Brunswick School Considering Purchase Of 16-Plus Acres On Lake Avenue

GREENWICH, CT — According to documents submitted to the Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission, Brunswick School is contemplating the purchase of a 16-plus acre property at 270 Lake Ave. for an Early Childhood Center for young students.

The independent, college preparatory day school for boys is also looking to renovate eight buildings on the property to use for faculty housing.

The item is listed on the agenda for the Sept. 20 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting as a pre-application.

The pre-application process allows for a non-binding discussion with the commission about the pros and cons of a proposal before a substantial investment is made in developing plans, reports and studies.

In a letter to Greenwich Director of Planning & Zoning Katie DeLuca, attorney William "Chip" Haslun II, who is representing the applicant, said Brunswick School is seeking direction from the commission through the pre-application process "as to the feasibility of Brunswick's conceptual plans."

The property at 270 Lake Ave. was previously occupied by Carmel Academy, a Jewish K-8 private school, which closed in 2020, and the Japanese School, which leased space and recently relocated.

Carmel Academy is listed as the current owner of the property, planning & zoning documents show.

Haslun said Brunswick School's immediate plans would be to renovate three buildings to make way for the Early Childhood Center, an educational facility with enrollment capped at approximately 150 students, with 50 students each in pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and nursery school.

The students would be dropped off and picked up by way of the Lake Avenue entrance, Haslun said. Drop-off and pick-up would be staggered to minimize the impact to traffic.

The decision to cap enrollment came as a result of Head of School Tom Philip's discussions with representatives from the Lower Lake Avenue Association and Rock Ridge Association, Haslun said.

Brunswick's longer-term plan would be to renovate eight other buildings for about 20 faculty members, Haslun said, noting that the existing building footprints would remain the same, and there would be "little or no change" to the exteriors.

Additionally, Haslun noted the campus chapel has long, but only occasionally, been used for weddings by neighbors and Rosemary Hall alumni.

Rosemary Hall, a school for girls, moved to the Lake Avenue property in 1900. The school eventually migrated to Wallingford and merged with The Choate School For Boys in 1974 to become Choate Rosemary Hall.

Brunswick School would ask the commission if it could continue the tradition of using the chapel, Haslun said.

Haslun wrote in his letter that Brunswick School recognizes that neighbors in the area "have long been sensitive" to the use of the campus and its impact on traffic and quality of life in the neighborhood.

"Brunswick believes that, in addition to providing an opportunity to further Brunswick's educational goals, this proposal would both preserve this historic campus while ameliorating many of the issues associated with its prior use," Haslun added.

The property at 270 Lake Ave. has been sought-after in the past.

Most recently, plans for Chabad Lubavitch to build a preschool on the property were withdrawn from consideration earlier this year.

Tuesday's Planning & Zoning Commission meeting begins at 4 p.m., and can be accessed via Zoom.

View the entire agenda and Zoom information here.