Bassett Medical Center Begins Next Phase of Construction on Campus Childcare Center

COOPERSTOWN—Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown has begun the next phase of its project to construct a childcare center on the hospital’s campus. Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2026. According to a press release issued on Thursday, September 25, the facility will be called the Harrison House Childcare Center in honor of the historic Harrison House, once the home of Dr. Francis Harrison, an internist who joined Bassett in 1928 and practiced alongside Dr. Mary Imogene Bassett.

“The Harrison House is a historic and cherished part of Bassett Medical Center and the Village of Cooperstown,” said Staci Thompson, MHA, FACMPE, president and chief executive officer of Bassett Healthcare Network. “Earlier architectural plans for the project aimed to completely retain the building’s original structure with renovations inside. However, engineers and construction crews discovered that the original structure could not be sufficiently modified to provide a safe and healthy environment to meet children’s needs.

“The building is being demolished and rebuilt from the ground up—with an exterior that will replicate and preserve the historic look of the original Harrison House while creating a state-of-the-art childcare facility inside and on the surrounding grounds,” Thompson explained.

Jane Forbes Clark, president of The Clark Foundation, announced in 2024 a grant of $6 million to underwrite the creation of a new childcare facility on the campus of Bassett Medical Center at 1 Beaver Street. The service will initially be available to employees’ children, providing a critical benefit to caregivers in many types of roles and helping to attract new talent to the organization, officials said.

The center will provide care for infants, toddlers and pre-school children. Care will be available during clinical work hours with flexible schedule options.

The new building will contain classrooms, common and service areas, offices, and two outdoor playgrounds. The building will also have space dedicated to sick care, which officials say is a unique service for a childcare facility in New York State. On-site sick care will ensure children have appropriate care when necessary and, as a result, employees will not have to miss work. The Harrison House Childcare Center will have space for 58 children, plus 15 additional spots for sick care. The center will employ around 18 staff members, according to the press release.

“Having access to an on-site childcare center is a game-changer that will help our employees with work-life balance,” said Thompson. “Our caregivers can take great comfort knowing their children are nearby and receiving excellent care. We are immensely grateful to The Clark Foundation for their support and vision to make this childcare center a reality—all while honoring the historic legacy of a precious part of Bassett’s history.”

“We are so excited for all that the Harrison House Childcare Center will have to offer our workforce and community,” Thompson said.