Mecklenburg Times: News for Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties Real Estate, Development, Construction, and Community News in the Charlotte area and throughout Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties
Construction on the Howard Levine Child Development Center in west Charlotte is scheduled to begin this fall. Rendering courtesy of Yellow Duck Marketing
The Leon Levine Foundation has awarded $500,000 to the Renaissance West Community Initiative, the nonprofit leading the revitalization of the former Boulevard Homes in west Charlotte.
The donation brings the agency closer to its goal of raising the $15 million it needs to build a child-development center and fund services for residents. The initiative has so far raised $11 million, which includes a lead $1 million donation from The Howard Levine Foundation.
The YMCA of Greater Charlotte will operate the center, which will provide learning opportunities for children up to the age of five. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall.
Work at the former Boulevard Homes, now dubbed Residences at Renaissance, began in 2013. Charlotte-based Laurel Street Residential, which specializes in developing mixed-income communities, and the Charlotte Housing Authority have redeveloped the 40 acres at West Boulevard and Billy Graham Parkway. It now features 334 new units of mixed-income housing and a 14,000-square-foot community center that features a fitness facility, a cafe and management offices.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will open a PreK-8 school at the site next year.
