Council hears hours of testimony on proposed 107 Kirchival child care center; no vote taken

Summary

Developers seeking a use variance to convert the former Rite Aid at 107 Kirchival into an early childhood center faced hours of public comment and mixed council reaction; supporters cited child-care shortages while business owners and some council members urged traffic studies, written parking agreements, and clearer operational details before any approval.

Developers seeking to open an early childhood center at 107 Kirchival Avenue faced an extensive public hearing and divided council reaction Tuesday; council did not take a final vote on the preliminary site plan.

Brad Regan and Reed Fenton presented plans to convert the former Rite Aid building into a multi-level child-care facility they said would serve infants through preschool-age children and include interior play space and rooftop mechanicals. Their presentation described a roughly 10,000-square-foot first floor with additions on a second floor, a proposed play-garden area, and operational details intended to minimize impact on peak parking: they identified about 220 spaces in the surface lot, said the highest counted usage was 53 cars in a morning slot, and said they would lease 35 spaces in a nearby Henry Ford parking structure for staff and would request limited use (12–24 spaces, depending on the hour) in the surface lot for drop-off and pick-up.

Su…

Council hears hours of testimony on proposed 107 Kirchival child care center; no vote taken

Summary

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