Minnehaha Park

[fehler]

So, should I be concerned that the "new" plans for the Dairy Queen at Minnehaha Park renovation/tear down include a drive-thru window on the building, but the site plan doesn't have a drive-thru lane to get to the window? Seriously, its a window right above a "landscaping". They're not fooling anyone.

[jhop]

Ick. No more drive thrus. We have that coffee place with one. While it was put in place rather tastefully, this intersection is getting congested, with the cars, bikes, people, dogs, kids.... having blind curves and more curb cuts will end with injury and other bad things.

[MNdible]

I'm assuming that what you're seeing is their default building design that hasn't been updated properly. It doesn't look like there's room on that site for a drive-thru even if they wanted one.

[DanfromSE]

I happen to frequent this place quite a bit. I can't see one reason not to allow the drive thru. It is a corner lot that would allow tasteful in and out of vehicles. With the new investment, they are likely to stay open all year adding more tax revenue to the city. Everybody wins. Nobody loses. Small oversight on the site plan...there is plenty of room on that lot.

[fehler]

The site has the space, but the building is located oddly on it. It's scrunched all the way to the cornor. I don't know why, if its zoning setbacks or its just where the foundation was set that many years ago. I don't know what would need to change to move the building.

But they need a large patio in front for the park goers. And I've never seen a drivethru with a large front patio. I could easily see having the window at the back of the resturant, but I have no idea how that would work internally (I'm guessing it wouldn't).

Now, you could spin the building, putting the "front" serving and patio facing the side street, then the auto entrance on Minnehaha and side drive thru could be easily incorporated. But I don't know what zoning/rebuilding that would entail.

[MNdible]

Standard drive-thru layout is a big U -- in on the right, around the back, and out on the left.

The city would never allow a curb-cut that close to the corner, though, and rightly so, as it would be bad for traffic and pedestrians.

[Nordeast Homer]

Maybe it's just mislabelled and it's a walkup window like the older stores have? (I know it's not, but it'd be nice if it were.)

[DanfromSE]

There is a giant hole in the ground where this DQ stood. It seems to me they are preparing for a much more substantial basement / foundation than that for a solitary DQ?