MBS Urban Initiatives backs $35.6M early learning center in Zion

MBS Urban Initiatives closed financing in July 2026 for Start Early Educare–Lake County, a $35.6 million early childhood education project in Zion, Illinois. The development is expected to serve 174 children, add 70 full-time jobs, and expand family services and community support in one of Lake County’s highest-need areas.

Why it matters: - The Start Early Educare–Lake County project brings early childhood education, family support and job creation into one of Lake County’s highest-need communities. - The development is designed to strengthen long-term community outcomes by combining education access with workforce and family services. - MBS Urban Initiatives used New Markets Tax Credit financing to help keep the project moving without major reductions in scope.

What happened: - MBS Urban Initiatives CDE, the Community Development Entity affiliate of McCormack Baron Salazar, announced the financial closing of the Start Early Educare–Lake County project in Zion, Illinois. - Financial close was reached in July 2026. - The project carries a total development cost of $35.6 million. - The center will be located in Zion and will serve children from six weeks to five years old.

The details: - The project calls for a 38,000-square-foot early childhood education center. - The facility will serve 174 children. - The building will include classrooms, collaborative learning environments, family resource areas, community gathering spaces and administrative offices. - All classrooms will operate as Head Start and Early Head Start programs using the Educare model. - The project is expected to create 70 full-time jobs. - Nineteen of those jobs are accessible positions. - The center will provide parent engagement, home visiting, health and mental wellness resources, family advocacy and workforce development opportunities for parents and residents. - The project is being developed with the City of Zion, Zion Elementary School District 6, the Lake County Health Department, the Zion Park District, LEARN Charter School and other community stakeholders. - Educare Lake County is part of a broader effort to build a family-centered education campus that supports children from infancy through middle school. - Complementary investments in nearby schools, parks and neighborhood improvements are also planned.

Between the lines: - The project is structured as both an education investment and a neighborhood revitalization strategy. - MBS UI is positioning NMTC capital as a tool for projects that expand essential services and create quality jobs in underserved communities. - The emphasis on family services and workforce development suggests the center is intended to support more than classroom instruction.

What's next: - The development will move from financing close toward construction and launch of services. - The project’s broader impact will depend on how quickly the center opens and how well the partner network delivers family and community supports. - MBS Urban Initiatives says the investment reflects its mission to fund projects that expand access to essential services and generate lasting economic opportunity in underserved communities.

The bottom line: - Educare Lake County is set to add a major early learning hub to Zion while tying education, family support and local economic development into one project.