New Tucumcari facility expands critical child care for Quay County
TUCUMCARI, N.M. – Turquoise Child Development Center welcomed families into Tucumcari’s newest child care facility this week, marking a major expansion for child care access in Quay County.
The new center adds licensed capacity for 55 children, more than doubling the program’s size and expanding its ability to enroll infants and toddlers. The grand opening of Turquoise Child Development Center’s second location at 1300 S. 6th Street follows a ceremonial weekend ribbon-cutting where state and local leaders celebrated the completion of the project.
The facility opening caps a multi-year effort by Turquoise Child Development Center owner Michelle Chavez to expand her child care business, which previously served 40 children and 32 families. Chavez purchased the former church building in 2020 and started renovations using federal COVID-19 relief grants.
The $550,000 project was made possible through the Child Care Facility Revolving Loan Fund, a partnership between the New Mexico Finance Authority (NMFA) and the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD), which combined financing, licensing and program support to finish construction. Turquoise Child Development Center is now licensed to serve 95 children across both sites.
“When I shared how urgently Tucumcari needed child care, our legislators and state partners stepped up to help create this safe and nurturing space for our community,” said owner and director of Turquoise Child Development Center Michelle Chavez. “It took immense teamwork and resilience to get here. It is a privilege to serve these families and watch their children grow up in our program.”
“NMFA is thrilled to have been able to provide financing and project management to make this wonderful new facility a reality in Tucumcari,” said NMFA Chief Executive Officer Marquita Russel. “It’s a privilege to play a role in the critical initiative of increasing access to quality child care in New Mexico.”
The project reflects a broader approach New Mexico is taking in communities where private investment in child care has historically been difficult to secure: pairing public financing tools with the ECECD’s licensing and quality infrastructure to build supply where families need it most.
The new location features three classrooms, a basketball court, and an expanded playground. Turquoise Child Development Center is the only full-day, year-round center in Quay County, and every child currently enrolled participates in Universal Child Care.
“In a community like Tucumcari, child care is what makes it possible for a parent to work and build a life for their family,” said ECECD Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky. “This project shows what’s possible when the state actively collaborates with providers and invests in children and families. This partnership is a model for growing and sustaining quality child care in urban, rural, Tribal and frontier communities across New Mexico.
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