CB 10 approves TN McDonald’s final rebuild plan

CB 10 approves TN McDonald’s final rebuild plan|CB 10 approves TN McDonald’s final rebuild plan|CB 10 approves TN McDonald’s final rebuild plan
Community News Group / Patrick Rocchio|Community News Group / Patrick Rocchio|Photo courtesy of CB 10

A long-time business got its community’s stamp of approval for a renovation.

McDonald’s Throggs Neck location, a fixture at the corner of Philip and East Tremont avenues since the 1970s, got Community Board 10’s unanimous approval on a plan to completely rebuild its restaurant at a public hearing on Thursday, February 15.

The restaurant had come before the board to present an initial plan for reconstructing what is currently a 3,900 foot structure on East Tremont Avenue in June 2017 as part of a Board of Standards and Appeals zoning variance application.

After receiving CB 10’s feedback, the owner/operator, Sam DeLuca, Jr., who is looking to upgrade the restaurant as part of an overall plan by McDonald’s Corporation to modernize many restaurants, took that input and altered the design.

“For several months we have been working with the community board on plans to modernize our McDonald’s restaurant,” said DeLuca. “Based on community feedback, we revised our plan, including the configuration of the drive-thru, in order to best serve both our guests and the community.”

The plan provides for an elongated driveway that could provide enough space for those using the drive thru , centers the restaurant towards the middle of the property, includes a dozen parking spaces in a parking lot that will be separated from the drive thru, which will now offer two menu boards to facilitate ordering.

A new McDonalds is also under construction on Southern Boulevard at Fordham Road. The design is expected to be similar.
Community News Group / Patrick Rocchio

The existing restaurant structure will be completely rebuilt. The project is expected to take about eight months, according to a presentation at the public hearing.

“Once the modernization project is complete, the new restaurant will deliver an enhanced guest experience with new levels of choice and service, including new ways of ordering with digital kiosks and meals delivered to tables by crew members,” said DeLuca. “We thank the community board for their approval and we look forward to sharing the new McDonald’s experience with our guests.”

Matt Cruz, CB 10 district manager, said that it was the third time that the board had met with the owner/operator’s representatives, and that the members were comfortable with the final drawings.

“We tried to impress upon them that we wanted (drive thru) vehicles to fit as much as possible onto the lot itself,” said Cruz. “The board members had some familiarity with it…and McDonald’s was very helpful in getting us so much information, attending our meetings and responding to our questions.”

With 70 percent of the restaurant’s business at the drive thru, according to the presentation, eliminating traffic spill onto Philip Avenue was crucial to the board, indicated board members.

Bob Jaen, Throggs Neck Merchants Association president, said he believes the plan will make business easier for McDonalds and improve traffic flow, while the more modern look of the building will be a community asset.

Community Board 10 voted unanimously in favor of a plan for a new Throggs Neck McDonalds, seen here from how it will look from above, with a longer drive thru to prevent cars from queuing onto Philip Avenue and a separate parking lot.
Photo courtesy of CB 10

Reach Reporter Patrick Rocchio at (718) 260–4597. E-mail him at procchio@cnglocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @patrickfrocchio.