The proposed restaurant would be the same concept as the Plano location, without the on-site brewing operations, according to a presentation at the meeting. The first location of the restaurant concept in Plano is a “West Coast casual beer approach fused with local roots,” according to its website. The restaurant serves a variety of gourmet, chef-driven food items and beers, including a variety brewed on site, according to its website.
The 5,000-square-foot building being renovated for the project is located at 308 W. Virginia St., near the northwest corner of the downtown square. The proposed renovations would add a nearly 3,000-square-foot covered patio dining space as well as an expansion to add a walk-in cooler at the rear of the building. Previous iterations of the design plan for the project included larger expansions but have since been downsized due to cost constraints, according to a representative of the project.
“We’ve actually owned this building for two years, and we’ve been trying to redevelop this property in the way we see best fit not only for our business, but for the city and the community as well,” owner Preston Lancaster said.
The building was formerly a hardware store and a grocery store, and is listed as a high-priority building on the city’s historic resources survey, according to the presentation. The proposed renovations would retain the historic context and character of the area while also energizing the downtown square, according to a presentation from city planning staff. The project was also considered by McKinney’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board on Jan. 5, and the board granted a certificate of approval for the project, indicating the building update is appropriate for the area, according to city staff.
A neighboring resident voiced support for the project, noting satisfaction with the developer’s plans for adhering to the city’s noise ordinance. Lancaster, the CEO and founder of North Texas-based 33 Restaurant Group, also owns two other downtown McKinney restaurants: Cadillac Pizza Pub and The Yard.
“We think we've been pretty good at The Yard and at Cadillac Pizza in being good neighbors and especially for being good partners with the city of McKinney in the downtown area,” Lancaster said at the meeting.
The requested development standard variances were unanimously approved by the commission at the Jan. 10 meeting.
“I like the project,” Commission Member Brian Mantzey said. “It will definitely improve a building that has been neglected for a number of years downtown.”
