Dunkin’ Donuts will also build in Medina

Massachusetts company expects stores to open in Albion and Medina in early 2014

Courtesy of CHA – JFJ Holdings added a turning lane leading to the drive-through based on a recommendation from the Orleans County Planning Board.

MEDINA – Dunkin’ Donuts is working to bring a store to Medina at the southeast corner of the routes 31A and 63 intersection. The site is outside the village in the town of Shelby.

Brian Bouchard, assistant project engineer for the CHA firm in Syracuse, presented a preliminary plan to the Shelby Planning Board on Tuesday. He expects the formal site plan to go before the Orleans County Planning Board on Oct. 24 with the town giving a final vote in early November.

The site is vacant and would have a 2,000-square-foot building, just like the project in Albion. That site on South Main Street next to Tim Hortons was given a final vote of approval tonight from the Village of Albion Planning Board.

Bouchard said JFJ Holdings will work to close on the property in the next two weeks. JFJ is based in North Andover, Mass. The company owns about 200 Dunkin’ Donuts, Bouchard said.

Both the Albion and Medina sites are close to two state roads. Medina’s would be at the intersection of 31A and 63 while Albion is on Route 98, four buildings north of Route 31.

The Albion site includes a big warehouse just south of the railroad tracks. Charles Breuilly of Albion owns the site. Bouchard said the company will likely have to do some asbestos abatement before the building comes down. He would like the site to be cleared in a month so contractors can work on building the parking lot and the foundation so the shell of the building can be up before winter.

If the weather cooperates, Bouchard said it’s possible the Albion store could open in January. If the weather slows down construction, the store may not open until March or April, he said.

The site includes driveways on Main and Platt streets. The Platt Street driveway will line up directly across a driveway that leads to the parking lot for CRFS.

The site plan was tweaked after last Thursday’s County Planning Board meeting when the board recommended JFJ add a turning lane near the Platt Street driveway. The lane will accommodate cars waiting to turn into the drive-through lane. Planners worried there could be a backup of cars waiting to get into the drive-through.

If the parking lot and driveways are congested, JFJ is willing to add a three-way stop near the drive-through to help facilitate traffic flow, Bouchard said. Village officials and the company will see how the site works before committing to the three-way stop.

“If it becomes an issue, we’ll do something,” Bouchard told the Village Planning Board tonight.

The new Albion store will have 30 seats inside, 46 parking spaces, a 230-square-foot freezer next to the building, and a drive-through lane that can accommodate 10 vehicles.

The site plan for Medina will be a little different because the site isn’t as long and narrow as the Albion location. The building, however, will be identical, Bouchard said.

He expects the Medina store will open about a month after Albion.