Panera plans for second bakery in Coralville

Panera Bread plans to open a cafe-bakery in early fall on First Avenue in Coralville, its third in the Iowa City metro area.

The new cafe will be the second owned by Panera Bread of Iowa, a franchisee, to offer a drive-up window. It will seat about 112.

The construction site has been built up about three feet since a Taco Bell restaurant that was formerly at the location was demolished.

Panera Bread of Iowa Marketing and Public Relations Manager John Kauffman said the site has been elevated to roughly one foot about the peak crest of the 2008 flood, which damaged the Taco Bell.

The location will be roughly midway between UI Hospitals and Clinics and a new outpatient clinic the hospital is developing off First Avenue. The City of Coralville plans to upgrade the First Avenue interchange on I-80 within the next several years.

“We chose this location because of its convenient accessibility to the community and its visitors, and we hope th drive-through element will provide added convenience to the thousands of people who drive through via First Avenue every day,” Panera Bread of Iowa Operating Partner Mike Young said.

The new cafe will employ more than 60 part- and full-time, including about six management positions.

Panera Bread of Iowa operates 18 bakery-cafes in Iowa and Moline, Ill. It is a franchisee of Panera LLC.

In the Iowa City metro area, Panera Bread  of Iowa has operated a location at Coral Ridge Mall since July 1998 and at Sycamore Mall since April 2001.

The company's cafes all feature fresh-baked artisan bread and offer Wi-Fi Internet access.