Construction has begun for an educational childcare facility in the building that formerly housed Ambassador Animal Hospital at 811 Sligo Ave.
The plans for Kiddie Academy® of Silver Spring were originally presented to the community in March 2019. The local franchise, part of Kiddie Academy, an Abingdon, Md. company that provides educational childcare at more than 270 locations around the country, will be owned and operated by Rakhi and Parnab De.
The redevelopment would create a 13,164-square-foot building with classrooms and other space for more than 100 children, primarily infants up to kindergarten age, with some after-school care clients.
In addition, the developer would create a playground in back of the building (required by the state), redo the landscaping along Sligo, and add parking spaces in the alley next to the clinic.
“Our goal at Kiddie Academy is to feed a child’s curiosity and instinct to learn and to provide more value than just daycare services,” said Rakhi De in a press release. “My team is dedicated to delivering the highest quality educational child care possible to positively shape the lives of the children and families in this community.”
The facility was originally planned to be open in the spring of 2020. After a groundbreaking ceremony held in March, it is now scheduled to open at the end of August 2021.
Photo by Mike Diegel