Burger King's 19th-century industrial look in Paterson, N.J.

http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/story-of-the-week/2006/thinking-outside-the-big-box.html Burger King's 19th-century industrial look in Paterson, N.J. Credit: Adrian Fine Tourists in Freeport, Maine, might think, at first glance, the white Greek revival house on the corner is just another historic mansion. Only when they spy the small sign on the front lawn sporting the trademark gold arches will they realize it's actually a McDonald's.

As unusual as it is, it's one of a handful of McDonald's around the country that have altered the traditional design to fit into a historic environment or planned communities surrounding them. As more historic neighborhoods are being revitalized and more cities are issuing design standards for businesses, many franchises have had to learn how to blend in, rather than stand out. But getting chain stores to give up the flashy looks that make them so identifiable isn't always an easy task. "The question isn't how many are fitting in but how many are willing to fit in?" says Ronald Lee Fleming, president of Townscape Institute, an urban-planning organization based in Cambridge, Mass. Back in 1982, when McDonald's eyed the c. 1850s former sea captain's residence in coastal Freeport as the perfect spot for a burger joint, the house wasn't actually part of the picture. "McDonald's idea was to take the building down; however, there was tremendous resistance, and a group called the 'Mac Attacks' formed and were able to present the argument very effectively that the house shouldn't be demolished," explains Freeport Town Manager Dale Olmstead, adding that the controversy "sparked" the move for Freeport to adopt ordinances that now dictate what businesses can and can't do with their stores.