New early childhood care center coming to Harrison

HARRISON –

A new child care facility is setting up shop in Harrison.

The Harrison Planning Board voted Aug. 9 to clear the way for plans filed by Cresthill Management LLC to develop a child care center at 800 S. Third St.

Board chairman Art Pettigrew said the target site — just off Burlington St., behind the PATH station, and west of Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard — is within the borders of the Harrison Station redevelopment project.

Testimony offered by the applicant’s attorney, Heather Kumer of the Connell Foley law firm, indicated that the privately operated facility would accommodate up to 35 children.

The center is expected to take six months to complete, he said.

Cresthill Academy, as the operator is known, currently has four child-care centers in North Jersey, with locations in East Hanover and two in Hoboken and Lyndhurst, according to its website.

The website says Cresthill runs full-time and part-time programs for infant, toddler, pre-school and kindergarten-age youngsters. It says that “before-school and after-school care and summer camp programs are available at select locations.”

How extensive its offerings will be in Harrison couldn’t be readily learned at press time.

The website says Cresthill’s pre-school classes are equipped with “iPads integrated with Tadpoles.”

It says Cresthill care facilities serve daily “organic snacks, meals and drinks” that are “prepared on-site by our in-house chef. All snacks and meals are paired with fresh fruit and veggies.”

— Ron Leir

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