Harriman is working with Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) and Penquis Child Development to expand EMCC’s Early Childhood Education Center at its Katahdin Higher Education Center in East Millinocket, currently the only higher education facility in northern Penobscot County. The expansion is particularly important given that high-quality childcare is necessary to recruit employers and their employees to the region.

The visually striking 2,300-square-foot addition and partial renovation of the existing early childhood education building doubles the childcare program’s capacity. The building’s form and material selections evoke the center’s wooded and mountainous surroundings, while a connection to the outdoors is emphasized through ample natural light through windows scaled for young children. The focal point of the addition is the double-height gathering space and light monitor in the center’s new lobby.

An expansive new outdoor play space, designed in collaboration with Sashie Misner Landscape Architecture, offers a variety of natural environments for children to explore. The area is climate responsive and designed to the scale of its users, encouraging children to use imaginative play to shape their experience.

When it opens later this year, the new Early Childhood Education Center will serve children ages zero to five in a stimulating, nurturing environment that meets the economic and community development needs of the region.

Location: East Millinocket
Architect & Engineer: Harriman
Design Team: Daniel Backman, project manager; Scott Daniels, architect; Eric Potvin, senior designer
Engineering Team: Chelsea Hadsel, electrical engineer; Sam Forgue, civil engineer; Josh Huston and Michael Morrisette, mechanical designers; Rob Nelson, structural engineer
Landscape Architect: Sashie Misner Landscape Architecture
Construction Start: September 2023
Construction Complete: Fall 2024