Garden Village Plaza...A question for the Town Board

[cheektowaga]

So I sit and ponder sometimes about the mentality of some of our Town Board members and taxpayer's (Citizens) of this wonderful town....So we have a developer who wants to beautify and completely rebuild this plaza for office/warehousing and its seems that some people don't want this?

So as I sit and wonder why? It seems from the informational meeting all everyone is concerned with is the truck fumes and wanting retail tentants? I would have to propose this question to any and all concerned is why all of a sudden?

This plaza has been a dump and eyesore for years and now that someone wants to develop it everyone is complaining. So my question is two fold. What should be done with it? Stores, farmers market, restaurants and any kind of shopping, right? Only one problem...no one other than one developer has come to the town with any money or resources to develop it.

It seems anytime someone wants to beautify and make something better all we get are the naysayers that don't want it! So maybe some of our lovely Town officials (Dianne) will step forward with their people that want to develop it? Councilwomen Benzcowski states she wants retail spaces in the plaza! Id like to know who she has to spend the money and develop this plaza for retail, and who would then open shop. Its a bad area for retail, we all know that... Maybe they ought to spend some time on the old Dicks plaza that is set up for retail! I don't see anyone moving in there for retail...If all these people want to open stores in the towns vacant places then where are they? I think the time has come to say thank you and PLEASE to the developers that have the money, want to spend their money in our town instead of trying to scare them off by complaining about them..How long has Garden Villaga plaza been vacant and run down?

[Riven37]

You might want to ask who belongs to PETA because it seems more and more PETA is butting into the EPA business more and more these days. I could care less what is done to that area as long as it is redeveloped and improves the looks and viability of that area. They want a Warehouse fine, offices, small shops etc... as long as the property get redeveloped soon, the property has been a real eye sore much too long.

[WNYresident]

Does make you wonder why Dick's plaza is vacant for so long.

So we have a developer who wants to beautify and completely rebuild this plaza for office/warehousing and its seems that some people don't want this?

What is the actual complaint on this? They object to this because?

[4248]

One point - diesel fumes are less of a worry because of new "Anti Idling restrictions" - years ago these trucks would sit idleing for hours - spewing unburnt diesel fuel and toxic exhaust - called poly nuclears (spelling?) Valid complaint.

Today trucks are actually designed to automatically shut down when idle time limits are reached. Not sure on what amount of time is needed before shut down occurs on each truck model. I had a Penski the other day and it seemed to auto shut down after only a few minutes. Its computer senses the throttle position - shift park position and idle time - as the exhaust sensor sees build up it shuts down.

As far as the rest of this - as long as what's built doesn't negatively affect residents and neighbors - what's the actual issue. The Town Government has the right to regulate/restrict what goes in if its outside the zoned uses - if the zoning is wrong then the developer needs to prove a variance is valid - it should never be automatic.

[SabreTooth]

It seems anytime someone wants to beautify and make something better all we get are the naysayers that don't want it! So maybe some of our lovely Town officials (Dianne) will step forward with their people that want to develop it? Councilwomen Benzcowski states she wants retail spaces in the plaza! Id like to know who she has to spend the money and develop this plaza for retail, and who would then open shop. Its a bad area for retail, we all know that... Maybe they ought to spend some time on the old Dicks plaza that is set up for retail! I don't see anyone moving in there for retail...If all these people want to open stores in the towns vacant places then where are they? I think the time has come to say thank you and PLEASE to the developers that have the money, want to spend their money in our town instead of trying to scare them off by complaining about them..How long has Garden Villaga plaza been vacant and run down?

garden village plaza sat run down and vacant for over 6 years and holtz, kaminsky and rogoski didn't do a dam thing about that mess all this time. now dianne gets on the board only 7 months and puts the pressure on benderson to do something with it.

[WNYresident]

garden village plaza sat run down and vacant for over 6 years and holtz, kaminsky and rogoski didn't do a dam thing about that mess all this time. now dianne gets on the board only 7 months and puts the pressure on benderson to do something with it.

Being proactive is a good thing.

[dgrzeb]

We go by this plaza 4-5 times a week, it's just horrible, run down, I can't remember it being viable for anything, it's time to let ANYTHING go in there...

[cheektowaga]

I believe you got my point incorrect! My point was that Dianne is against Benderson Developing this commercially...She has stated she wants retail. So my point is show me someone other than Benderson willing to remodel this complete complex and move in. If she has potential retail tenants than show me! Its been left alone and now they want to develop it commercially and she is against it!

[4248]

Isn't that where some of the Walden GEX Flea Market people were supposed to relocate to ?

[SabreTooth]

Isn't that where some of the Walden GEX Flea Market people were supposed to relocate to ?

yes and thank god they nixed the plan for the flea market there.

[Electric Eye]

I believe you got my point incorrect! My point was that Dianne is against Benderson Developing this commercially...She has stated she wants retail. So my point is show me someone other than Benderson willing to remodel this complete complex and move in. If she has potential retail tenants than show me! Its been left alone and now they want to develop it commercially and she is against it!

First off the plazas very last tenant (dollar general) moved out earlier this year so technically only vacant for 6-8 months...but mostly vacant for years.

Second...Benderson owns the property and has owned it for a considerable length of time and has done little to nothing at best.

This part of Cheektowaga and Northern West Seneca has little to no retail space Ex: Tops, wegmans grocery store, No target, no Kmart, no walmart etc....This area HAD all of that type of retail 15-20yrs ago...we had a Tops then a Vixx's, a Hill's then a Ame's ...now we only have a save a lot and a Dollar general along with 2 7/11's...so we have to drive 3 to 5 miles to get to any other major retail stores.

I would like to see walmart stay at the Thruway plaza and they build a new one...a true SUPER walmart at Garden village....or maybe a COSTCO on the site. NO FLEA market! I think Benderson is toying with the town over the failure of their previous plans for the site....They know that residential areas DO NOT want warehouses....so they are using that in order to get the next idea approved.

A warehouse would be better then what is currently here....but not at the top of the list for anyone as it does nothing positive for the area!

[WNYresident]

I believe you got my point incorrect! My point was that Dianne is against Benderson Developing this commercially...She has stated she wants retail. So my point is show me someone other than Benderson willing to remodel this complete complex and move in. If she has potential retail tenants than show me! Its been left alone and now they want to develop it commercially and she is against it!

Isn't this a basic concept drawing for that property?



I haven't followed this project along. Where was is stated by any town board member including Diane that only retail should go there? If I was Supervisor I would expect all options to be on the table not just retail. I know we are losing population over the last 10 years and have loads of vacant properties but all options should be on the table. Wouldn't you agree?

[Riven37]

When Kaminsky said " whatever goes in there it will bring Jobs" I laughed. Besides I don't understand why everyone is upset there is already light industry across the street in several places one more shouldn't hurt. Be careful the town could rezone it for full industrial ya know then where will ya be? It is best to support within reason than pull for nothing at all the goal is revamping the area and to add new jobs to the area which doesn't mean dirty trucks popping black smoke however, semi's do enough of that on the highways or sitting at Joe's truck stop on Walden Ave, you cannot get rid of pollution because it is man made not naturally made in light industry. Benderson could not attract any businesses to the are 1. Taxes are too high 2. It is Buffalo we have a bad rap and 3. Look at who we have for Governor. We could ask the Indian motorcycle company to start up another plant here or a Harley plant or a Yamaha etc...OR we could build more senior homes with a nice park on the site.

[Dan Roman]

People say that so and so business should move in, who are you to decide that it makes good business sense for someone to set up shop there? Obviously it doesn't make sense or someone would have set up shop there a long time ago. Now the mis informed/people that didn't do their homework and overpaid for a small house, i.e. patio home, are now going to have the garbage village drive apts and a warehouse as their neighbors. Do some research before you pay for a small home in a less than desirable location.

[SabreTooth]

does anyone know if Benderson has a tenant to go in this industrial park?