one of New Jersey’s economically poorer Abbott school districts. Leviticus is one of three regional community loan funds providing the construction financing for the $5.1 million project.

Mike Farley, UVSO’s Executive Director, reports that construction is about 65% complete as of mid-May. The building’s roof is on, most of the electrical and plumbing installations are complete, and drywalls are done on the first floor – and underway on the second floor.

“Even with the recent week of rain, the project is ahead of schedule,” explained Mr. Farley. “The contactor is aiming for completion by August 1st, 2009 so that UVSO has a month to move in and set up the building.”

UVSO’s staff is already registering children for the new facility and response from the community is very positive. One very likely source for new registrants will be from the multi-building Ivy Hill Park Apartments, within view of the new center and home to over 10,000 people.