New restaurant to replace Squires in Hanover - and with a large addition

• Plans submitted to the planning board include a 57% increase in building size
• A patio space, 1,404 square feet, would be added
• Squires closed abruptly in August 2021

HANOVER — A Mexican restaurant is slated to take the place of local favorite Squires in Hanover after the new owners expand the space, add parking and sidewalks and build a large patio.

The owners of Cancun restaurant in Kingston applied to the Hanover Planning Board to increase the size of the restaurant by 57% percent.

The lawyer for the project, Lindsay Wilson, said during a meeting Monday that owner Ezequiel Sandoval has been operating the Cancun since 2006.

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"They want to take what was a startup in Kingston and they're looking to expand into Hanover and grow the business," Wilson said.

Plans for the project include changing the façade, adding a storm water management system, repaving the parking lot and new landscaping.

The 3,000-square-foot building would see a 1,710-square-foot addition, and a 1,404-square-foot patio. The seating capacity would be 138.

Engineer Erik Shoumaker, with McKenzie Engineering, said many of the improvements to the site will bring it into compliance with current building codes.

Wilson said parking concerns should be alleviated by an agreement with the next-door business, KAM Appliances, to use their parking lot in the evenings.

"That compliments our use as an evening-driven dinner business," Wilson said.

While Cancun in Kingston has murals and a colorful palette, the new restaurant would have muted colors and no murals, at the direction of the planning board.

Squires had a liquor license, but planning board members said they don't know if the license will transfer over to the new restaurant.

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The next hearing on the project is set for Feb. 28.

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Reporter Fred Hanson contributed to this report. Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@patriotledger.com.