The former

A&T Market property may be busy again fairly soon, albeit a much different

sort of activity than before.

The northwest

corner of Lanier Avenue and Jeff Davis Avenue was the sight of a great

deal of controversy last year, culminating with the closing of the Market

teen club after criminal charges were brought against the management amid

allegations of lewd dancing and underage drinking.

Now Fayetteville

city officials have been approached by Fayette Christian School, which

wants to use the facility for a preschool and day care center to supplement

its present campus on Longview Drive on the northern end of the city.

The school's

administrator, Philip Woods, addressed the city's Planning and Zoning

Commission Tuesday night about a possible variance that would allow a

reduction in the required amount of play area per child. The city currently

requires a day care facility to have 150 square feet of play area per

child, and the school is asking for 100, which Woods said falls within

state Department of Human Resources requirements.

The school

now has about 50 children in K3-K5 at its main campus, Woods said, and

using the Market building could allow that number to rise to 138, according

to DHR regulations. Plans call for the building to contain eight classrooms.

The variance is required for the outdoor play area, which would be between

the building and the Depot on the west side, so that there will be room

for all 138 children outside as well as inside.

The facility

would be considered a day care center by the state because it is housing

children below kindergarten age, but Woods said an academic program would

be in operation from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. The facility would

be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. This schedule is consistent with what public

schools offer, Woods said.

It also helps

prevent traffic congestion, Woods pointed out, because children would

be dropped off over a three-hour period as parents go to work, and they

would be picked up anytime between the end of the academic program and

closing time. The school would be required to provide a canopy for the

dropoff and pickup of children.

Woods said

that building officials and fire inspectors have already taken a look

at the building and are fine with this intended use.

A separate

traffic concern, access from Jeff Davis, is being looked at due to the

school's desire not to have regular traffic access from that side, but

the need to have emergency vehicle access. School and city officials are

looking into a chain or some minor landscaping.

Woods said

Wednesday that the school is hoping to open for new students this fall,

but it could be used this summer with some of the children already at

the school. There is very little that needs to be done with the building,

he said, and the variance is the only outstanding city requirement he

knows of.

One other change

to the building itself would be a door added on the west side to allow

direct and immediate access to the playground, he said at the meeting.

The school

has been dealing with a real estate representative and not the actual

owner of the property. Lease terms have not yet been finalized, but Woods

said the lease would be for more than one year.

The property

has been vacant since the teen club was shut down, and it sat empty for

quite some time before that.

Planning and

Zoning Commission Chairman Myron Coxe said Tuesday night that the school's

proposal was "a very positive use for this property."

Commissioner

Allen Feldman echoed those sentiments, saying, "As a resident who

lives only two doors down from the building, you won't find many people

happier than I am about this."