By Chris Lavender. Originally posted by The Post & Courier Spartanburg on May 8, 2025
DUNCAN — A $19 million early childhood education facility will soon take shape, providing additional resources in a rapidly growing section of Spartanburg County.
On schedule to open in August 2026, the 44,500-square-foot Middle Tyger Education Center at 101 S. Danzler Road will sit across from Duncan Elementary School.
The project is possible through a partnership involving SEW Eurodrive, Spartanburg County School District 5, Spartanburg Academic Movement, Middle Tyger Community Center and the S.C. General Assembly.
The school district donated 13 acres for the new center.
Lt. Gov. Pam Evette stopped on May 7 at SEW Eurodrive in Wellford to speak on the new center and efforts statewide to boost early childhood education.
“There’s also a lot of work gone into providing school choice, and education remains a top priority in South Carolina,” Evette said. “The new center for early childhood education being developed for this community at large will be a template and model, and I am hoping to talk about it all over the state with other businesses.”
The new center will have 17 classrooms and serve up to 260 children ages 6 weeks through 4K. The new center will create 25 jobs.
Middle Tyger Community Center Executive Director Haley Grau told The Post and Courier the new center will help expand the district’s current model.
“We want to make sure that we can keep serving children and provide high-quality child care,” Grau said. “This is going to be incredible for our workforce. We just want to make sure people can work and have child care.”
The average cost for child care annually in the area is about $14,000 annually or $300 per week. The new center is expected to alleviate the financial strain of child care on families in the region.
SEW Eurodrive is among the project’s supporters. The company is a global private industry that manufactures gearboxes.
“SEW Eurodrive is proud to invest in the future of this community by supporting the Middle Tyger Education Center,” said Rainer Blickle, vice president of SEW Eurodrive USA. “We believe strongly in the mission of MTCC and in the power of early education to uplift families. This project will have a lasting impact not only for our employees’ families, but for the broader economic and social health of the region.”
Former state Rep. Rita Allison, who attended a media conference at SEW Eurodrive, spoke about the new center’s innovative partnership.
“The center is going to be an economic development tool,” Allison said. “There are so many places in our state that need this model with the school district, Middle Tyger Community Center and businesses coming together with all their talents.”
The site at the corner of East Main Street and South Danzler has been cleared of trees for the new center, and construction should start in late 2025.
Grau said children with disabilities and living in poverty are prioritized in the center’s child care program enrollment process. The two-story facility will also include space for future expansion and playgrounds.
Spartanburg Academic Movement has committed $500,000 for the project. Grau said the General Assembly earmarked $3.5 million for the project.