★★★★☆
One Patriot Place
Foxborough, MA 02035
http://www.patriot-place.com/

foxboro-011.jpgYesterday my friends and I headed to the new Patriot Place in Foxboro do some wheelchair accessibility reviews for it was such a warm and beautiful day. Patriots Place is a new outdoor shopping area located right next to Gillette Stadium, home of New England Patriots. There are some stores and restaurants now open but many more to open soon as well as a hotel too. Click on the website above to see what’s here and what’s coming soon. The most exciting place is   ‘The Hall’ at Patriots Place which opens on September 22.

foxboro-015.jpgPatriot Place is a big place and I recommend that you bring a Power Chair or a friend to help push your wheelchair for there is much area to travel. I would have been using my power chair yesterday but it died some time ago and I’m hoping to get a new Permobil Power Chair soon.

cbs-scene-035.jpgThere is a large parking lot located in front of Gillette Stadium that has only handicap parking spaces which is great.  Right next to a three story staircase that leads to Patriot Place is a building that has restrooms and elevators. The elevators will take you up to Patriot Place.

foxboro-019.jpgEntry doors leading into this building are not automatic so you will need help with opening the door. The restrooms are very wheelchair accessible with all the ADA requirements met and the accessible sinks are a perfect height for my wheelchair. The elevator is very spacious and can fit you in your wheelchair with many more people.

You can also park in a parking lot located at a higher level right in front or behind Patriot Place. These parking lots have plenty of handicap parking spaces.
 
foxboro-014.jpgOnce at Patriot Place I noticed something very helpful for persons with visual problems like me. The stone path that persons in wheelchairs follow have a much lighter colored stone which is a nice contrast to the darker brick paths that lead to stairs. The lighter stone path leads to all the sloped walkways and keeps you away from any stairs and every area of Patriot Place is wheelchair accessible.  I think the designers did a great job making Patriot Place very wheelchair friendly. It really helped me a lot while I was here. 
 
foxboro-016.jpgMore public restrooms are located on the third level. You will need help with opening the door that leads to the hall where the restrooms are located for the door is not automatic. Once inside I found the restroom to be very wheelchair accessible with all the ADA requirement met.  The sinks are also of a good height for my wheelchair.
 
foxboro-020.jpgThere are many stores and restaurants located at Patriot Place. I noticed that a few of the places that are already open have automatic doors. Old Navy, Showcase Cinema and CBS Scene are a few places with automatic doors. Since it was such a beautiful, warm and sunny day Ric and I had a soda at CBS Scene on their outdoor patio and got to watch some New England Patriot films on their large movie sized  Flat Screen TV while enjoying a fantastic view of Gillette Stadium.

foxboro-025.jpgI give Patriot Place FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. They can earn the Fifth Star if they install automatic entry doors at the entrance of the building with elevators and the entrance to the hall where the public restrooms are located. I give the Designers and Architects FIVE STARS for exceptional accessibility design of the outdoor stone walkway that has contrast in colors of the lighter stone paths leading to sloped areas for wheelchair users and  the darker brick paths with stairs. Persons in wheelchairs with visual problems and Moms with children in strollers will benefit from this design. The contrasting walkway is really fantastic and I hope to see more places do this!