The new McDonald’s design
Alan Roscoe, the architect shepherding the McDonald’s remodeling application through the planning process, called the past year “time well spent” leading up to the approval finally granted at the planning board’s November 14 meeting.
Work will begin in March or April to change what most board members regarded as one of the ugliest buildings on Main Street into a McDonald’s that Roscoe has said will be unlike any in the northeastern United States.
The current McDonald’s building
Company executives initially wanted to put in large and extensive signage to draw attention to the property in keeping a business model hugely dependent upon people idling engines in a drive-through lane. The palette of the finalized design is much muted one of whites and greys, and considerable details were added at the recommendation of town architect Kurt Sutherland to be more harmonious with the New Paltz aesthetic.
This was the first application for which current board members enjoyed an architect providing them with guidance, in addition to the engineering and legal perspectives they usually receive.
how you going to get the 18 wheelers and tour buses thru the low overhang of the drive thru
Plan looks good, will blend into surroundings better.
But for New Paltz planners…here’s the ugliest building on Main Street – the Yoga/Noodle/Antique/Store on Main Street – how that was approved, and how that has not been cited for multiple violations is beyond me. Next ugliest, the China Restaurant next to Chase…again, how this thas not been mandated to be painted, have the grease-dripping ventilation fans covered or concealed, is beyond me.
And for New Paltz Planners, the dumbest problem on Main Street, caused by the planners, is the unfinished commercial/residential building next to Lola’s…the town needs to fast track whatever is needed to get this building finished and occupied ASAP.
Our town planners tend to get lost in the weeds and not see the glaring needs that stare all of us in the face.
Its great that they got not one, but two architects involved. That shows a committment to a good design and I think it will change an eyesore into a decent looking building.
I wonder if the planners have seen Ralph Arlyck’s 1977 documentary ‘Hyde Park,’ which is largely about a grassroots battle to prevent a McDonald’s from being built close to the FDR and Vanderbilt historic sites. It got built, but there were design compromises, and it was alleged at the time to be the first and only McD’s to deviate from their standard design. No golden arches, more subdued color scheme, less plastic.
That is not often seen, that documentary, but one of Hyde Park’s more involved citizens put it up on YouTube: https://youtu.be/A-pu-rGJFHQ