Country Day to demo, rebuild lower school

Detroit Country Day School received unanimous approval from the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees at their meeting on Wednesday, September 12, to demolish the original school at 3003 W. Maple Road, and rebuild it in the “hamlet style” of the rest of the building, to accommodate their pre-kindergarten and grades one though four.

Patti Voelker, township planning, building and ordinance director, explained that Detroit Country Day Lower School was seeking approval to demolish the original portion of the school building, which was the former Westchester Elementary School, built in the 1960s, and “reconstruct and expand the school to reflect the unique 'hamlet style' of architecture and floor plan for pre-kindergarten through grade four. In the 1999, the school was approved to build an addition to accommodate the kindergarten classes in a unique design. The proposed site plan looks to continue that architectural design with the new construction.”

The new proposed addition would be connected to the remaining northeast wing of the building with architectural style and exterior materials to match.

Samuel Ashley, construction manager with Cunningham-Limp Development, who will do the reconstruction work, said, “The former Westchester Elementary is a vintage-1960 elementary school. It served its purpose.”

Voelker said the school will continue to maintain access from W. Maple Road, but improve the entrance and exit way for two-way traffic.

No time line for the demolition or reconstruction was given.

Trustees voted 6-0, with Michael Schostak absent, to approve the site plan.