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Owners of mega daycare chain say Deerfield center will still be built

Owners of mega daycare chain say Deerfield center will still be built
Posted at 8:17 AM, Jan 30, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-31 19:46:59-05

DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A partially constructed mega day care in Deerfield Township will still be completed, according to developers. 

The Children's Learning Adventure Childcare Center will hopefully be finished later this year, said Daniel Petersen, vice president of development. 

The company has "every intention of completing the project" in Deerfield, Petersen said. 

Earlier, the township said they were told by the developer that the project "was ceasing construction operations."

"This is absolutely not the case," Petersen said. "There is a dispute, the details of which I cannot share, that created this temporary stoppage. We did have to notify the municipality of this cessation, but it is not permanent."

No one from the Children's Learning Adventure Phoenix office returned multiple phone calls last week. 

The partly constructed day care facility off of Socialville Foster Road in Deerfield Township. Photo by Meghan Wesley | WCPO

Lois McKnight, director of community development for Deerfield Township, said she had received a phone call from the developer on Jan. 11 saying the project was over. That announcement had been a surprise to the township, she said.

Peterson confirmed the opening of a sister site facility in West Chester in March. There is no completion date on the Deerfield center, but in a follow-up phone call, he said it should be later this year.

Parents that they can go to the Children's Learning Center website or Facebook to learn more about the programs, Petersen said. 

The company owns Children's Learning Adventure centers in several states including Arizona, Texas, Indiana and Colorado.

The Deerfield Township facility is expected to have 33,000 square feet inside and a play area outside, similar to its West Chester site. It also was expected to have 100 employees, similar to West Chester.

The township already had approved all zoning requirements, McKnight said. And, according to the Warren County website, Children's Learning Adventure had received various building permits for the project at 8310 Wilkens Boulevard on land in front of the Lifetime Fitness facility.

McKnight said she received a call on Jan. 11 from Richard Kraus who represented himself as an agent for the company that owns the land.

Kraus works for Acumen Development in Denver. He did not return any calls.

Barb Wilson, director of media relations for West Chester, said the township issued its final permit for occupancy on Dec. 22, adding that they may need other inspections not connected to the city.

"They're pretty far along; it looks furnished," Wilson said. "Once they've gotten their permits, we don't really hear anything."

A receptionist at the corporate offices confirmed that the West Chester center at 8110 Market Place Drive is still planning to open at 9 a.m. on March 19.

The Children's Learning Adventure concept offers kids through sixth grade a variety of options including a TV station setup, bowling, and a math and science lab, for example. Infant and toddler care is also available.