In the “Another one bites the dust” column, the Greenwich Time reports that Bella Nonna restaurant in Cos Cob is set to be razed and turned into a Chase Bank, complete with drive through lane(s).
Just what we need. Another bank in Cos Cob. Like we don’t already have Bank of America, Citibank, Hudson Valley, People’s Bank and the new Greenwich Bank and Trust at the Hub. (Did I forget any? There are so many it’s hard for me to keep track.)
The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed preliminary site plans for the branch Tuesday, asking the Chase project team to reconsider traffic and parking implications for the 371 East Putnam Ave. property, adjacent to Mead Avenue, before returning for final approval.
Saying Chase had already leased the Bella Nonna property, which owns the Bella Nonna space, attorney Jennifer Porter of Newark-based Gibbons P.C. said the bank intends to raze Bella Nonna and construct a 2,702-square-foot building in its place.
The preliminary plan details a shared parking lot between the bank and Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins, its neighbor to the east. Cars would enter through a common entrance on East Putnam Avenue and turn right to reach the bank, circling counter-clockwise to use one of two drive-up lanes. Dunkin’ Donuts traffic would enter and turn left to reach the restaurant, circling it clockwise to exit again on Putnam Avenue. A separate exit and entrance on Mead Avenue is also proposed.
Dunkin’ Donuts already creates traffic and parking issues at peak hours at that busy intersection, where you’ve got Cos Cob School traffic and kids crossing. And according to Town Planner Diane Fox, the intersection of East Putnam at Mead Avenue has one of the town’s higher accident rates.
Chase has branches in Old Greenwich, Mason Street, Riverside, and having bought WAMU, on Greenwich Avenue as well. Is there really a need for another branch in Cos Cob?
Pretty soon, instead of the “The Hub”, we’ll have to start calling it “Banksville”.
