By HFT Staff

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. 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 Basset. 

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. 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. 

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, 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.