TEENS, Inc. moves forward with plans

TEENS, Inc. cleared the first hurdle in its plan to build an expanded child care center on Nederland’s Old Town Shop site with the recent approval of its special use review by the Nederland trustees.

A non-profit operating a small preschool in Nederland, TEENS, Inc. is proposing a larger child care center that could enroll about 60 children, including 10 infants. The new center would continue the current preschool’s practice of offering a sliding scale for tuition and unlimited Colorado Child Care Assistance Program spots.

TEENS Executive Director Stephen Lefaiver is asking the town to provide a long-term lease to the Old Town Shop site, located at 750 W. Fifth St. The non-profit would cover the $5 million cost to construct a building and playground to meet state licensing requirements, he said, as well as covering ongoing operating costs.

The funding plan includes up to 70% of the cost coming from private foundation and government grants, 15% from individual and corporate donors, 10% from the sale of the existing preschool property, and any remaining amount from a loan.

The goal is to complete the new building in late 2025 or early 2026.

“We’re ready to leverage our resources, our expertise and the relationships we have to make it happen,” Lefaiver said at a recent Nederland trustees meeting.

The next step is for TEENS and the town to negotiate a lease for the property. TEENS is asking for a lease of $1 a year. One possibility that town staff members have suggested exploring during negotiations is a land swap for the current TEENS preschool site, located at 391 W. First St.

The non-profit also is asking to use the adjacent section of Fifth Street, adding roughly 10,000 square feet to the 20,000-squarefoot site.

In approving the special use review on Feb. 20, trustees found that the childcare center would be generally compatible with the neighborhood.