Panera Bread Plans Move Closer to Reality

Plans for in Lower Nazareth Township received conditional approval at Tuesday night's Zoning Hearing Board.

The restaurant chain hopes to open by February 2012 where the former Blockbuster was once located in the Northampton Crossings shopping center.

The currently-empty storefront shares a building with . The site is located behind and across the roadway from .

Alternate board member Michael Gable read the following variances -- adding the conditions for approval. Each was unanimously approved:

• An all-season screen -- such as tall, evergreen bushes -- should be installed so drivers exiting Route 33 cannot see the drive-thru signs.
• The traffic pattern -- in regards to the drive-thru -- should be reviewed by the Lower Nazareth Planning Commission.
• The parking spot closest to the drive-thru exit should be eliminated to reduce any safety hazards.

The new Panera will be one of the chain’s smallest at just 3,860 square feet, but it will have a drive thru -- something other Panera Bread stores in the area do not have, according to Caryl Scobbie, senior development project manager for Panera.

The franchise has 1,400 restaurants nationwide that range in size from 3,800 square feet to 5,000 square feet, Scobbie said at Tuesday night's Zoning Hearing Board meeting.

As for the drive-thru, the calculated wait time from order to pick-up is estimated to be about three minutes and 45 seconds, she added.

“We are actually quicker with the drive-thru than inside,” Scobbie said.

The drive-thru window adds “a 30 percent bump in sales for Panera,” according to Scobbie, who added that without it, the location would not be economically feasible for the franchise.

Panera representatives requested several variances because ordinances have changed since the building was constructed about 10 years ago, according to Lori Seese, the township’s planning and zoning administrator. The requested variances involved setback issues, size of signage, dumpster location, parking, fencing and width of the access-way entrance.

“There is no way this property can be developed in strict accordance to the ordinances," Gregory Elko, a principal with Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, told board members. "Considering that this is an empty building, this will enhance the area of the shopping center.”

Frank Cassio, owner and operator of The Futon Experience, said he is looking forward to having Panera as a neighbor, but he is concerned about the proposed drive-thru being located at the back of his store.

“The drive-thru lane will disturb the way I do business,” Cassio said.

Delivery trucks arrive throughout the day -- at unspecified times -- and they range in size from 20-feet to 50-feet long, according to Cassio.

The current traffic pattern has the trucks heading clockwise around the building to make deliveries behind The Futon Experience, Cassio explained.

With the addition of Panera’s drive-thru, the traffic pattern would change to a counter-clockwise route -- vehicles would enter using the lane near the parking lot’s access way and would then go behind the building, according to Elko.

Plans presented to the board showed a 10-foot lane for drive-thru traffic, a 10-foot lane for bypass traffic and an additional 12 feet of space to the curb.

Because of Cassio’s concerns, the plans were reworked to increase each of the lanes to 12 feet. Elko said the access way will also be widened to 45 feet by adding footage to both sides.

Township solicitor April Cordts said that the setback requests are small, and recommended the board accept them.

After receiving conditional approval Tuesday night, Panera Bread representatives will now take their plans to the Lower Nazareth Planning Commission for approval. The next commission meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 17. If approval is received, plans will then go to the Lower Nazareth Board of Supervisors.

According to Scobbie, plans for the interior design of the restaurant have been completed, and the proper building permits have been obtained.

Construction will take about 77 days, Scobbie said, adding that the hiring and training process will take about one month.

Employees will work one of two shifts, and there will be 10 to 12 employees per shift, according to Scobbie.

Panera Bread restaurants are open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.