The Boulevard Mall is on its way to demolition, after the Amherst Town Board voted on its future Monday night.
The mall has faced its challenges over the past decade: nearly going into foreclosure in 2017, being bought by Douglas Jemal with hopes of redevelopment in 2019, followed by years of lost tenants and back-and-forth between Jemal and the board.
Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa told BTPM NPR ahead of the vote the issue of dying malls has been one many communities, including theirs, have had to recon with.
"We have to do something, right? If you sit on your hands as a government, the result is these things just sit for years," Kulpa said. "If you're going to try to take it on and take on the challenges of supplying off-site infrastructure, of transforming the space, then you need to get involved. And time after time, you know, we were learning that lesson."
The agreement approved by the board will allow the town to begin the process of taking control of the property via eminent domain, and then transferring the property to Benderson Development, who will demolish the mall.
Deputy Supervisor and Supervisor-Elect Shawn Lavin also told BTPM NPR, ahead of the vote, the infrastructure is now in place for the property to become a blend of residential, commercial and mixed-use spaces.
"The Boulevard Mall, now, is at the precipice of something extraordinary. The infrastructure has been built out to allow for additional residential properties, commercial properties and mixed-use properties," Lavin said. "And I think what you're going to see at that corner between both U.B. South and North Campus is something great, and today is the first step of that."
