Chamber of Commerce backs Maple Road project
Town Centre
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

Amherst Chamber of Commerce members responded with great interest to an invitation to hear a presentation from Benderson Development Corporation about its Town Centre project.

Members filled the conference room at the Chamber's Essjay Drive office on Wednesday to hear the proposed plan.

"We are 100 percent backing this project," Chamber CEO and President Colleen DiPirro said about the board of directors. The meeting was arranged to hear from Chamber members.

Before the Chamber gave the project two thumbs up, it had to be revised, DiPirro said, which included the promise that the multi-use development would not include a big-box store.

"There is no development in Western New York that is integrated," she said, referring to retail, office and residential construction.

Millions of dollars are needed to excavate the Maple Road parcel, the former Buffalo Gun Club. The land is full of lead bullets and shells.

Eric Recoon, a vice president with Benderson Development, said the land will be cleaned to residential standards, the best of the three levels, as determined by the Department of Conservation. Commercial and industry are the other two standards.

"The only alternative to staying as it is, contaminated, is to have Benderson come in and develop," DiPirro said.

Recoon made the presentation on the 34-acre development, stating that in the developer's opinion it is consistent with the town's Comprehensive Master Plan. Residents opposing the plan say it is not consistent.

The plan includes 300,000 square feet of retail and business space, which Recoon compared to 850,000 square feet of commercial space at Consumer Square on Niagara Falls Boulevard.

The plan, with the proposed name of Town Centre, includes residential units, restaurants, retail shops, a theatre, hotel and office space. The project is being modeled after multi-use developments around the country.

One Chamber member in attendance commented on one such development in Baltimore that she acclaimed.

Benderson received a positive response from the majority of the attendees, who signed a letter stating that they support the project.

Town Council Member Guy Marlette attended the meeting and questioned Benderson's new plan to put a linear park between Maple Road and the development. He asked how it would change the square footage and appearance.

Recoon responded, saying it was in response to neighbors' concerns and will add green space and a buffer between the project and the thoroughfare. It will reduce the project by 4.5 acres, and he expects that will also reduce the number of vehicles coming and going.

During the meeting, Recoon noted there has been strong opposition at board meetings, but he has heard of thousands more supporters than opposers.

"If they are that concerned they can buy that property and maintain it the way it is," DiPirro added.

According to DiPirro, the Chamber's goal is to review the positive and negative impacts that developments have on the community. She refuted allegations that the Chamber is always pro-development.

While the Chamber is supporting this project, it is not backing the proposed Walgreens at Hopkins and Klein roads. DiPirro said the site plan makes no sense for that corner.

Recoon said that Erie County has reviewed the plan because Maple is a county road, and recommends the development.

An independent traffic study is being done on Maple Road and is expected to be submitted to the Amherst Town Board by the end of the month. The earliest the board could vote on the request for rezoning to allow the project is March 3.