A Mexican restaurant has been approved by the Durham Planning Board to move into the Mill Plaza in the space next to Rite Aid, which was previously occupied by the Movie Stop. Douglas Greene, the restaurant’s future manager said he is shooting for a springtime opening and also plans to have a liquor license.
Greene applied for three phases of construction of La Paz Mexican Grill.
The first phase entails creating the restaurant, which will seat about 50 people, while adding additional bathrooms and storage space as well as an alternate side entry. The second phase includes installing an outdoor patio to provide outdoor seating for about 30 people. The final phase, which Greene considers to be three or four years away, would be to build an additional dining room or outdoor seating space along the side of the building, which could accommodate another 55 people.
When phase two of the construction commences, seven parking spots that are currently on the side of the building will be removed.
In order to create the patio’s outdoor seating in front of the restaurant, the expansion would creep into the fire land in front of Rite Aid and the future Mexican Restaurant. There was some concern amongst board members as well as residents about the safety issues of eliminating this fire lane.
Board member Kevin Gardener said that there have always been problems with people driving too fast in front of those stores, which include Durham Market Place, Kaleidoscoop, and Rite Aid, because of the curve in the road.
However, Greene said he reviewed the proposal with the fire department, members of which said that expanding the patio into the fire lane was okay because it was not a necessary fire lane.
Gardner also said that the positive of expanding the restaurant into the fire lane was that it would then be even with Kaleidoscoop, which juts out into the fire lane as well.
“We’re trying to get Durham to be a place that is more walkable,” said Gardner. “This might actually help.”
Traffic circulation in the Mill Plaza parking lot in general was a concern of many at the meeting.
“I think this a great plan, and I look forward to eating at this restaurant,” said Durham resident, Peter Anderson. “My one concern is the people coming out of the restaurant who have consumed alcohol and may not be paying attention coming out of the parking lot.”
Anderson said that this specific intersection was already an unsafe one, as last December a 73-year-old woman was struck by a truck and killed in the cross walk next to this intersection.
Some students remarked that currently there aren’t many places to eat in Durham.
Sophomore Liana Newcombe, who doesn’t have a meal plan, said that she doesn’t usually go out to eat in Durham.
“Being a student I don’t have a lot of money, so I don’t go out to eat a lot. But when I do, I usually go to Dover or Portsmouth,” said Newcombe.
A few students eating lunch in the MUB Union Court said they would welcome a Mexican restaurant as an addition to Mill Plaza.
“Mexican equals great,” said sophomore Cameron Borgal. “I hadn’t heard about this before, but when they open I will go definitely go there to eat.”
Another student, sophomore Raymond Jones, said he occasionally eats downtown in Durham but not very often.
“I don’t go out to eat very often, but if it was there I’d go,” said Jones.
Arriba! Mexican restaurant to open this spring
Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Updated: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Be the first to comment on this article!