With a focus on achieving educational excellence through child discovery, vibrant and interactive spaces, connections to nature and natural materials, Neighboring Concepts provided programming, architectural and interior design for the Howard Levine Child Development Center (CDC). The CDC is the final phase of the newly constructed Renaissance LEED Neighborhood Development, which will provide exceptional child care for the residents of the community and the surrounding area.

Designed to achieve the highest possible child care rating awarded by the State of North Carolina, the CDC’s program focuses on keeping class sizes small and emphasizes outdoor play and connections to nature. The exterior spaces, for example, feature trails for riding trikes, different play areas composed of natural materials, vegetation of various sizes, and raised garden beds that allow children to enjoy growing and nurturing plant life as a fun fixture of life. The unique two-story facility features a main level with several classrooms for children from infancy up to five years of age, along with observation spaces, a central gathering/play area, family resources, offices, and a small commercial kitchen. The CDC also serves as a full-operation teaching model and training center for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the upper level provides teaching and office spaces for UNCC and the managing partner, the YMCA of Greater Charlotte.