Developer previews childcare center for former Rite Aid at 107 Churchill Avenue

Bradford Egan, representing the developer, said Aug. 18 that his firm is exploring converting the former Rite Aid at 107 Churchill Avenue into a full-day early-education center serving children ages about 6 months through 6 years.

“This is a potential use ... regarding a childcare facility,” Egan said during a presentation to the Grosse Pointe Farms City Council. He said the building is roughly 10,000 square feet and the U.K.-based operator the team is bringing to the United States is known in London as an early-education provider. Egan said the site plan includes adding a second floor, classrooms and an enclosed outdoor “play garden.”

City staff and the developer repeatedly described the presentation as informational; no formal application or vote was requested. “This is just informational and ... really to provide feedback for the potential development,” the city representative told councilmembers.

Why it matters: Councilmembers said the community lacks infant care and that a facility taking infants through preschool-aged children could affect whether young families can live in the Points. At the same time, council members pressed for details on licensing, safety and how parking and drop-off would be handled for a Hill-area site that relies heavily on public lots and a nearby parking deck.

Key details presented and discussed

- Enrollment and staffing: The developer said the operator expects about 175 enrollees throughout the day and roughly 27 staff members to support that count. The presenter described the concept as “early education” with an emphasis on organic food, yoga and play-based activities rather than traditional babysitting.

- Hours: Proposed hours are roughly 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

- Building and site work: The plan shown to council would add a second floor and extend the building’s elevator to serve that floor. The presenter said the building is about 10,000 square feet.

- Zoning and approvals: Presenters and staff said the proposed use would not fit current B-1 retail zoning as written and would likely require a special-use or use-exception approval from the city and a parking exception to rely on municipal lots. The council was told the matter would ultimately go before the zoning body if the applicant pursues it.

- Parking and traffic: The developer proposed a combination of designated drop-off/pick-up spaces leased from the city during daycare hours, potential staff parking in the nearby hospital deck, and encouraging walking for nearby families. The presenter said parents would be required to bring children into the facility (inside the building) at drop-off and pick-up rather than use a drive-through curbside model.

- Safety and licensing: Councilmembers asked about security systems and emergency procedures. The developer said the operator maintains written procedures and ongoing staff training for events such as fire, tornado or other emergencies and that state licensing and building/fire code reviews address detailed child-count, egress and life-safety requirements.

Council response and next steps

Councilmembers generally expressed interest while emphasizing due diligence. One councilmember said the concept is “interesting” and that infant care is a local shortage; another said the council should see more documentation on licensing, safety protocols and the operator’s record before any formal application is filed.

Staff told the council that the next steps would be to gather additional information from the developer and operator, explore parking options and, if the applicant chooses to move forward, schedule a work session or a preliminary public hearing with broad public notice to solicit neighborhood input.

No formal motion or vote was taken. Presenters and staff said they would provide requested details before returning with a formal request.