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Board to hear proposal for former B’Shara’s Restaurant

Date: 10/4/2011

Oct. 5, 2011

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Residents who travel along the stretch of Riverdale Street between the Piccadilly Pub restaurant and the Riverdale Shops may soon see activity at the site of the former B’Shara’s Restaurant.

On Oct 19 at 7:10 p.m., the West Springfield Planning Board will host a public hearing on a special permit request by Paul Longtin of Westfield, director of LeClerc Realty, to redevelop the property at 1268 Riverdale St., to bring in a fast-food style restaurant. The hearing will take place in the second floor auditorium of the J. Edward Christian Municipal Office Building at 26 Central St.

“It’s not really a change of venue, it’s just a change of the type of restaurant,” Longtin said. “We think it will be an upgrade to the property and in continuity to the businesses along that strip.”

Longtin confirmed to Reminder Publications that LeClerc Reality also owns the Hooters restaurant, located on the site of the former Bickford’s, on property adjacent to the B’Shara’s parcel.

According to information provided by Planning Department Director Richard Werbiskis, Longtin is requesting permission to partially demolish the existing building to construct a 3,384 square foot, 70-seat take-out restaurant on the site. The special permit request also includes plans for parking and other improvements at the site.

Werbiskis said though the business on the property was a restaurant in the past, the change from a sit-down operation to a take-out fast food business requires the board’s approval of a special permit. He said the board’s main concerns would be traffic flow on to and off of Riverdale Street from the new business.

Longtin confirmed that the new business would most likely be a national chain restaurant, but did not specify which one would eventually occupy the redeveloped space.

“We’re speaking with a couple of different restaurants at this time,” he said.

Debbie Gardner can be reached by e-mail at debbieg@thereminder.com



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