Newton OK’s Panera for Centre
Aldermen to allow restaurant, despite some opposition
NEWTON - It looks like a
The development, an approximately 4,100-square-foot, 105-seat facility, has raised hackles over not only the future of the property at 1239-1243 Centre St., but also the struggle of smaller restaurants in the area that face limited seating and scarce parking.
Last night’s vote in favor of Panera was preceded by a series of concessions by the developer - which includes Panera and several partners - on both seating and parking, plus a series of promised improvements to the business district.
The project would include approximately 66 interior seats, and about 39 more divided between an indoor and an outdoor seasonal section, an overall reduction of six seats from the plan’s previous 111. The aldermen waived a required 23 parking spaces, based on the reduced seating.
Panera will not add any spaces to the area.
The improvements are set to include a new traffic light, better handicapped access, and village-green improvements. The total value of the improvements is estimated to be between $65,000 and $70,000, developers said.
Last night’s vote by the aldermen removes any city obstacles to the development.
One opponent of the project was Ellen Kaplansky, co-owner of Pie Bakery and Café, just around the southern corner of the village common, at 796 Beacon St.
“I sort of feel like I’ve been sold a bill of goods,’’ Kaplansky said prior to the meeting. “When these larger places open up here, they are going to snuff out smaller places. Not because they sell sandwiches and I sell sandwiches, but because there’s not going to be enough parking and too much congestion.’’
The size of the project, however, according to Gregg Godfrey, a joint venture partner with Panera, is smaller than the typical cafe the company would build. Other Paneras on which Godfrey has worked have 125 to 140 interior seats.
Victoria Danberg, a Ward 6 member of the Board of Alderman, said she sympathized with small business owners struggling with limited seating and expansion tied to parking spaces they cannot add to Newton Centre.
“The entire zoning code needs to be redone,’’ she said before the meeting. “We’re overdue for a complete examination and rewrite. And that rewrite should include the ability for restaurants to not be so burdened by requirements for onsite parking.’’
In the meantime, Danberg said, she and several aldermen have filed a new proposal to allow added outdoor seats at town restaurants in the summertime, without special permits or proportional reduction of indoor seating.
