Middle Tyger nonprofit child care facility to open in August

Middle Tyger Community Center, a nonprofit organization, plans to open the doors of its new child care center in Spartanburg County in August.

Construction began on the Middle Tyger Education Center at 101 S. Danzler Road in Duncan in April 2025. The two-story facility will expand the nonprofit organization’s child care program to meet the growing needs of the community. The program, called This Is My Child, currently has a three year waiting list.

“What we have right here in (Spartanburg) District Five is what we call a child care desert. We do not have enough child care to match the industry and residential demand,” said Haley Grau, executive director of Middle Tyger Community Center.

Approximately 60 children are served at Middle Tyger Community Center’s existing facility in Lyman. The new child care center will accommodate 265 children ages 6 weeks through 4K. Twenty-five early care and education jobs will be created to staff the new center.

Middle Tyger Education Center wings

The Middle Tyger Education Center will consist of 17 classrooms spread across a preschool wing and an infant wing. Six observation rooms for educators and parents will be connected to the classrooms. Each wing will have five playgrounds shared between two classrooms.

The 42,000-square-foot center will also feature a multi-purpose room, therapy rooms, an indoor play area, gathering spaces, training rooms, administrative offices, an outdoor classroom and an outdoor amphitheater. Designated office space for Spartanburg District Five will be located on the facility’s second floor.

Public and private partners contributed $19 million to build the new Middle Tyger Education Center. Middle Tyger Community Center spent the past year raising an additional $6 million for expenses related to the new campus, such as staff salaries and new equipment. The nonprofit organization recently launched a community campaign to raise the final $1 million needed for the project.

“Now we’re in the fun part,” Grau said. “Now we get to bring in community individuals to have the chance to partner with us at levels that are affordable to everyone over multi-year giving to sponsor things like classroom libraries, science centers, playground installations.”

The Middle Tyger Education Center is currently scheduled to open Aug. 19. Child care applications are now being accepted for the 2026-27 school year. For more information, visit middletyger.org/mtec.

Cost breakdown

Total investment: $25 million

Building and property: $19 million

Additional expenses: $6 million