Politics & Government

New Dunkin' Donuts Design Delayed at Architecture Board

Architecture firm to revise and re-present to panel Sept. 18

More changes are coming to the as yet unbuilt Dunkin' Donuts planned for the site of a former gas station at 525 E. Main St.

The Kent Architectural Review Board tabled a vote Tuesday on a new building design for the coffee and donuts shop, which already from the Kent Board of Zoning Appeals and from the Kent Planning Commission earlier this year.

Elizabeth Eaken of , and a member of the architecture review board, presented the new building design on behalf of franchisee David Bloom Tuesday afternoon.

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Eaken said since the planning commission approved the plans Bloom obtained the property to the north of the site. As a result, the rectangular-shaped building's orientation was changed to a north-south stance.

"Now that we have more depth to the site we can situate it in more of a Dunkin' Donuts fashion," Eaken said. "Now what we have is more of a traditional look."

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The original design prompted from one member of the zoning board.

The building orientation change led to changes in the structure's overall design and exterior, which means Bloom must repeat the city planning approval process. The new design and site plan — substantially different from plans presented July 19 — is scheduled for review by the planning commission Oct. 2.

Members of the architectural board offered several suggestions for changing the new design, including adding more windows. They also were critical of the new design's lack of an entrance facing Main Street.

Architecture board member Doug Fuller said he thought the new design worked well with the building's main entrance oriented towards University Drive.

"My main concern is how the building feels from Main Street," he said.

The architecture board does not have to issue a certificate of appropriateness for the project because it is not located in the city's architectural overlay district, which is primarily downtown. However, the board will issue a recommendation to the planning commission prior to the commission's vote in October.

Eaken said the Kent store's design is not a cookie-cutter Dunkin' Donuts building but does include traditional franchise elements.

"You don't ever see, at least that I know of around here, a two-story Dunkin' Donuts," she said. "We'll definitely go back to the office and work on it."


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