ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Thursday night, the Town of Orchard Park, in collaboration with La Bella Associates, hosted an open house to gather community input on potential development projects near the new Buffalo Bills stadium.
The event allowed residents and businesses to share their ideas for the future of the area as plans for the region’s growth begin to take shape.
Orchard Park Town Supervisor Eugene Majchrzak emphasized that the area's comprehensive development plan aims to address the community’s main concerns, focusing not only on the stadium campus but also on nearby properties such as those near Southwest Boulevard.
“This is a great opportunity for the residents in the area and also businesses that we can attract to the general area,” Majchrzak said. “And they do not necessarily have to be right on the stadium campus, we have a lot of property that is available on Southwestern Boulevard.”
The development plan is funded by an Empire State Development grant along with contributions from the Town of Orchard Park.
Ed Flynn, Director of Planning at La Bella Associates, explained the next steps for the plan.
“The purpose of the study is to develop a master plan for the area around the stadium,” Flynn said. “We will take that master plan and develop zoning regulations to match up and deliver that master plan.”
Flynn also highlighted the significance of the Bills stadium, one of the biggest investments in Western New York’s history.
According to an economic analysis, four areas were identified as particularly feasible for development: sports and recreation, retail food and beverage, apartment and lodging, and tourism.
Residents attending the open house were given the chance to weigh in on which of these sectors they believed would be most beneficial for the community.
“Community input is really important because we want to make sure that this project benefits town residents, businesses, and the Western New York region,” Flynn said.
“I think it is wonderful and it is going to be a big boom to the area and the economy,” Mike Fitzpatrick said. “It will be a big time for us.”
Mark Ebeling, who owns Danny’s near Highmark Stadium, sees the new developments as a crucial step for improving the area.
Ebeling stressed the importance of hotel accommodations for visitors, particularly on game days when traffic and transportation can be overwhelming.
“I’ve been out here 27 years, and there’s nowhere to go,” Ebeling said. “After a night game, you can’t get out of Buffalo or Orchard Park. There are no taxis, Ubers don’t go around, and there are no bus runs.”
Ebeling also raised concerns about infrastructure, particularly the lack of sidewalks, which often forces pedestrians to walk on the streets, creating unsafe conditions.
“It makes me feel good that the stadium is going here, but they have to go in the right direction,” Ebeling added. “A lot of things are missing; they don’t have sidewalks for people to walk on. Right now, people are walking on the streets, and it’s total chaos.”
On the other hand, residents like John Vanderbeush are looking forward to the potential job opportunities that new businesses could bring.
“It’s great,” Vanderbeush said. “I have a 14-year-old daughter, and she may want a job someday when she’s in school, so new businesses could mean new jobs.”
Flynn mentioned that the team plans to host another open house for the public in the coming months, providing additional opportunities for community members to share their ideas and concerns.
