On Dec. 13 residents of Ellis Avenue in Maplewood received a letter from McDonald’s announcing plans for a new McDonald’s restaurant on the southwest corner of Manchester and Big Bend, which would back up to Ellis, and take two homes on the street. The city of Maplewood has a PDF file of the site plans now available to anyone on request.
A meeting is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22 at the Maplewood Public Library for McDonald’s representatives and Ellis Avenue residents to talk.
The planning and zoning commission will review the request at its meeting on Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. at city hall. The meeting is open to the public, with time for the commission to hear public comments.
See site plans for the proposed McDonald’s.
See also: McDonald’s announces plan for Manchester and Big Bend, Monday meeting with McDonald’s for Ellis Avenue residents only
They can spend a little on the outside or a lot on the outside. It can be yellow or earth tones. The choice is still negotiable. What choices are being made about signage? There are three choices that I know of.
So, even though the mayor likes to mock the people that were against the Quik Trip, the things we were worried about are happening just as we thought. Where does this kind of thinking end? We have a huge, hideous Quik Trip, we’re going to have a 24-hour drive through basically in people’s backyards with the Tim Horton’s and now we will have an enormous, smelly McDonald’s taking down homes and creating more traffic in an already crowded intersection. What is to stop the council, P&Z and our wonderful mayor from allowing these kind of businesses all the way down Manchester.
Everything cannot be about the money. If we turn our city into yet another St. Charles-like suburb our city will no longer be a place people want to live.
Just wondering…… Did the folks who are losing their homes just roll over, or are they being made a $$$ offer that just can’t be refused? I just never heard mention of it. As far as being residential, I would think that residences being taken over means that it is encroaching into the residential area.
The Shell had a long standing good reputation and were good neighbors, so it is a shame they are being forced out in favor of a corporation who cares nothing for Maplewood.
Last point and the one I keep making is that most people get their impression of Maplewood from passing through this intersection. McDonalds does not lend any class to the joint, so to speak. It would be nice if a more unique business would be on that corner.
Wow. Where is the pedestrian access in this site plan? I see no way for a pedestrian on Big Bend or Manchester to get to the building except by crossing curbs, parking, shrubs, driving lanes, etc…
I’m not against McDonald’s building on that corner, but I hope the P&Z and Council demand better than this. It looks terrible. The Tim Hortons isn’t great for pedestrian access either, but it’s not on the major intersection, and it does give a straight access path from an entry off of Hazel.
Look at the McDonald’s in Old Orchard, or on Kirkwood Road. Do not look at the McDonald’s in Rock Hill. We can have a fast food chain in our community, but which would you rather emulate?
Maybe you should invite them to build on your street since you are not opposed to having them,in a residnetial area.
Then you can worry about being able to walk there from your home.
Hi, ‘dontletchainstakeover’. If you’re an Ellis resident, I hope you’re at the meeting tonight and make your concerns known. That being said, the corner of Big Bend and Manchester is not a ‘residential’ area. I hope that the Council holds McDonald’s to some high standards before allowing them to tear down any houses and build on that corner, especially since it’s considered such a great location.
I agree Ian. The reality is that is a commercial intersection. However, I don’t know why they need to acquire any lots on Ellis. The council, p&z and design and review should start being strict on these things. We can have a decent looking McDonald’s that is respectful of its neighbors. I do wish the council would make any business bordering residential streets non-24 hrs. Regarding building design for urban McDonald’s, check this link
http://www.joeyblsphotography.com/photography/beautiful-mcdonalds-highland-in-northwest-indiana/
Exactly what I thought about pedestrian access. It is like they have intentionally planted shrubs to keep people from accessing the site without a car. It is horrible and nothing near an urban design.