By Mary Thurwachter
It’s been 10 years since 72 acres of state-owned land — once home to the A.G. Holley state tuberculosis hospital — was sold to developers to build Water Tower Commons, the largest development in Lantana’s history.
While construction was slow to begin at the site on Lantana Road between Andrew Redding Road and North Eighth Street, it has since been populated with hundreds of snazzy residential apartments as well as commercial buildings such as Aldi, Wawa, Chick-fil-A and El Car Wash.
New to the mix are Dunkin’, which opened recently, and two restaurants about to open: Panda Express, a casual Chinese eatery, and Carl’s Jr., an American fast-food burger chain.
Another business, Fifth Third Bank, is under construction.
“When new tenants come in, they look to update the master signage program,” said Nicole Dritz, Lantana’s development director.
To that end, they brought in planner Sandra Megrue and her team from Urban Design Studios, Water Tower’s architectural firm, to address the Town Council on Aug. 12.
“The signage program has already been approved,” Dritz said, “but tenants are requesting a few changes.” For example, Dunkin’ wanted to have twice as many signs as the two it is allowed to have.
Council members held off on approving Dunkin’s request for four signs, but they did like the one that reads “Lantana Runs on Dunkin’.” Dritz said her staff would meet with owners of the coffee and donut shop to discuss a compromise and bring back a proposal later.
The council did approve signs proposed for Panda Express and Carl’s Jr.
Two other Water Tower Commons variances brought forward by Megrue won council approval. One had to do with the landscape plan, in particular a change in some trees planted beside the car wash to better block the view from neighboring houses; another was asking to reconfigure the drive-through lanes at Panda Express and Carl’s Jr.
Megrue said Carl’s Jr. will have outdoor seating, Panda Express will not.
Although it was not part of the variances requested, Vice Mayor Pro Tem Kem Mason was concerned about the noise made by the blowers at the car wash.
“The town manager, Mr. Raducci, and I were both at the very end of the blower and it’s really loud and I was wondering if there’s anything neighborly we could do,” Mason asked, referring to Brian Raducci. “If you’re that house,” the one closest to the car wash, “I think your property value just sunk a lot.”
Mason said the car wash mufflers aren’t doing enough to buffer the noise. He asked if perhaps a sound barrier wall could be put up or vegetation added at the very end where the blowers are located and where cars drive out.
“It’s just not acceptable for the people that live there,” he said.
Hunter Monsour of Lantana Development Company, part of Megrue’s team of experts, told Mason he would go with him to the car wash to inspect the mufflers to see if anything could be done.
“Maybe nothing can be done, but we have to at least try,” Mason said.
Comments