By the time officials at Central Union Church Preschool & Kindergarten are finished, they hope to do far more than just replace the building that sustained $100,000 in damage last year in a suspected arson fire.

They hope to build an "educational village."

Demolition of the damaged building began yesterday and is expected to conclude June 13.

Besides erecting a replacement building, school Director Marie Hook said plans also call for renovating older buildings, resulting in seven learning cottages and a "performance barn."

But first, the school needs to raise $13 million.

"Insurance will pay a large portion of the cost to rebuild the burned section of the preschool campus," said Lorraine Leslie, development manager from the Central Union Church Preschool and Kindergarten. "Unfortunately, insurance will not cover 100 percent of the costs."

And even more is needed to carry out the educational village vision.

No one was hurt in the October fire, and the community has pitched in to help at every opportunity.

"Our PTA sent out daily updates, and parents banded together to care for those children who needed a place to go during regular school hours," Leslie said. "The community as well as surrounding schools offered their support and supplies so we could reopen as quickly as possible."

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu has said the incident was being investigated as an arson case.

The new construction will include required safety features such as sprinklers and be designed for sustainability, school officials said.

Summer school for the kindergarten and preschool will resume June 15, after the demolition. Classes will continue in the parish hall and the library.