We sent D intern Taylor Walker to check out the new mega-McDonald’s in Irving. Let’s see what she had to say about this gi-normous adventure in green design…
I’m confident that the readers of this blog, smart as you are, are well aware that today is Veterans Day, but how many of you know what new holiday was celebrated yesterday throughout the city of Irving? That’s right, thanks to Mayor Herbert Gears, November 10, 2010, shall now forever be known as “Irving Boulevard McDonald’s Restaurant Day.”
Kudos to those of you who remembered to celebrate!
Patrons, staff, and city officials came out to celebrate the opening of a new 7,800 sq. ft. uber-McDonald’s at 302 W. Irving Blvd., the largest built in the U.S. in the past 20 years. The project has been credited with spearheading the revitalization of the city’s Heritage District.
jump to read the whole story…
Heath Massey, one of the store’s operators/owners along with his parents Bill and Gale and sister Chanda, explained that after tearing down their old restaurant and starting from the dirt up, the five-month, $3.2 million renovation was designed with the community in mind. From the park-themed play area equipped with multiple Touch2Play game monitors (and the Tom Sawyer-themed Ronald McDonald keeping a watchful — if inanimate — eye over it) to the plasma TVs and alcoves set throughout the restaurant, it’s easy to understand why the week-old eatery is a new city favorite.
Since its opening last Tuesday, the Irving Boulevard McDonald’s has blown its projections out of the water by bringing in $126,000 during its first week. In order to meet demands, the staff not only had to make several trips to the distribution center in Grand Prairie to obtain more supplies, but also had to be super-staffed. Starting out on Tuesday with 85 employees (already an increase from the previous restaurant’s total workforce), the restaurant now employs around 120 workers, proving its ability to generate jobs and rejuvenate Irving.
Beyond its size and amenities, the Masseys latest McDonald’s is also impressive for its greener qualities. In addition to using an energy management system that controls the store’s temperature and lights in order to maintain its kilowatt usage, the restaurant’s interior and lobby were built out of recycled materials. The sloped roof wasn’t just for looks either. In fact, the slope directs rainwater into a 20,000-gallon storage container where it’s filtered and reused to irrigate the landscaping and wash the parking lot. Add in the LED lights used both indoors and out and the low-flush toilets and the Massey’s effort to go green is clearly visible.
Perhaps the hype will eventually die down, but for now, I’m lovin’ it!
