LUVERNE, MN (KELO) — This empty space around me doesn’t look like much right now. But the city of Luverne is working to turn this 30,000 square foot facility into a new child care and day care center.

The 6.3 million dollar remodeling project is expected to create 186 openings for children in the area.

“It’s going to be a day care learning center. So it’ll offer that after school opportunity for that school aged kids to come here. They’re anticipating about 90 jobs with this facility to get it up and running,” said Patrick Baustian, Mayor of Luverne.

The center will serve 24 infants, 42 toddlers, 60 preschoolers and 60 school age children. It will also include 11 classrooms, a commercial kitchen and an indoor gym.

“To meet all of the needs of all of the ages of the kids. So it is a great investment into our community, it’s a great investment to the future. And we’re investing in kids, we want to give them a wonderful place to grow and thrive,” said Holly Sammons, economic development director.

US Senator, Tina Smith, worked with community leaders to secure 2.6 million dollars in funding for the Center.

“They’re doing so many great things to have a really wonderful community for young families that are going to want to live in,” said US Senator Tina Smith.

Smith says the child care crisis is hitting rural communities hard and says projects like this will make a huge difference for Minnesota families.

“It’s a really big economic issue because employers are struggling to find the workers that they need. And one of the big challenges is a lack of affordable childcare,” Smith said.