The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Closing bookstore plans draw concerns
Planning Commission worried with proposed traffic pattern in Half Price Books lot
Aspects of a proposal to replace Half Price Books with a potential coffee shop were tabled by Mentor Planning Commission at the last meeting.
Some commission members raised questions during a public hearing on conditional-use permits required for a drive-through and outdoor patio to accompany the new tenant.
Concerns mainly involved circulation of traffic in and around the site at the southeast corner of Heisley Road and Route 20.
Commission member Joseph Sidoti sought assurance that a sign would be posted indicating that the exit onto Route 20 would be clearly marked as right-turn only.
Property Manager Robyn Liberatore said a prominent sign would
be installed.
The size of the drivethrough lane also was at issue.
“We don’t usually have a bypass lane on three sides of a building,” commission member Katherine Cimperman said. “To me, this is just way, way too much traffic for a drive-through.”
She also questioned whether traffic would follow the drive-though lane around the building if approaching from the north. The lane would be on the north side of the building and the pickup window on the west.
“I’m just going to scoot
into the drive-through lane and place my order, rather than going all the way around the building to get into the queue,” Cimperman said.
Access to the patio, which would take up a portion of sidewalk, also was her concern.
Liberatore said the site plans could be revised in response to the comments.
Commission Chairman William Snow asked that both permits be tabled in the meantime.
“I think we need to see a more definitive approach than what we’re seeing here tonight, and maybe some of those questions can be answered,” he said.
The patio conditionaluse permit was unanimously tabled. Cimperman
dissented on tabling the drive-through CUP.
Prior to the votes, Liberatore provided more details on the project.
She said the drivethrough is a key selling point to attract good tenants after the bookstore closes, at the end of the day Jan. 3. Three to four tenant spaces would be created out of the building fronting Heisley Pointe Plaza.
“I know that people have been quick to speculate Starbucks is moving, but we have entertained a number of proposals from quick-service restaurants and financial institutions all seeking to have a drivethrough,” Liberatore said.
She said a fast food restaurant isn’t among the options being considered.
“While Half Price Books has been a well-known and stable tenant, they have not been a generator of traffic, and the back building — the main strip building — has somewhat suffered as a result of that.
“We currently have six vacant spaces, and we believe by attracting a more desirable tenant with higher traffic counts that it will serve as a catalyst to attract better tenants to the main strip, and we would like to renovate that in the next couple of years.”
Facade improvements are planned to the bookstore building as well, and the project must receive reimaging approval from the commission.
“At this point, we would like to have some level of
assurance to move forward with our prospects for the west end cap that the drive-through will be able to go forward,” Liberatore said.
The coffee shop would occupy 2,200 square feet at the western end of the 8,000-square-foot building.
The proposed hours would be from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mondays through Fridays; and from 5 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays and Sundays. The store would have four to six employees per shift.
Four to six tables would be within the patio area There would be total seating for approximately 3650 customers.
Sidoti asked whether Half Price Books would be
relocating. Liberatore said not according to her information.
“They are going to keep Mayfield Heights open,” she said. “They are doing this in conjunction with the expiration of their (Mentor) lease. I’m not sure how long Mayfield has left on their lease, but part of it is that their inventory intake is basically used books and they have struggled over the past couple of years to get inventory in. They have moved inventory from their North Olmsted and Mayfield locations (to Mentor).”
She said the intention is to open some of the new tenant stores by the end of 2018.
The next commission meeting is Jan. 18.