On the move
Dunkin' Donuts relocating to new digs
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

PHOTO BY ROB PRICE Dunkin' Donuts, located at 353 W. Morris St., will move across state Route 415 to a site west of the intersection with Water Street.

BATH - Grabbing a donut and a cup of coffee on West Morris Street is about to get easier.

The Bath village planning board Thursday approved site plans for a new Dunkin' Donuts on the west corner of state Route 415 and Water Street. Architect Chris Boyea of Boyea Engineering, Albany, said the current Dunkin' Donuts, located further west and on the south side of West Morris Street, will reopen on the Water Street site in a new building, a larger parking lot, ingress and egress lanes of traffic and a grassy area planted with evergreen trees.

The owner of the local Dunkin' Donuts franchise, identified as Cafua Management Inc., of Massachusetts, will close out its lease for the current Dunkin' Donuts location at 353 W. Morris St., Boyea added. The owner of record for that property is East State Road Corp. of Williamsville, NY, according to the Bath town assessor's office.

Future plans for the current site were not discussed at the planning board meeting.

The new location will feature more convenient access and parking than Dunkin' Donuts' current location, with 19 parking space and handicapped accessibility, Boyea said. Planning board members also agreed green space located along Water Street will improve the appearance of the area, which currently is dominated by empty buildings.

Discussions are underway with state permitting agencies and utilities, such as the state Department of Transportation and Bath Electric Gas and Water Systems. Boyea noted the new site will include a coordinated storm water management system that in the case of flooding would overflow into the New York state storm water system along Route 415.

In addition to approving the site plan, planning board members also performed an environmental assessment of the project and declared it would have no significant environmental impact.

Boyea indicated engineers would pursue necessary permits while also working with the village codes enforcement office. He did not offer a possible date for construction.