MONROE, CT — A developer wants to build a 10,000-square-foot daycare facility for The Learning Experience with a playground and 43-space parking lot on close to 11 acres at 2 Victoria Drive.
The property owner, Paul Stone of Sentro LLC, came before the Architectural Review Board with the application Tuesday night and the plan will come before the Planning and Zoning Commission on July 17.
Following Tuesday’s presentation, ARB members asked for a pitched roof and more muted colors for more of a “New England vibe.”
Cheryl Schweiker, the architect with the daycare chain’s preferred firm, Jarmel Kizel of New Jersey, attended the meeting remotely and led the presentation on the building’s design.
The rendering for the one-story-building features a colorful sign beside Bubbles, the daycare’s elephant mascot, over a dark gray facade above the front entrance. Two pillars holding up the canopy have a building blocks design, with “1,2,3,4” on the left and “A,B,C,D” on the right.
“They try to make the buildings fun for their clients,” Schweiker said of The Learning Experience, adding the business is approaching over 500 centers across the country.
If everything goes smoothly, Stone said the daycare center could be built within a year, though his group would like accelerate the project if they can.
A stone base, three feet off the ground, under the windows, runs around the building, according to the design. The outside of the building has an EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish System) providing insulation and water resistance.
The color of the front facade behind the dark gray is a bright yellow that Schweiker said is a Sherwin Williams color called Confident Yellow. Two portions of the facade outside of the yellow on both sides are a light gray.
“I love the design,” Chairwoman Alayna Falco said. “What I’m struggling with is how it fits in Monroe. People are trying to keep that New England vibe in Monroe.”
Falco said the design is “cute” for places like New York or New Jersey. “I just wonder if there is a happy compromise with other colors,” she said.
“Is there a plan B?” Cathleen Lindstrom, a fellow board member, asked.
“I’m just speaking up for what I’m hearing on social media,” Falco added.
Kathleen Gallagher, the planning and zoning administrator, whose child goes to The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education in Newtown, said that building has beige siding.
“It’s much more muted. I don’t think Bubbles is so big,” she said of the mascot on the sign.
“That is 10 years old,” Schweiker said. “That’s the old brand standard. It’s trying to get away from that and modernize.”
Schweiker said her team can look into some elements that could give the Monroe building more of a New England feel.
“We want a pitched roof over the door,” said Ray Ganser, a board member.
Stone noted how a grocery store had been approved to be built next door. “You can’t do a pitched roof there. It’s so big,” he said, adding of the proposed daycare center, “if we do it like Newtown, it would be more mass. I thought you would want less mass.”
“We just don’t want it to be boxy,” Falco said, “and the yellow …”
“The yellow is really objectionable,” Lindstrom said.
Applicant, Paul Stone, points out a detail in the architectural plan for a new daycare facility at 2 Victoria Drive during the ARB meeting at Monroe Town Hall Tuesday.
Ganser said the building with Jersey Mike’s, Chipotle and Wayback Burgers on Route 111 initially came in requesting similar colors before the ARB got the developer to calm it down.
“If you guys want more earth tones other than the grays, we have to work with corporate,” Schweiker said.
Schweiker shared a picture of the Newtown daycare, which has a pitched roof. Board members loved the canopy and the sandstone beige siding.
“That sign you see is an outdated sign,” Schweiker said.
“The sign’s not an issue,” Ganser said.
Ganser asked if the mechanicals would be on the roof. Schweiker said it would be on the roof and out of sight.
“Good, that’s what I want to hear,” Ganser said.
Schweiker said the Dumpster enclosure would have a masonry material matching the building. “Good,” Ganser said with a smile. “You’re singing my song.”
The applicant will come back before the ARB at Monroe Town Hall on Tuesday, July 29, at 7 p.m. with more information on the building materials and colors.
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ARB members are all wannabe HOA presidents
If you don’t like the growth and direction of your community – then instead of throwing shade, you could get involved and attempt to make the positive change you believe is needed in Monroe.