New Horizon Academy planned for former Champions site

A vacant building on West Lake Street that formerly served pints to adults will soon be serving bottles to babies.

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New Horizon Academy, founded in 1971, is a children's care center that is well known for a number of day programs they provide. The center provides educational programs for children as young as infants all the way to 4th graders.

New Horizon has submitted plans to the Minneapolis Planning Commission for a new center at 103 West Lake Street. Champions Salon and Eatery was the most recent occupant of the building, however the restaurant closed in 2014 and the building has since then sat vacant.

Plans presented by New Horizon Academy include an extensive interior and exterior renovation and a 1,100 square foot expansion. Two outdoor play areas will be added, one for the toddlers, the other for early elementary age students. The building will be able to enroll 162 children.

If all is approved by the Planning Commission construction could begin in early Summer with plans for the center to open in November 2016.