The new facility will house Community Kids Place, a licensed after-school and summer child care and enrichment program, and unify three Community Day Charter Public School middle school campuses under one roof.

Lawrence, MA — October 15, 2025— The Community Group (TCG), a leading nonprofit dedicated to education and family support, has officially broken ground on a much-anticipated educational facility that will transform learning and care opportunities for children and families in Lawrence.

For close to 60 years, TCG has provided educational programs that empower generations of children with a foundation for success through learning, collaboration, and community engagement. What began in 1970 as a small child care program serving just 20 families has since grown into a large, multi-service organization that serves as an anchor in the greater Lawrence community. Each year, TCG programs collectively care for and educate approximately 2,400 children, ranging from infants all the way to middle schoolers. TCG programs include child care centers, home-based Family Child Care programs, after-school and summer enrichment programs, training and workforce programs for child care educators, and child care resource and referral services. In addition, TCG manages Community Day Charter Public School (CDCPS), a K1 through grade 8 Commonwealth charter public school. While program offerings have continued to expand to meet the evolving needs of families, the organization’s facilities have not always kept pace. TCG’s programs and school sites currently operate across 19 different locations throughout the city, many in spaces not designed for educational purposes or for the growing number of children and families served daily.

Nearly ten years ago, TCG’s vision to establish a new, year-round home for several of its programs led to the purchase of a property at 663 Andover Street in Lawrence, spanning over seven acres of green space. Guided by stakeholder input, the facility’s thoughtfully designed components will meaningfully shape the impact of TCG’s work on the children who will use the building.

After years of strategic planning, preparation, and collaboration, TCG is ready to bring this vision to life. The agency will lease the space to Community Day Charter Public School (CDCPS) through a market-rate lease agreement. During the school day, the facility will serve as home to 480 CDCPS students in grades 5–8, consolidating the current Gateway, Prospect, and R. Kingman Webster campuses and providing a unified middle school experience. After school and during the summer, approximately 300 additional students from across Lawrence will attend Community Kids Place, TCG’s school-age child care and enrichment program.

The facility, anticipated to open in the Summer of 2027, will offer:

• A year-round, versatile educational hub combining multiple CDCPS campuses and licensed after-school and summer child care programs, with shared spaces for collaboration.
• Innovative instruction and project-based learning, supported by dedicated STEM and enrichment classrooms serving both school-day and out-of-school-time programs.
• Access to indoor recreation, sports programming, and communal gatherings, anchored by a modern full-sized gymnasium and a welcoming cafeteria with A/V capabilities.
• Nature-based educational and recreational experiences across acres of lush, green outdoor space, promoting physical wellness and social-emotional growth.
• A nurturing environment with thoughtfully designed classroom pods and breakout spaces that foster personalized learning and include home-like design touches to promote comfort and connection.

“This groundbreaking represents more than a building—it represents our commitment to creating a modern, community-centered environment where children and families can thrive,” said Maria Moeller, CEO. “This new facility will provide the space, design, and resources necessary to support high-quality learning and care for generations to come.”

The new educational facility will centralize resources, expand program capacity, and create an environment purpose-built for learning and family engagement. By investing in this project, TCG reinforces its long-term commitment to educational excellence and community partnership in Lawrence.

TCG is working with a team of dedicated experts to design and build this project, including development firm QPD, Finegold Alexander Architects and W.T. Rich Construction. To finance the project, TCG secured a $15 million New Market Tax Credit allocation from Civic Builders, with JP Morgan Chase serving as the tax credit investor. TCG secured additional financing from Citizens Bank through a $22.5 million tax-exempt bond issued by MassDevelopment. Together, these investments are fueling a project that will expand opportunities, strengthen community resources, and support long-term growth for the families we serve.

“It is a privilege to work alongside The Community Group in bringing this transformative project to life, reflecting our shared commitment to strengthening the communities we serve,” said Olivia Pipitone, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking. “This facility will stand as a foundation for learning, care, and connection—opening doors to opportunity and inspiring brighter futures for generations.”

“From its beginnings as a small child care program to now serving about 2,400 children, The Community Group has created opportunity for youth and families in the Merrimack Valley for over half a century,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Navjeet Bal. “MassDevelopment congratulates the organization for breaking ground on its new state-of-the-art educational facility, which we were proud to support through a tax-exempt bond financing with Citizens Bank.”

“At Citizens, we believe that strong communities are the foundation for lasting success and opportunity,” said Lisa Murray, Massachusetts President at Citizens. “I want to applaud Scott Cote and the team for their hard work to make this deal happen. By partnering with incredible organizations like The Community Group to bring educational facilities to life, we’re helping to create vibrant neighborhoods and building pathways to a more resilient future for Lawrence.”

TGC is also actively raising funds through grants from local foundations and contributions generated by an online giving campaign.