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Design Review Board approves Restaurant Depot plan, asks applicant to return with facade alternatives
Summary
The Waterford Design Review Board conditionally recommended approval of a site plan for a 45,000+ sq ft Restaurant Depot at 161 Waterford Parkway North on Feb. 24, 2026, asking the applicant to provide alternative facade treatments to break up the building's massing before the Planning & Zoning review.
The Waterford Design Review Board on Feb. 24 conditionally recommended site-plan approval for a proposed Restaurant Depot at 161 Waterford Parkway North, with board members asking the applicant to return with alternative designs to reduce the building's visual bulk.
The applicant, represented by Chaz Evans of Bowler Engineering and Heather M of ADA Architects, presented a roughly 45,000-square-foot, 34-foot-high precast concrete building in Restaurant Depot's white-and-blue corporate palette. The proposal includes four recessed loading docks on the west side, a generator and enclosed compactor area, pallet-level customer loading, and a south-facing customer entrance. The team said the project fits within required parking and zoning standards and retains much of the previously approved site footprint.
Board members said the elevation as presented appears as a large, unbroken box that could be more visually engaging. "The white and blue is kind of Restaurant Depot's typical color scheme," Heather said while walking through elevations and materials, and commissioners immediately focused on ways to direct the eye to the entrance and to break up the facade.
Commissioners proposed several low-impact strategies: a painted portal over the entry, horizontal or vertical stripe accents, textured precast panels, or a modest canopy where site geometry permits. One commissioner suggested attaching a lattice with climbing plants to soften expanses of wall; the applicant cautioned about maintenance and water intrusion for plants on walls but said paint, portals or applied textures are workable options.
The applicant said an existing 25-to-30-foot planting buffer along Waterford Parkway North, together with added islands and new plantings in the parking field, will help screen the building from much of the roadway. Planting sizes were clarified: canopy trees are proposed as 2.5-inch caliper honeylocusts at installation (about 5'to 6 feet tall). Site drainage adjustments include a new catch basin with a sump and hood at the loading-edge coordinated with town staff and draining to the existing stormwater pond. The applicants also confirmed an internally-illuminated tenant cabinet on the plaza's pylon sign is anticipated.
After discussion, the board voted to accept the review with the understanding that the applicant will return with design alternatives for the board's recommendation to the Planning & Zoning Commission ahead of the March 10 site-plan hearing. The motion carried by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded.
Next steps: the applicant will provide alternative facade concepts for the board's review and the Planning & Zoning Commission will act on the formal site-plan application on March 10.
