Englewood planning panel recommends approval to convert former Walgreens into Tiara and Canata daycare

The Englewood Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend that city council approve a planned unit development amendment to convert the vacant Walgreens at 3080 South Broadway into a Tiara and Canata daycare.

Brooke Bell, a planner with the Community Development Department, told the commission the request would change the site’s 1993 planned development to allow a daycare, replace the retail use, and add two outdoor play areas on the site’s roughly 1.07 acres. Bell said community development staff concluded the amendment is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and recommended approval. She also said a city council public hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 15.

The commission’s recommendation follows a presentation from the applicant’s design and engineering team and questions from commissioners about parking, traffic, stormwater and operations. Gerard Jario, the project civil engineer, said the proposal reuses the existing building without expanding its footprint, adds landscaping that staff says exceeds current code, and will install an underground stormwater system “in compliance with the Englewood code” and the Mile High Flood District regulations to improve downstream water quality and reduce peak flows.

Daniel Shehy, director of design and construction for Tiara and Canata, described the operator’s model and security measures. Shehy said the centers use an access-control and logging system called Brievo and that cameras will cover entrances, exits, the playgrounds and interior spaces.

Commissioners and staff debated parking calculations. The city relied on an engineering reference (the IT manual) that offers three calculation methods; the students-based “worst‑case” method yields a 45‑space requirement. The applicant is providing 43 spaces. The applicant’s team said operational factors (staggered drop‑off times, siblings arriving together and typical absenteeism) and turnover during peak periods make the proposed parking adequate in practice. The applicant described drop‑off as parent parking and escorting children inside rather than a dedicated drive‑through lane.

Public works and the applicant also proposed off-site improvements on East Dartmouth to address queuing: restriping to add a dedicated left‑turn lane on the westbound approach to South Broadway, and rerouting the bike lane to run alongside the curb. City Engineer Kyle Brandom said the bike‑lane alignment is safer but asked staff to consider whether a no‑right‑on‑red restriction should accompany the new striping to reduce conflicts with bicyclists and pedestrians; staff said that has not been decided and could be revisited with post‑installation data.

Two members of the public spoke. Anthony Aosta, a nearby resident, asked about deliveries; the applicant said deliveries would be infrequent, mostly small trucks for food and supplies, and far less frequent than deliveries to a Walgreens. Lashida Ser, another nearby resident, urged the applicant and city to consider adding electric‑vehicle charging at the site or at future projects.

After questions and public comment, the commission closed the hearing and voted to forward a recommendation of approval to city council. The motion carried on a roll‑call vote. No amendments to the PUD text were recorded during the hearing; a formal building permit will still be required before construction may begin.

If council approves the amendment, the site will be repurposed for a Spanish‑immersion daycare serving infants through preschool age; the applicant stated hours near 6:30 a.m. to about 6:00 p.m. and said the licensed capacity (178) is unlikely to be reached immediately because centers typically ramp enrollment. The applicant also said they will provide a permeable, poured‑in‑place play surface, on‑site meal preparation, and fenced play areas that meet code requirements.

The commission’s recommendation sends the PUD amendment to city council for final action; the next formal step is the council public hearing tentatively scheduled by staff for June 15.