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CC Image courtesy of SanFranAnnie on Flickr
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
Chick-Fil-A Design Back To The Drawing Boards
Last week, I posted the design plans for the new Chick-Fil-A off Monticello Ave. The Pilot released an update yesterday saying these plans (photo below) were actually rejected. Apparently, the Norfolk Design Review Committee and local civic leagues nearby the location sent back the corporation's site plans for the proposed building.
The Design Committee is thinking ahead of the Monticello Ave. Corridor and has an urban vision of it. They feel that Chick-Fil-A should build the new eatery as a two-story restaurant like it has been done in other cities. Another request is for the design to be more pedestrian-oriented and less focused on automobiles, pushing the parking lot out of sight, while adding a walk-up window for pedestrians. Essentially, they want to move the restaurant closer to Monticello, while pushing parking and the drive-thru to the rear.
That area does not get the kind of foot traffic that necessitates a two-story restaurant. If it were somewhere downtown (say, along Granby where Subway is), it would be unique, but DT doesn't get that kind of foot traffic either. A one-story Chick-Fil-A is just fine.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for thinking outside the box, but I think it would be a waste. Granted, I've seen lines wrapped around Chick-Fil-A in other parts of town, so that would be a plus. But, if you've ever seen how the lines at the Wendy's further up the street affects the traffic driving along Monticello, you'll see why a two-story restaurant might not be the best idea.
Yeah I'm fine with the current design too, but I thought it was interesting that they are thinking ahead about that area. I know there are newer apartment buildings, and the new HRT building but I didn't realize they had some kind of a vision for that area. That was news to me.
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