Montessori school and day care planned along Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights
A combined Montessori elementary school and day care operator plans to renovate and expand a shuttered commercial building along Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights, in what officials say will help meet a demand for such a facility in the area.
Guidepost Montessori plans to offer day care for children ages 6 weeks through 5 years, and a private elementary school for first through sixth grades at 1000 W. Northwest Highway, just north of the intersection with Euclid Avenue.
Guidepost, which has suburban sites in Deerfield, Schaumburg, and Naperville, is about to open other locations in Burr Ridge, Downers Grove and Kildeer. It plans to offer nine day care classrooms and two elementary school classrooms for a capacity of about 200 children in Arlington Heights.
Mokena-based Olympia Acquisitions, the developer purchasing the one-acre site and leasing to Guidepost parent company Higher Ground Education, is planning extensive upgrades to the single-story, 12,232-square-foot building and a 1,156-square-foot addition on the northwest corner. Proposed improvements include a new roof, parking lot resurfacing, a playground, fencing and landscaping on the property lines.
The property has been vacant since the closure of Windy City RC Raceway & Hobbies Shop in 2019; it previously was home to a Plass Appliance store. The village board in 2012 approved a different day care there that would have had a smaller capacity, but that never came to be.
Village trustees were pleased when representatives of Guidepost and Olympia came before them this week to seek approval for a series of variations and permits that will pave the way for the new school and day care. The board voted unanimously Monday to approve the plans.
"I wasn't sure whether I was happier that something was being done with the building or that more day care was being brought to our village. I guess I'm going with the day care part, because that's really what's impacting more people in our village than that building," said Trustee John Scaletta, who noted many parents struggle finding day care spots in town, sometimes driving to nearby Palatine where there's more availability.
Still, Scaletta and Trustee Jim Tinaglia agreed the site improvements will benefit the neighborhood.
"I remember when it was Plass, and I remember when it was the raceway, and it's always had its share of visuals that were not all that appealing," said Tinaglia, whose architecture office is two blocks away. "What you guys are going to do is really improve that. Everything I've seen is going to be a big improvement for that area, and I hope the neighbors benefit from that."
Introductory monthly tuition prices will be $1,950 for infants, $1,700 for toddlers and $1,300 for children's day care and the elementary school, according to Guidepost. The day care would be open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
The initial timeline called for construction to be completed for the start of school in the fall, but the developer is awaiting final approval of a sidewalk permit from the Illinois Department of Transportation - a process that could take an extra six to eight months.