05/26/2023
Well said!
As someone who grew up on Cambridge Avenue off Center Road, I think the Dollar Store proposal on Center Road is a great improvement over two empty buildings and one failed bar after another at that location. And I appreciate that the town will be holding the developer to a higher architectural standard regarding the design of the building.
For those who say we need more restaurants … they are coming. Currently, we have nearly 60 restaurants in town where you can sit down and enjoy anything from a slice of pizza to a fish fry, a delicious Italian meal or a steak dinner. The Ridge has been a great dining and drinking addition. Burger King hopes to open on Ridge Road in June. Rachel’s Mediterranean Grill has one more hurdle to clear before they can begin building near the entrance to Wegmans. Metzger’s has new owners who hope to open a restaurant, likely in 2024, after major renovations. And, there are plans being discussed for new restaurants on Ridge Road, Slade Avenue and Center & Union.
Please be aware that these projects take time. Even smaller projects can take two to three years in many cases.
Yes, we’ve seen the addition of Dollar Stores, car washes and smoke shops. Fortunately, most of these businesses have given new life to buildings that were long vacant.
We’ve also seen the arrival of some new specialty retail. For every Dollar Store, car wash and smoke shop we’ve also seen new retailers that specialize in wedding gowns, kitchen cabinets, prepared meals and bicycles/outdoor equipment. And there’s more on the way.
Additionally, we’ve seen businesses expanding, such as the Western New York Federal Credit Union, Goodwill and Aldi’s … established businesses that wanted to expand upon their existing West Seneca footprint.
In the industrial park, we’re seeing significant growth — both new additions and expansion of existing commercial businesses.
Down East & West Road, we saw a presentation earlier this month regarding the former Developmental Center site that proposed a mix of residential homes and small shops. While nothing is definite, it’s a start … and nothing will happen without dialog. That property is currently owned by New York State.
As for the privately owned Seneca Mall site, our office (the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce) and town officials are in frequent communication with the owners of that property. We bring them development projects, and the answer is always no. We don’t know why. We keep looking for solutions, and although it is difficult, we will keep trying.
And, people do want to move here. New residential developments off Reserve Road and Abbott Road are selling quicker than the builders can put them up!
In November 2022, Business First published an article listing the top municipalities where development is surging, and West Seneca was listed as #9 among all the cities, towns and villages that make up Western New York! That’s incredibly impressive.
So when you ask “what’s wrong with our town,” in terms of economic development, the simple answer is “not much.” Our town’s current elected and appointed officials — both Republican and Democrat — are business friendly and a pleasure to work with. Yes, there’s still work to be done. That will never end. But, in a nutshell, West Seneca is open for business! Even our seasonal farmers' market has grown to over 40 vendors, several of them owned by West Seneca residents.
If you’d like to continue this conversation, please stop by the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce office in the West Seneca Community Center & Library. We’re usually here from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.
In the meantime, take some time this long weekend to explore our town. Stop in a new store or restaurant. Check out the new basketball courts, pickleball courts, walking paths, splash pad and the Fitness Court at the Soccer Park. Visit the Charles Burchfield Gardenville District and see the work being done there. Check out our beautiful library, our many parks and our Walkway of Freedom in Veterans Park. There’s a lot to be proud of!
— Joe Kirchmyer
Executive Director
West Seneca Chamber of Commerce
