A RENDERING OF the proposed Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse’s new enclosed four-season patio project (at left) and the new covered patio that would be located in front of the existing Bluemercury building that the restaurant will be taking over as part of an expansion project. (WS Development Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Three Planning Board members expressed concerns about the proposed Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse enclosed patio project during a recent meeting.
WS Development Associates Asset Strategy and Development Director Chris Boyce recalled that Davio’s is looking to construct an enclosed four-season patio on the sidewalk next to the high-end restaurant as part of an expansion project that also includes expanding into the current Bluemercury building. The Planning Board held a public hearing on the enclosed patio portion of the Davio’s expansion project after recently voting to designate it as a major change to the Planned Village Development District (PVDD) for MarketStreet Lynnfield.
“This is proposed as a major modification to our Site Plan,” said Boyce. “As a major modification, it is an addition of 1,600-square-feet.”
Boyce said a glass wall would enclose the patio.
“It will have metal piers and a flat metal roof,” said Boyce. “It extends in front of what is now the Bluemercury space.”
Boyce said the enclosed patio will be able to accommodate “72 new occupants.”
“This will have four-top and six-top tables with accessible corridors in between,” said Boyce. “Service will come from the existing kitchen today into this dining patio.”
Boyce said Davio’s will be turning Bluemercury into a “private dining addition.”
“The front of the Bluemercury space today will become outdoor passive seating,” said Boyce. “It will not be enclosed, but it will have a covered roof for weather protection.”
Boyce said the proposed enclosed patio will “maintain the required 8-feet sidewalk clearance at all edges and will not extend further into the pedestrian realm.”
“All sidewalks never get less than 8-feet,” said Boyce. “We learned the one area where that does occur has a lamppost adjacent to the crosswalk. Our proposal would be to move that lamppost into a planter bed.”
In addition to the enclosed patio being 1,600-square-feet, Boyce said the exterior patio that would be located in front of Bluemercury would total 283-square-feet.
Boyce said WS Development is looking to replant two trees that were previously removed in front of Kendra Scott and Bluemercury.
“Those trees were removed in 2019 without permission,” said Boyce. “They were not successful because it was a shaded area, and it has been bricked over. The Design Standards require that we have a tree planted every 50-feet on the property. Our proposal as part of the waiver we are requesting for the street trees would be to relocate these two trees into the planter beds across from Madewell. We feel that will create a real canopy for the trees and the trees would be more successful. Putting the trees back where they previously existed we feel would create kind of a pedestrian pinch point generally with this proposed patio addition.”
In response to a question from Planning Board member Amy MacNulty, Boyce said the interior of the current Bluemercury building would be used for overflow dining and/or a private function room.
“There will be a removable accordion wall in there,” said Boyce. “More often than not, that wall will be closed. Service will go back and forth through it, and it will be a private dining space.”
MacNulty asked Boyce how much Davio’s occupancy would increase by the expansion project.
While Boyce said he did not know Davio’s current occupancy permit, he said the enclosed patio would be able to accommodate 72 patrons. He said the interior of Bluemercury would be able to accommodate 60 guests and the covered patio in front of Bluemercury would be able to accommodate six patrons.
Chair Page Wilkins asked Boyce if he could provide the Planning Board with the occupancy permits for Davio’s and the other restaurants at MarketStreet Lynnfield.
“That would give us a sense of how this compares,” said Wilkins.
Boyce said he would provide the occupancy permit information to the Planning Board.
Wilkins said there are three other enclosed patios at MarketStreet restaurants. If the Planning Board approved the Davio’s project, she asked whether the other restaurants that do not have indoor patios would “want this type of enclosure?”
“Davio’s is our most valued restaurant,” said Boyce. “They have been part of (MarketStreet) since we opened. I think they have become an institution in Lynnfield for a long time. We value them a lot. We would allow a few to do this and a few could afford to this with the cost of construction itself and the success of the restaurant they have. They are an anomaly in some of those ways. In terms of outdoor dining and general patio experience, there are not enough restaurants left with spaces on the property that are conducive to this. This is a wide zone. It is really dictated by where they are on the property, and how any kind of patio can be justified with the success of the restaurant.”
MacNulty requested to receive more information about how often pedestrians use the sidewalk where the new Davio’s enclosed patio would be located.
“In general, I like the design because it is glass,” said MacNulty. “When I walk through MarketStreet and Davio’s has the patio outside, you feel like you are walking through somebody’s dining room as opposed to La Gallina, Alchemy, the Yard House or Burton’s Grill, which you are not walking through. There is something to be gained to have it enclosed.”
While MacNulty said she likes the design of the proposed enclosed patio and believes “it will be pleasant to walk by,” she said “it seems big to me.”
Planning Board member Ed Champy said the proposed enclosed patio would make the current sidewalk “feel a little tight.”
“I do like the structure and I appreciate our community will be able to use it,” said Champy.
Before the Planning Board held the public hearing on the enclosed patio project, Wilkins said she, Champy and MacNulty went on site visit to the sidewalk area where it would be located. She noted that the enclosed patio would be across from The Green, which she said is a “large gathering space.”
“Seeing it live felt very closed in,” said Wilkins. “I wonder if there is a way to make it smaller and still a viable space? Is there a way to make this more of a 12-foot sidewalk and still have a viable indoor eating space?”
Boyce said Davio’s and WS Development officials will “spend some time studying” Wilkins’ suggestion.
“I want to be candid that the area we are talking about now is 8-feet, and 12-feet would be really impactful to the business decision because it does limit seats,” said Boyce. “We will study how much we can squeeze that space, and make sure the pedestrian realm feels comfortable for everybody and the seat count still makes sense to go forward.”
Wilkins said architect Walter Adams will be reviewing the proposed Davio’s enclosed patio project to make sure it complies with the Design Standards for MarketStreet Lynnfield.
“We are tasked with whether this complies with the Design Standards and the bylaw,” said Wilkins. “We are going to be looking to his report and his guidance.”
Debston Lane resident Wally McKenzie asked why the Planning Board decided to classify the Davio’s enclosed patio project as a major change and not a minor change to the Planned Village Development District.
“The reason for asking that is we don’t remember any other changes happening up at MarketStreet being called a major change,” said McKenzie.
Wilkins said the Planning Board “highly debated” whether the project was a major change or a minor change because it would affect Davio’s building envelope.
“We discussed it, talked to town counsel about it and we all agreed it was a major change,” said Wilkins.
In response to a question from McKenzie, Planning and Conservation Director Emilie Cademartori said there is 20,585-square-feet of retail and restaurant space available to be built at MarketStreet.
“This would take away 1,600-square-feet, leaving 19,000 and change available,” said Cademartori. “There is still office space available as well.”
After the discussion, Wilkins, Champy and MacNulty voted to continue the Davio’s enclosed patio public hearing until the Planning Board’s next meeting on Wednesday, March 26. Planning Board Vice Chair Kate Flaws and Planning Board member Brian Charville were not present at the meeting.