Vision Atlantic Moving Forward With Major Housing, Childcare, and YMCA Expansion Projects

Vision Atlantic is moving forward with a major community development effort aimed at addressing population decline, expanding housing, increasing childcare access, and improving quality-of-life amenities in Atlantic.

Christina Bateman, president of Vision Atlantic, said the nonprofit organization was formed by community members about four years ago to focus on economic development and long-term growth in Atlantic.

Bateman said Vision Atlantic’s first major effort includes three main components: a new housing development, a child development center, and an expansion and renovation of the existing YMCA facility.

The housing portion of the project is known as Camblin Hills, a 49-acre development located in the southeast corner of Atlantic, just south of the high school. Bateman said the development will include 142 new housing units over the next four years, including smaller single-family homes, larger custom homes, duplex-style units, condos, and future three-story townhomes.

Infrastructure for the full 49-acre development has already been completed, including roads, water, sewer, and ductwork. Bateman said Vision Atlantic is currently in year one of construction, with 48 housing units scheduled and 41 already up, with seven custom homes still to be built this year.

Camblin Hills will also include more than two miles of biking and walking trails, a public park, and the planned child development center within the neighborhood. Bateman said Atlantic has not had a major housing development since 1978.

The second part of the effort is a new child development center, which Bateman said will be licensed for just over 300 children. The center is designed to provide daytime childcare, before- and after-school care, summer care for school-age children, and preschool care.

Bateman said childcare remains a significant challenge in Cass County, citing data from the Iowa Women’s Foundation showing the county lacked nearly 1,200 childcare spaces in 2023. She said Vision Atlantic is also working to address affordability for families and wages for childcare workers.

The third major component is an expansion and renovation of the YMCA in Atlantic. Bateman said the expansion is intended to provide more recreation, social, and community spaces. Plans include areas with pool tables, a golf simulator, ping pong, TVs, gathering spaces, a children’s museum, e-gaming space, expanded kitchen and recreation areas, outdoor courts, a community patio, and a multipurpose space that could serve as a small movie theater, lecture space, or event venue.

Bateman said Vision Atlantic’s fundraising goal is $39 million, primarily for the child development center and YMCA expansion, with some funding also supporting housing. The organization has secured about $36.4 million in signed pledges, leaving roughly $2.5 million to raise.

Funding support has included a major commitment from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation, local businesses, families, municipalities, Cass County, the City of Atlantic, and federal support. Bateman said First Whitney Bank is the lead local donor, committing $2.5 million.

Bateman said the project has grown far beyond what Vision Atlantic first imagined. What began as a housing-focused effort eventually expanded into a broader plan addressing housing, childcare, and quality of life.

She said the goal is not only to meet current needs but also to position Atlantic for future growth.

For more information, visit visionatlantic.org.