At Monday’s Town Council meeting, Kidzu’s Executive Director Cathy Maris took a moment to remind council members of the many benefits associated with the proposed expansion of the museum.

The council voted unanimously to lease the top level of the Wallace Parking Plaza to the Kidzu Children’s Museum for the next 99 years. The west side of the deck will be used to build a larger facility for the museum, which currently occupies 2,700 square feet near the corner of Franklin and Columbia. The northern portion of the deck will be used for an outdoor exhibit area, and the town will retain control of the southeastern portion of the plaza, to remain open to the public. 

Although the new location will not be LEED-certified, Kidzu has publically committed to incorporate green building standards into the design and construction process.

Councilman Jim Ward urged museum staff and board members to take this promise seriously.

Construction is slated to begin in the next four years, and be completed in less than seven. Kidzu is in the process of raising money to build the new facility. For more information visit www.kidzuchildrensmuseum.org