Project management specialist Octa Associates has called for expressions of interest in demolishing the Mosgiel Central Kindergarten to make way for a new early childhood education facility.
Octa Associates director David Booth said expressions of interest would close this Friday and demolition was expected to take place in mid-June.
He said the design of the new 270sq m facility was almost completed and it was hoped construction would begin at the end of July.
The new facility would be more user-friendly for early childhood teaching, he said.
''We're looking at making it larger, with more integrated open-plan teaching spaces; we're looking at increasing the size of the teaching staff office - basically they work from a cupboard in the current building - and the creation of a whanau/family room which can be used not just for teaching and students, but by families when they are visiting the site.''
Mr Booth said the designers were also looking at how the site related to the play area.
''At the moment, the building has a very large dead area of ground behind the buildings.
''It sits quite forward on the site. The new building will be moved back on the site to encompass far more usable play area.''
Mr Booth said the cost of the construction was still confidential because tenders for the project had not closed yet.
Staff and children from the Mosgiel Central Kindergarten temporarily moved to a classroom at Elmgrove School earlier this year when it was found their 60-year-old building was in need of earthquake-strengthening.
When it was also found the building had a damp floor, it was decided to rebuild rather than repair.
It was hoped they would be able to return to their site early next year.
