ABOVE: Building Blocks owner Shea Ripley, left, gives a tour of their new space to County Commissioner Billeye Rabbe and County EDA member Wes Anderson on Tuesday.

FAIRMONT– On Tuesday members of the Martin County Economic Development Authority (EDA) toured the new Building Blocks Learning Center and Child Care space at Lakeview Methodist Health Care Center in Fairmont. Earlier this year the board had approved a $100,000 forgivable loan to finish the space with the understanding that it would help fill a need in the community, both for families and for the business community.

Building Blocks had first moved into Lakeview’s former space in 2017. When a few years later Lakeview decided to build a new skilled nursing facility, it included space for a new and bigger child care center in its plans.

When the after effects of Covid caused building materials to increase, Lakeview was forced to focus on finishing the skilled nursing facility, leaving only a shell of the new child care space, which it had already put $1.25 million into. The space sat mostly empty while Lakeview worked on fundraising for the remaining funds, about $1 million.

Many donations big and small came in and then in October of 2024 the Board of Directors at Lakeview committed to finishing the space. The Martin County EDA in June of this year approved giving $100,000 toward the project, with 20 percent forgiven annually as long as the center continues to be successful over the next three years.

Board members requested Tuesday’s tour in order to see the space that is nearly finish. In fact, a state licensor will come to tour Building Blocks on Friday, Dec. 12 and if all goes well, the plan is to move in fully and operate out of it beginning on Dec. 15.

Building Blocks owner, Shea Ripley, explained that they are now under Lakeview’s umbrella, which is a benefit because not only are they now eligible for funding opportunities, but Building Block’s employees can now receive benefits.

When asked about the name of the business, Ripley said it will not change and they’ve been calling it Building Blocks at Lakeview.

The new space boasts an infant room, toddler room, junior preschool room and preschool room. It can accommodate children from six weeks old up to five years old. Some board members also commented on the amount of toys and other equipment that is already in the new space. Building Block’s Katie Meger said they have very generous community members and parents who donate toys once their own children outgrow them.

“It’s really nice because if you think about it, a lot of our toys are played with 12 hours a day, five days a week. We go through a lot of toys,” she said.

A question was asked about the pricing and Ripley said that information is available on their website (buildingblock-fmt.org) and that it varies for each age group with infants being the most expensive as they require more staff.

It was also shared that 7 a.m. is the earliest drop off time with 5:30 p.m. being the latest pickup time. They are not open on weekends and try to stay open when there are other weather-related closures, but would need to close if highways are closing so that staff can make it home.

During the tour EDA member Wes Anderson acknowledged that it sounded like Building Blocks was providing an education, rather than just serving as a child watch center.

“Rather than letting them play all day, we try to make it more structured,” Ripley said. “Play-base is key.”

Meger added that rather than just observe, the staff will engage in certain play to help teach and guide the children.

It was shared that in addition to Building Block’s full-time staff, there are some part-timers and some high schoolers who are passionate about childcare that come in after school and serve as aids, too.

Members of the EDA encouraged Ripley to look into the Martin County internship program, which partners with Minnesota Valley Action Council, to see if a local college student could intern there in the future.

One new addition that Building Blocks will be adding with its new space is a drop-off center that the EDA members were especially excited about because of what it means for the business community.

“Our plan is, what we’re hoping for, is to contract with businesses so that their staff, if they’re having last minute issues, that they can call us and say they need a spot for the day,” Ripley explained.

She noted that they haven’t done this before and that she has started to share a little bit about it with businesses but that they will focus on getting moved in and settled into the new space before they turn their energy onto the drop-off center. She also said that portion will need to be licensed a little differently.

“It will be for 16 months up to five years,” Meger said of the age of children that will be accepted for that.

Currently, Building Blocks has 39 children and its max capacity is 45. With the new space, they’ll be able to take 97 children. Ripley said first they will hire a few more staff members and then they will open up the floodgates to accept new children.

As the only child care center in Martin County, Building Blocks has been getting calls and needing to turn away families daily due to its inability to accommodate them, which is why the Martin County EDA wanted to support the project.

Lakeview’s Administrator, Deb Barnes, said, “The $100,000 you gave certainly helped get this finished.”

“There was a need and that’s why we gave the money, it’s a chain reaction. There is an employer tie-in and that was the piece we were missing,” said Commissioner and EDA member, Billeye Rabbe.