Seeing Eye to See Upgrades

The brick, Georgian-style facilities at in Washington Valley will get some tweaking, to update training resources and add to parking.

The Morris Township Planning Board approved an application from the non-profit to add parking and meeting facilities but not significantly change the look of the brick buildings.

James Kutsch, president and CEO of The Seeing Eye, said the expansion is the result of about six years of planning. That included looking at the life expectancy of -year-old subsystems and at student safety, needs and comfort, he said.

Upgrades to HVAC and utilities will be done around a modified schedule of classes, Kutsch said.

The Seeing Eye’s engineer, Robert Mocshello, said the guide dog-training school wil add an escalator and simulated railroad siding for training, and attach a meeting room and patio to the dining room wing of the administration building.

The parking in front of the administration building will be reconfigured to allow for the vans that transport students off site for training. A canopy will cover the main entrance.

Parking between the dormitory wing of the administration building and the Stabile kennel will be reconfigured into a two-tier deck. Mocshello said. The levels will be separately accessed with no internal ramps, he said.

An addition to the Jenks building will provide more office space, the engineer said.

The board granted a number of variances, mostly for the height of retaining walls and fences.

The most noticeable change will be to the front gate. Pillars will be moved and signs saying “The Seeing Eye” and the address will be put in place. The entrance drive will be widened for convenience and safety, Mocshello said.

Because of the wetlands on the site, state Department of Environmental Protection would need to approve some of the work. The Seeing Eye’s attorney, Thomas Mallon, said although work will start immediately, any work needing DEP approval will not start until those approvals come in.