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Restaurant fast with food, slow to gain design OK

Published Thursday, June 26, 2008 12:48 PM

By David Berman
Summerville Journal Scene ®

Four months after criticizing a proposed rebuild of McDonald’s on North Main Street because it didn’t reflect the historic downtown aesthetic, the Commercial Design Review Board last week gave final approval to a new look for the restaurant.

“They’ve done a good job,” board member Candy Pratt said as she scanned elevation drawings.

The drawings showed a narrow building with dark brick, light-colored accent walls and recessed signage. Inside the new building will be an indoor playground and a larger kitchen to house the fast food restaurant’s specialized equipment.

“It will contribute to the town,” board member Chris Campeau said.

In Feburary, Campeau told the architect who presented the original design: “You need to come back with a solution that’s more respectful of our town.”

Board chairman Claude Pritchard said the revised design was, “much better than the original.”

Franchise owner Juan Acevedo told the board in February that the building was more than 30 years old and needed to be replaced.

“It is literally falling apart right now,” he said.

In other business, the board:

• Gave final approval to a medical building at 405 W. 5th St. next to Daniel’s Orchard.

The 3,300-square-foot building will house a pediatric dentist and another tenant. It’s set to replace a two-story home that currently sits on the property.

• Gave final approval to the construction of a four-story, 71-room Comfort Inn on Holiday Drive.

• Voted unanimously against a request by CVS Pharmacy on North Main Street to replace its existing sign with a red LED electronic reader board.

“We don’t like reader boards,” Pritchard said.

Contact David Berman at 873-9424 ext. 214 or dberman@journalscene.com

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