The Richardson City Plan Commission recommended approval of a special permit that would allow for the school to be located within a religious facility during its March 19 meeting. The new school will be located at the site of Binnerri Presbyterian Church, which is located at 1301 Abrams Road.
The overview
Jon Jordan, headmaster at Coram Deo Academy’s Dallas campus, said his school has rented several facilities over the years, including the current location at Temple Shalom, located at 6930 Alpha Road in Dallas. He added that the new location in Richardson will move the school closer to several of the families who attend Coram Deo Academy.
“I have visited 37 properties in the five-year search for [our long-term home],” Jordan said. “This is not just a place to go now, but for our model and buildout, this is what we need.”
According to city documents, the church currently using the site will no longer hold services once the school moves in. Coram Deo Academy also operates two other North Texas campuses in Flower Mound and Plano.
The details
Senior Planner Derica Peters said the school plans to move all 422 students attending the Dallas campus to the Richardson facility. Jordan said he expects enrollment to increase by about 35 students per year for around eight years.
One of the approved conditions of the permit stipulates that caps the number of students on campus per day at 400. Peters said the school operates using a university model where not all enrolled students are on campus every day of the school week.
Jordan said there are also plans to hire two armed security guards for the school.
What’s next?
Jordan did not offer a specific timetable for when the school might open during the meeting. Richardson City Council is expected to consider the special permit request during its April 22 meeting.
