“The Town of Amherst wants to kick-start redevelopment of several big-box retail based sites along Niagara Falls Boulevard, including the struggling Boulevard Mall, by building new streets, water and sewer lines on the properties,” reports Joseph Popiolkowski for The Buffalo News. “Town officials this week are finishing an application for a $10 million grant through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative that would fund an infrastructure upgrade on the 80-acre site.” “‘If we’re fortunate enough to have developers who would want to do this project, we have to make it so they could do the project,’ said Town Supervisor Brian J. Kulpa. ‘That’s what this project is really about.'” “Town officials envision a dense mixed-use project of residential, retail and office space possibly one day served by an extension of the NFTA Metro Rail. Such a project would bring viability back to the enclosed shopping center, said David S. Mingoia, executive director of the Amherst Industrial Development Agency.” “‘The whole notion is to create a shovel-ready piece of property for private interest to come in and revamp that site,’ he said. ‘I think we all envision some type of mixed-use center there.'” “…The News reported this month that the appraised value of the Boulevard Mall was slashed nearly in half—from $54.9 million to $29.9 million, a 46 percent drop. The mall has suffered a series of blows in recent years as Sears and Macy’s Mens closed their stores as traditional enclosed shopping malls struggle with competition from online shopping and newer, open-air retail centers.” “…A mixed-use project would appeal to future generations, which have shown they value pedestrian access and rapid transit over automobiles, said Kulpa, an architect and urban planner…”
