Sweetening Elmhurst, One Doughnut at a Time–Architecture Critic Morgan

Sweetening Elmhurst, One Doughnut at a Time–Architecture Critic Morgan

 

 

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If someone told you that the crowded junction at Smith and River Streets in Elmhurst was the site of one of the town’s newest architectural achievements, you might be perplexed. Searching for a sugar rush and a cup of coffee, you might not even notice the earthy gray-green, single-story commercial block. A modest sign identifies it as the latest Knead Doughnuts store –the fifth of the gourmet bakery’s shops (the first opened downtown in 2016). Doughy treats are the chief attraction here, but the structure itself hits a sweet spot.

 

 

 

 

This is a cooperative venture between partners Mark Van Noppen and Seth Zeren of Armory Development and architect Jack Ryan. The developers purchased one of the most nondescript buildings imaginable, a near windowless block of offices, erected in 1950 by Joseph Votta’s Elmhurst Realty Company; it consisted of four small shops facing the street in a stepped-back-pattern, jammed into a pie-wedge-shaped lot. In the 1980s, the Votta family wrapped the building in faux stucco. In a creative spirit reminiscent of the renovation of the original Miriam Hospital into apartments, the architect and the developers set out, in Ryan’s words, “to transform this cool corner and give it “a better urban presence.” This was accomplished by restoring the sawtooth facade hidden underneath so that there are six individual facades facing Smith Street. All this appealed to Knead owner Adam Lastrina, who says, “We love this area of the city.”

 

 

 

 

The zig-zag storefront is visually daring, its three entrances offering slightly varying paths to a doughnut adventure. Half of the patio is sheltered by the roof above, so that al fresco noshing can take place in the rain. The patio is covered with permeable pavers, while the low cedar enclosure, planted with native inkberry shrubs, defines the edge between the terrace and the sidewalk. As Jack Ryan notes, “For us, it was important to activate the space along Smith Street, but we still wanted to have a clear buffer to the bustle of Smith Street.”  Sidewalk culture–such an important component in a successful urban environment–is sparked and nurtured.

 

 

 

 

Knead’s Modern interior design, the inspiration of Doughnut Meister Lastrina, is tasteful and minimal, with white walls and wooden accents. The zig-zag front wall allowed the architect to manipulate the 2,000-square-feet space, inviting the outside in and the inside out. The irregular floor plan lends itself to natural progression from the narrower ordering counter to an expanded dining area. Best of all there is a well-stocked munchkin-size play kitchen that encourages children to pretend bake their own pastries.

 

Ryan initially proposed adding two floors of apartments above the store, but the neighborhood was less than enthusiastic. On the other hand, neighbors and Councilwoman JoAnn Ryan were very supportive of the doughnut store. Their stable, middle-class, and student-filled neighborhood of Elmhurst has been enriched by a popular coffee spot. As Knead’s Adam Lastrina, notes, “We try to create fun, welcoming spaces.” Yet again we are reminded that Jack Ryan is one of our most imaginative and thoughtful architects, one who is able to produce solid work at often reasonable cost and without unwelcome ego.

 

 

 

 

The best endorsement, came from Lorraine Diaz, an Elmhurst resident of half a century, who was in Knead for the first time. When I asked the hospice nurse, former marathoner, and onetime Sister of Mercy, what she thought of the new doughnut shop, she declared, “This place is alive!”