Target at old Chili Town Hall?

By ERIC WALTER
Messenger Post Staff


The project will be up for discussion at the Town Board's July 12 meeting.

Chili - Move over North American Properties; Buffalo-based builder Benderson Development wants to put a Target outlet – and possibly more – where Chili's senior center, town court, highway department and Memorial Park now sit. The proposal could also mean a move for the Chili Fire Department, which is a separate municipal entity.

In a letter sent to Town Board members late last week, Benderson officials requested time at the Town Council's July 14 meeting to lay out details of their proposal, which they hope to build at Chili's so-called old Town Hall campus, 3235 Chili Ave., said Town Board member Mike Slattery.

"This is certainly an interesting proposal," said Town Supervisor Tracy Logel. "But there are a lot of questions that will have to be answered."

Among those questions is just how big the Benderson proposal would be and what facilities it might entail, say Logel and Slattery; the letter does not get into details.

"They did not specify what (other) stores would also go in," Slattery said. "It was pretty vague."

Also unknown is where the town would move the facilities they already have at the Chili Avenue parcel; the Benderson letter mentioned an unspecified Archer Road site, which the company has under contract, but did not get into what, if any, costs would be left to the town, Logel and Slattery said.

It is, as yet, also unknown what effect the project would have to the Chili Commons retail complex proposed for Paul Road, which is another potential Target site.

Residents shouldn't expect to see the board make a decision overnight, Logel noted; selling the town-owned parcel would require a townwide referendum, as well as approvals from state and/or federal agencies.

And, she added, town officials will have to satisfy themselves that such a project is in the best interests of residents.

Officials from Benderson were out of the office Monday, and therefore unavailable for comment