By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — Representatives for Amazon and its host shopping center on Post Road East appeared before the Architectural Review Board on Tuesday evening with updated plans for the property.

Amazon sought to tweak the “Amazon Fresh” sign on the facade — already the subject of four discussions before the board — to include the words, in smaller size, “grocery store.” That sign, redesigned from the standard branding for Amazon Fresh supermarkets, finally won the board’s approval in April.

And a disused corner of the property, formerly a gas station, at the corner of Church Street South and Post Road East, is now envisioned for a small food establishment, such as coffee or fast-casual food.

“We are looking for the approvals to get a drive-through,” said Frederick Hoag, an architect hired by Post Plaza LLC. “So, we designed a building to accommodate that.”

The new structure would have a kitchen, a small inside dining area and 32 parking spaces outside.

It also would have a roof with three gables of different sizes that would help screen rooftop equipment out of sight, Hoag said.

The plan would juggle some square footage, Hoag said, requiring Zoning Board of Appeals approval.

“It’s a very small footprint of a building …” he said. “You couldn’t put a Wendy’s or a McDonald’s in here.”

“You could do a coffee concept, or a very small food concept,” he said.

“It’s just a very clean storefront,” Hoag said. “We’re trying to landscape the site fairly extensively.”

There were some questions about a seating area and materials used.

ARB member Jon Halper was curious about what businesses might be interested in the space.

“Obviously, this is going to be a challenge for Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, or some other well-known small food business to go into because it’s not their signature buildings,” Halper said. “So, what are you left with in terms of options for who can lease this?”

Hoag said that if, for instance, Starbucks was interested and wanted to alter the plans, they would have to come back to the ARB, and go through ZBA and other approvals.

“Even the neighbors here have been interested in doing some kind of taco or fast-casual concept, so we might get a smaller operator to go in here,” Hoag said.

With no announced tenant, Hoag said the plan was a “placeholder.”

The ARB unanimously gave their support to the concept.

Amazon Fresh sign revised again: It’s a “grocery store”

As for the sign above the main doors for the planned Amazon Fresh supermarket, Garry Potts of Professional Permits, told ARB members that Amazon realized after opening other such locations around the country that some people weren’t sure what Amazon Fresh was.

He asked the board to approve the addition of the words “grocery store,” in smaller size, beneath the word “Fresh” on the already approved Amazon Fresh sign.

“It will still sit within the same footprint,” he said.

Feedback from already opened stores, Potts said, showed that “people didn’t know what Amazon Fresh is, so, going back to the drawing board and adding the words ‘grocery store’ is hopefully going to let them know that it’s open to the public and that they can come in and shop and get their groceries.”

There were no questions. The board voted unanimously to approve the changes to the sign.

Thane Grauel, executive editor, grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond more than three decades. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.