Plan To Build Starbucks Coffee Shop In West Hartford Unveiled

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Caffeine addicts may have a new place to address their cravings, with the West Hartford Town Council receiving an application Wednesday to build a new Starbucks coffee shop in town.

Tuesday's action from the council was merely procedural, as it formally accepted the application, then scheduled a public hearing for the proposal at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at West Hartford Town Hall.

Technically speaking, the applicants are seeking an amendment to the town's "special development district" at 433 S. Main St. to allow for the Starbucks eatery.

SDD applications require council approval in addition to land-use commissions.

The applicant is known as "Corporate Center West Associates LLC," which owns the parcel where the Starbucks would be located.

It is pitching a mixed-use development that, in a yet-to-be-filed application, would also include a large expansion of the Hartford Healthcare facility nearby.

Wednesday's application was to amend the special district to allow for the single-story Starbucks eatery.

According to plans submitted to the town, the new coffee shop would be 2,417 square feet.

Amending the development district would create a 1.06-acre parcel for the Starbucks, according to attorney Lawrence S. Shipman.

Shipman is representing the applicant through the Shipman, Shaiken & Schwefel law firm out of West Hartford.

In a memo submitted to the town, Shipman explained the Starbucks site is only one phase of larger planned developments.

Namely, he wrote, plans also call for a 24,000-square-foot expansion of the nearby Hartford Healthcare facility.

Shipman said Starbucks would especially be utilized by workers at nearby 140,000-square-foot office building, a 12,400-square-foot Hartford Healthcare facility (that is pegged for expansion) as well as proposed residential development planned nearby.

"Starbucks is a logical addition to the South Main Street-New Britain Avenue corridor," wrote Shipman.

"It will provide a significant amenity to the occupants of the existing office building, the expanded HHC facility and the projected future residential/apartment development planned for another portion of the overall site."

In addition to the actual Starbucks building, the plan also includes the reconfiguration of the parking layout, installation of new landscaping, lighting and pedestrian amenities.

To watch the Sept. 28 West Hartford Town Council meeting, click on this link.

To view the full application submission, click on this link and scroll down to Page 310.