Wednesday, February 21, 2001
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Wednesday, February 21, 2001 |
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Troubled Market property to house day care center By MONROE
ROARK
The former A&T Market property may be busy again fairly soon, albeit a much different sort of activity than before. The northwest corner of Lanier Avenue and Jeff Davis Avenue was the sight of a great deal of controversy last year, culminating with the closing of the Market teen club after criminal charges were brought against the management amid allegations of lewd dancing and underage drinking. Now Fayetteville city officials have been approached by Fayette Christian School, which wants to use the facility for a preschool and day care center to supplement its present campus on Longview Drive on the northern end of the city. The school's administrator, Philip Woods, addressed the city's Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night about a possible variance that would allow a reduction in the required amount of play area per child. The city currently requires a day care facility to have 150 square feet of play area per child, and the school is asking for 100, which Woods said falls within state Department of Human Resources requirements. The school now has about 50 children in K3-K5 at its main campus, Woods said, and using the Market building could allow that number to rise to 138, according to DHR regulations. Plans call for the building to contain eight classrooms. The variance is required for the outdoor play area, which would be between the building and the Depot on the west side, so that there will be room for all 138 children outside as well as inside. The facility would be considered a day care center by the state because it is housing children below kindergarten age, but Woods said an academic program would be in operation from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. The facility would be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. This schedule is consistent with what public schools offer, Woods said. It also helps prevent traffic congestion, Woods pointed out, because children would be dropped off over a three-hour period as parents go to work, and they would be picked up anytime between the end of the academic program and closing time. The school would be required to provide a canopy for the dropoff and pickup of children. Woods said that building officials and fire inspectors have already taken a look at the building and are fine with this intended use. A separate traffic concern, access from Jeff Davis, is being looked at due to the school's desire not to have regular traffic access from that side, but the need to have emergency vehicle access. School and city officials are looking into a chain or some minor landscaping. Woods said Wednesday that the school is hoping to open for new students this fall, but it could be used this summer with some of the children already at the school. There is very little that needs to be done with the building, he said, and the variance is the only outstanding city requirement he knows of. One other change to the building itself would be a door added on the west side to allow direct and immediate access to the playground, he said at the meeting. The school has been dealing with a real estate representative and not the actual owner of the property. Lease terms have not yet been finalized, but Woods said the lease would be for more than one year. The property has been vacant since the teen club was shut down, and it sat empty for quite some time before that. Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Myron Coxe said Tuesday night that the school's proposal was "a very positive use for this property." Commissioner Allen Feldman echoed those sentiments, saying, "As a resident who lives only two doors down from the building, you won't find many people happier than I am about this."
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