Proposed Patriot Place Expansion Leaves Planning Board Unimpressed

If the Kraft Group want approval for a Patriot Place expansion, they are going to have to do better according to the planning board.

With Kraft Group officials showing an early proposal for an expansion featuring a new hotel, CVS, and quick serve restaurant, the planning board was unimpressed by the site plan, citing a lack of creativity and nothing to connect the south plaza to the north plaza as the reason.

“This just feels a lot more throwaway. It doesn't seem to have the degree of thoughtfulness that is reflected in the north and south marketplace,” Town Planner Sharon Wason said, 

According to the site plan, a limited service hotel, a quick serve restaurant, and a CVS would be built in what is currently parking lots six and seven. Both lots are located next to the Renaissance Inn and are only used on game day and other major events drawing at least 50,000 people.

Currently, there are no companies attached to the hotel or the quick serve restaurant.

The 688 parking spots lost from construction would be moved to excess parking located across Route 1 in P10 and 11.

According to a traffic study done, an expansion would not be a burden as Patriot Place was built to handle 30,000 people. According to Kraft Group officials, the shopping center averages 20,000 a day.

With shoppers unable to conveniently get between the north and south plazas, chairman Kevin Weinfeld was disappointed to see that the new expansion did not help the matter.

“While I respect your right to do this, while I respect your uses, I think it’s not improving that situation,” Weinfeld said, 

With past experiences dealing with CVS, the board was also worried that trucks going in and out of the pharmacy during the day would disrupt traffic and make navigating the parking lot more difficult. 

“There are large trucks that do deliver, it does block off and for a lack of a better term screw up the traffic flow,” Bill Grieder said. “The only thing that is missing is that it’s (CVS) not at the corner of Wall Street and Route 140.”

While the early plans did not get high marks, the board hopes to improve the project in the near future. After the hearing, Kraft Group officials and town consolations were planning to meet to look at ways to improve the expansion.

“We say it out of love because we want you to do as good as you can do,” Wason said of the board's criticisms.

The board will look at the site plan again at the next meeting on June 27.