Drive-Through in High-Rise Stirs Objections

Members of the Glendale Redevelopment Agency said this week they are becoming reluctant about approving a developer’s proposal to build the world’s first drive-through fast-food restaurant in a high-rise office complex in Glendale.

In an interview Wednesday, agency chairman Jerold Milner said he and other members are concerned that permitting McDonald’s to build a drive-through restaurant in the downtown redevelopment zone may compound traffic problems that have grown along with the city’s skyline.

Despite objections by city experts, the redevelopment agency in April approved in concept a proposal to build a drive-through McDonald’s restaurant in a proposed 9-story office and theater complex at 500 N. Central Ave.

But Milner said those plans may change. He called the proposal by the Howard-Platz Group of Glendale “a brand new concept. Thad makes some of us uncomfortable. What do we do if it doesn’t work?”

Because of questions, agency members met Tuesday in a study session with corporate and local officials of McDonald’s and the developers to discuss potential traffic problems.

Officials of McDonald’s, the world’s largest food establishment, served up their own “Big Mac Attack” in exchange.

Representatives from the McDonald’s restaurant corporate headquarters in Illinois and regional offices in Los Angeles told Glendale officials that they expect to launch a worldwide trend by building the first drive-through food outlet in a high-rise.

“It is unique. We’re looking at a first,” said Martin Silbernik, McDonald’s corporate director of market development, who flew in Tuesday to persuade agency members to accept their concept of the proposed $30-million project.

While no action is permitted during a study session, the Redevelopment Agency is expected to act on the proposal within the next few months. Developers plan to begin late next year.

Even though agency members approved the drive-through restaurant development in concept, several members in the last few months have expressed reservations about the project as the city grapples with problems stemming from increased traffic congestion. “We are taking a closer and more critical view of everything that relates to vehicles in the downtown area and throughout the city,” Milner said. “We are becoming more sensitive.”

McDonald’s currently operates an outlet with a drive-through at the 500 N. Central site that is among the most successful McDonald’s in Southern California, company officials said. However, city officials have long complained that the intersection also is one of the most congested in the city.

At question is whether the city should permit McDonald’s to build a drive-through food service into the proposed new restaurant, which would be almost twice the size of the current facility. City officials could prohibit the drive-through service, or eliminate the restaurant altogether.

McDonald’s officials argue that the drive-through convenience is vital to the success of the outlet, accounting for 42% of all current sales, said Herb Kurit, owner of the local franchise.

Four of the five City Council members, who also sit as the Redevelopment Agency, said earlier this year that they are reluctant to force the food chain to alter its operation in Glendale by eliminating the drive-through service.

Until now, Councilman Larry Zarian was the lone dissenter, saying the heavy traffic that would result from the expanded service would compound congestion. City officials said the current outlet serves about 103 drive-through customers an hour. The proposed development could dish out food to drivers of 240 cars per hour by operating more drive-through lanes.

Other agency members now also say they are concerned. Mayor Carl Raggio said Wednesday that after learning about potential traffic tie-ups from city staff members, “I want to take a harder look” at the project.

Silbernik on Tuesday, however, said loss of the drive-through service would hurt the local outlet financially.

Patricia A. Howard, regional real estate manager for McDonald’s, said that while some of the chain’s outlets are in shopping malls and office buildings, they are less profitable than drive-through facilities, particularly in Los Angeles, where the density of inner-city work force is less than cities such as New York and Chicago.

The Howard-Platz proposal calls for the McDonald’s to be built on the ground floor of an office building at the corner of Central and Milford and for a multilevel parking structure for 472 cars and a five-screen, 1,600-seat theater to be built over the parking structure at the corner of Milford and Orange.

Greg Hillgren, a partner in the Howard Platz group, said provisions allowing the drive-through service are integral to the project.

Tom Horne, city traffic and transportation administrator, said inclusion of a drive-through restaurant in the proposed development could increase traffic in the area by about 15% over the amount expected without a drive-through. But in either case, Horne said, the project in the already congested redevelopment zone is bound to contribute to traffic tie-ups.