Alpha School, using AI technology for student learning, seeks to open in Greenwich

Alpha School, a private school system that uses artificial intelligence in its learning programs, is seeking to open at East Elm Street in central Greenwich.

GREENWICH -- A chain of private schools School using AI technology as part of its instructional model, co-founded by a tech billionaire, is looking to open in Greenwich.

The building at 20 E. Elm St. in central Greenwich has seen a number of high-profile tenants working from the space just off Greenwich Avenue through the decades, and the next high-profiel tenant there could be an innovative school operation, one that aims to implement artificial intelligence learning models into education for students.

Article continues below this ad

Plans have been submitted to the town planning department that would convert a portion of the office building where Urban Outfitters once sold its waters into an educational program, featuring a teaching method employing artificial intelligence and other innovative classroom techniques.

According to Alpha School, their program "harnesses the power of AI technology to provide each student with personalized 1:1 learning, accelerating mastery and giving them the gift of time. "The teachers are called "guides," and students develop their own collaborative projects. The private school organization was co-founded by tech billionaire, Joe Liemandt.

The school organization has locations around the U.S., with one in New York City. The Greenwich operation would be the first in Connecticut. The educational organization is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and it is expanding across the country.

According to the proposal submitted by the attorney representing Alpha, William Haslun, the school would offer classes to students up to the 8th grade. It would operate a school on the first floor of the building.

"Alpha anticipates having a maximum of 10 employees on site upon reaching full student enrollment," Haslun said. "Students will be dropped off/picked up, take public transportation or walk to school."

Urban Outfitters closed in 2014. The building was later a store for Saks Fifth Avenue , selling shoes, and it has subsequently been used as a medical office.

For decades, it served as the editorial offices of Greenwich Time newspaper. The site was home to the newspaper from 1937 to April 2008.

According to an architectural report on the building by architect Rudy Ridberg, the structure originally dates to 1929 and was expanded in 1960. The printing presses of Greenwich Time were transferred to a Stamford location in the 1970's.

The structure is owned by Elm Street RSK LLC and the New England Property Management Corp.

The proposal would require an approval from the Planning & Zoning Commission for a change of use, from retail to educational. A special permit and site-plan approval is required. The application has not yet been scheduled for a preliminary review by the commission.