Another day care proposed for former bank site in Vernon Hills
A concept plan for another day care facility proposed for a cleared PNC Bank site in Vernon Hills has been greenlighted for further review by village staff members.
Property owner Mitch Goltz is seeking village approvals to build a Guidepost Montessori School at the southeast corner of Route 60 and Deerpath Drive.
The chain operates more than 80 campuses nationwide and across Asia, including several in Chicago and the suburbs.
In a presentation this week to the village board, Goltz, principal of Chicago-based GW Properties, said there are about 5,500 preschool-aged children within a 3-mile radius.
"This is a very high density area and reflects the potential high demand for preschools in the market," he said.
Goltz said he has owned the property since 2017. PNC Bank was demolished and the roughly 2-acre site offered as a development opportunity in 2018.
In September 2019, Tennessee-based Gardner School proposed a 16,333-square-foot, 14-classroom building for a maximum of 206 infants, toddlers and prekindergarten students. The village board at the time advanced the concept for more detailed review.
Because the location is zoned for office and research uses, a day care facility requires a special use permit. Gardner also sought parking and other variations. However, the advisory plan commission recommended against the special use, variations and architectural drawings, and the project was nixed.
Guidepost calls for a much smaller building than Gardner, and no variations are being requested. As proposed, the new facility would be 11,000 square feet with seven classrooms for up to 124 toddlers, prekindergarten and elementary-age students.
Village Trustee Mike Marquardt questioned if nearby child care facilities were taken into consideration.
"Montessori school is a more specialized type of learning. I'm not saying it's better or worse - certain people have more inclination to want to go there," Goltz said. "There is a tremendous amount of demand for a different type of product in this sector."
Guidepost would be the high end of the market and cost as much as 25% more than traditional child care, he said.
Trustee Thom Koch Jr. said a day care was not what he had hoped for at the site and asked Goltz about a potential retail use.
The former PNC site is on the western end of the heavily traveled Route 60.
"I can assure you, this being the fifth year of my ownership, that no rock has gone unturned," Goltz said. "This fits the character of the site."
A Raising Cane's restaurant proposed for the PNC site did not get beyond the concept stage because it would have caused traffic issues, according to Community Development Director Mike Atkinson.
The Guidepost building would be clad with stone and brick on all sides, but trustees weren't overwhelmed with the look.
"I would like to see a better-looking design," said Trustee Michael Schenk. "It looks very bland."
He also questioned traffic and the potential stacking of cars given the nearby Hawthorn School for Young Learners kindergarten center.
The board informally approved the concept, which now advances to a detailed staff review ahead of a public plan commission hearing. Atkinson said a traffic study and adjustments to the architecture will be part of the review process.
In Vernon Hills, GW also redeveloped the Sky Zone trampoline park and Lil' Kickers indoor soccer in the former Gordmans space in the Rivertree shopping center near Milwaukee Avenue and Route 60.