HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — The future of the Erie Community College South Campus is starting to take shape, but the property will not be ready for development just yet.
Earlier this week, the Town of Hamburg released conceptual plans showing what could eventually be built around the ECC campus near Highmark Stadium, including housing, restaurants, hotels, entertainment and public gathering spaces.
WATCH: New renderings show what could rise next to Highmark Stadium
Now, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said ECC needs to finish clearing out the campus before the county can begin the process of figuring out what happens to the property.
“The county still owns it,” Poloncarz said. “We cannot go and move forth with the process of actually transferring the property, selling it, until the community college is completely out.”
Poloncarz said that could take “a couple of months or so.”
Once ECC is completely out, the county plans to mothball, otherwise known as shut down, and begin determining how the property should be handled.
Poloncarz said the county is considering keeping ownership through the Buffalo and Erie County Industrial Land Development Corporation rather than simply selling the entire property to one buyer.
“It probably doesn't make sense to offer for sale to one party,” Poloncarz said.
Instead, the county wants to identify interested parties and work with the Town of Hamburg to determine what makes the most sense.
The goal, he said, is to get the property back on the tax rolls and into productive use.
“We want to get the best value, which also includes getting the best amount of money, but then that it gets used quickly back on the tax rolls for various purposes,” Poloncarz said.
He specifically mentioned housing, restaurants and hotels as potential uses.
WATCH: ECC campus development near Highmark Stadium still months away
The county's comments come as Hamburg is looking at new ideas for the area around Highmark Stadium.
The town is considering conceptual designs that are intended to show how the area could become a walkable, mixed-use destination with activity beyond Buffalo Bills game days.
The concepts are not final development plans, but they include ideas for mixed-use development, entertainment, green space and other uses.
Poloncarz said the stadium makes ECC's property particularly attractive.
“It is very desirable,” he said.
He compared the vision to Titletown outside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, where development around the stadium is designed to attract people when there is not a game.
“That’s kind of the concept: to have something that is not just sports-related but also takes into account the stadium,” Poloncarz said.
For now, there is no exact date for when the ECC property will be sold or developed.
