Ohio University Southern hopes to soon serve some "students" who are quite a bit younger than the normal college students.

The university continues its plans to convert the former Rock Hill Elementary No. 4 in Hanging Rock into the OUS Child Development Center.

"Our interests are to turn it into a child development center for a couple of purposes. No. 1, we want to provide child care services to our faculty, staff and students," OUS Dean Dr. Dan Evans said. "Secondly, we need a fully licensed facility where our early childhood education majors can be trained."

A few years ago, the university planned to renovate the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints building in Ironton to use as a daycare, but the facility was not exactly what was needed, Evans said. That building has now become the Campus & Community center.

The university plans to have the entire Rock Hill building renovated, including new central heating and air conditioning, bringing it up to code, new paint, ceiling tiles, lights and other cosmetic improvements.

"Fortunately, we had a very solid building to begin with," Evans said. "It is an excellent building that just needed to be brought up to date. It is perfect for a child development center because it was a school and already has playground equipment, parental access and more."

Bids for the estimated $534,610 renovation project will be opened April 28. Once bids are awarded, the construction time will take eight to 12 months. The center will be open for the 2004-2005 academic year. Evans said the best-case scenario is that it would be completed by Christmas - by spring at the latest.

The project is funded with a $300,000 grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission and state and local capital appropriations money.

The center will operate in the evening, so it will help fill a need within the community, Evans said.

"It is aimed at the faculty, staff and students, but will be open to the community as well," Evans said. "The details are still being worked out. The services are likely to be available to the greater community."

Two other OUS construction projects - the Training Center in The Point industrial park and Phase 1 of the Proctorville Center - are also set to be awarded later this month.