High Ground Academy Daycare to Open in Spring 2012

A commercial daycare is moving into the Hub Shopping Center, Richfield’s central shopping district. High Ground Academy plans to open alongisde other Hub retail tenants in March.

“[We chose the Hub] because it’s very convenient for parents, there’s not a lot of traffic on the side we are on and there is a lot of parking,” Sadik Abdi, the center's co-owner, told Richfield Patch.

The daycare center, on the north side of shopping center, will serve up to 65 children, from infants to elementary school age kids. There will be a kitchen and cafeteria, but no outside play area. The cafeteria will be the play area when not being used to serve food. Center owners also plan to provide transportation for children from their respective schools to the daycare center.

Abdi's enthusiam for the project is echoed by Hub Shopping Center owners, Brixmor Properties. Matt Johnson, head leasing agent for the Hub Shopping Center, said the space has been vacant for about two years, with the last tenant being Hi Class Beauty School.

The 3,500-square-foot space hasn't undergone improvements, but Abdi expects to receive bids from various contractors at the beginning of next week.

“Once we choose a bid, and pull the [construction] permit, we’ll be ready to go,” Abdi said.