Children’s Museum of Northern Colorado Selects Centerra South

The Children’s Museum of Northern Colorado has selected Centerra South as the location to build its brand-new space, bringing playful and hands-on learning experiences to families in Loveland and northern Colorado.

Ryan Howard, the Children’s Museum of Northern Colorado’s executive director, said the museum leadership has long hoped to locate the museum in a regionally central site. The museum has kept open lines of communication with McWhinney, the developer of the 3,000‐acre master‐planned Centerra community in Loveland, since 2017. McWhinney’s new plans for Centerra South, the proposed 140-acre development at Rocky Mountain Boulevard and Highway 34 in Loveland, are evolving, and Howard and the museum’s board of directors agreed that this is the perfect location for their museum.

“We’re excited to have a location to build this much-needed museum, which is geared to children ten and under,” said Howard. “McWhinney will play an important role in moving our vision forward, and they are committed to our shared values and focus on creating inviting, educational, and memorable spaces.”

Don Overcash, Loveland city councilor for Ward 4 and mayor pro tem, said, “Centerra South is a great location for this regional, community-serving museum. Its convenient access to I-25 and Loveland Sports Park, along with the planned mix of housing, shops and cafés, office spaces, and a specialty organic grocer, make the children’s museum a natural fit.”

Karen McShea, McWhinney senior vice president of commercial + mixed-use development, said, “We’ve been working with the museum for a while to identify potential locations within the Centerra community. The museum understands the vast potential of this proposed Centerra South community. It recognizes how integral site selection is to create both indoor and outdoor learning experiences for children and families.”

According to Howard, a Boston firm is designing the interior and exhibits and has received input from leaders and child advocates from across northern Colorado. OZ Architecture is designing the exterior of the building.

Fundraising is a top priority for Howard and the museum’s director of development, Kathi Wright. Many private donors have contributed generously to the museum so far. The museum will also apply for grants through Colorado’s largest foundations and continues to seek donations from private entities. For more information on supporting the Children’s Museum of Northern Colorado, visit www.nococm.org.

McWhinney has proposed a public-private partnership with the City of Loveland that would help provide financing to cover the initial public infrastructure, including roads and utilities for Centerra South, estimated to generate $850 million in private investment. In addition to the positive economic impact, including job creation and new tax revenues through increased assessed value, the community will also benefit from new public venues, parks, and trails. If approved, Centerra South could break ground later this year.