LOCCA worries about appearance of replacement eatery at Tackett’s Mill

The McDonald’s Restaurant at Tackett’s Mill is being demolished and replaced with a new one, and LOCCA/PELT civic association is concerned with signage and that the replacement may not match the Williamsburg theme of the shopping center.

Interested residents were able to get a peek at the July 25 meeting of the civic association at 7:30 p.m. in the Occoquan Room at McCoart Government Center off Prince William Parkway.

Jack Kooyoomjian of the civic association said July 17 that Mike and Ivana Benner were invited to the session to discuss their plans. The couple is the franchisee for the Tackett’s Mill store and the nearby McDonald’s on Old Bridge Road.

Kooyoomjian explained that the existing Tackett’s Mill eatery dates from the 1980’s, and that a review of the site plan and the special use permit (SUP) does not compel the company to do anything beyond general zoning requirements.

Kooyoomjian noted Mike May’s office looked into the matter, that the current architecture is not proffered or conditioned and that there is no requirement for LOCCA/PELT or any other community group to be given a courtesy review of the new establishment. May represents Occoquan District on Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

Tom Burrell of LOCCA/PELT emailed May, saying he is concerned that a picture of the new restaurant hanging on the fence at Tackett’s Mill ” indicates they intend to build the same type of new corporate style facility they have put in down Old Bridge next to Wendy’s and further up Old Bridge at the Glen. This architecture doesn’t even come close to what’s there or even complementing what is there.”

Kooyoomjian noted the Benners are not the franchise owners of the McDonald’s at The Glen.

Ed Cronin, Mike May’s aide, notified LOCCA/PELT that the Benners have “expressed the importance of McDonald’s reaching out to LOCCA/PELT to present their idea with respect to the new building going up at Tackett’s Mill,” according to Kooyoomjian.

“They are firmly committed to making this one of their more unique and beautiful restaurants, and Mr. Benner has informed [us] that they will eventually contact LOCCA to present you their plans for your review. After speaking to county staff, the best and only chance to get some input in any facet of design will be when/if they ask for a change in signage,” Cronin emailed LOCCA.

Concerns with the new McDonald’s came soon after LOCCA went toe-to-toe with the new Patient First facility at Tackett’s Mill. The health business planned to build its standard white building with green roof. Talks with LOCCA and the county led to the facility’s being built of tan brick, more in keeping with a Williamsburg theme and the rest of the architecture at the shopping center.

Kooyoomjian explained that Tackett’s Mill is the first mixed-use zoning in Prince William County, having been approved by the board of supervisors in July 1980. The site originally was Lake Ridge Shopping Center, anchored by Safeway and People’s Drug Store.

LOCCA met many times with Weaver Brothers, the mortgage holding company and parent of Ridge Development Co., the developer of Lake Ridge. Since the shopping center was in a 100-year flood plain, two ponds and an earth dam were installed to address the issue.

“We held several mini-charettes to see what would go in the shopping center. Ridge asked for comments from the community, which was done through LOCCA/PELT. Bids were asked for, and three firms bid against each other for the architectural contract,” Kooyoomjian reported. A Willliamsburg theme then was selected for Tackett’s Mill.

When the existing McDonald’s was built at Tackett’s Mill in the 80’s, “they didn’t believe us on the sign (requirements), so they put in a free-standing, golden arches. People went in and told them they wouldn’t come back until the sign were removed,” Kooyoomjian recalled. “The manager called McDonald’s and told them he would resign if corporate didn’t take the sign down. People were so upset! In a week, the sign was gone.”

The association official added that existing plans call for a new, freestanding sign for the restaurant. The new facility would have yellow and white striped awnings and no child play area.

Since the 80’s, “things have been cool until the fence,” Kooyoomjian said. The county has issued a permit for razing the Tackett’s Mill eatery and building a new one. A tall, chain link fence surrounds the site as demolition work progresses.

Kooyoomjian noted LOCCA also had hoped to have input on Benner’s other McDonald’s store on Old Bridge Road during its rebuild, but that did not happen.

“McDonald’s needs to communicate and be part of the community and not ignore the residents,” Kooyoomjian concluded.