Site plans approved for childcare campus at ex-cinema site
RENDERING | CONTRIBUTED
A rendering of the Friends Center for Children’s plans for its new location at 25 Flint St. in New Haven.
The Friends Center for Children got approvals this week for its plans to convert a former New Haven movie theater into a childhood learning center campus.
The New Haven City Plan Commission on Wednesday approved the business’ site plan and coastal site plan for the project, which is at 25 Flint St.
The property was previously a Cine-4 movie theater before the property changed hands in a $1.3 million deal last August.
Kathryn Gagnon, a senior project engineer with Langan in New Haven, outlined details of the project for the commission members at the meeting.
She said plans include renovating the existing movie theater building in the first phase of the project, followed by construction of a new 8,700-square-foot, one-story building during the second phase. The business is considering a future third building on the property, but would return to secure required approvals at a later time.
The business plans to add a privacy fence and trees, and there will be an outdoor play area, Gagnon said.
David Symonds, director at Patriquin Architects, said the existing building will retain one of its theaters as an activities area for the children.
Other current theater areas will be renovated to provide for new classrooms, sleeping areas, administrative offices and a staff lounge. There will be windows added to provide natural light, along with a new roof, according to Symonds.
The business expects to break ground on the first phase, or renovations to the existing building, by late summer, with a total anticipated timeline of nine months, he said.
The new phase 2 building is still in the conceptual stage, according to Symonds. It will feature classrooms and activity space, and the business tentatively hopes to break ground on this new construction sometime in 2024.
Commission Chair Leslie Radcliffe said of the plan, “It looks like it's going to be a wonderful reuse of a building where unfortunately we're no longer able to have movies.”
The Friends Center for Children has existing locations in New Haven on East Grand Avenue and Blake Street. It provides care and education to children from three months through age 5, according to its website.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com.
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