WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WKBW) — After sitting vacant for decades, the former Seneca Mall site is finally seeing significant movement and growing speculation about what major retailer could anchor the long-awaited redevelopment.
Construction work is already underway at the Orchard Park Road property, with town officials saying a major tenant could be announced within the next few months.
Rumors have circulated for months that Costco could be moving into the site. But so far, no one involved in the project is confirming that. Costco did not respond to our request for comment.
The project is being led by The Benchmark Group, which purchased the long-stalled property in late 2024 after years of inactivity and frustration from residents.
WATCH: Long-stalled Seneca Mall site surges toward redevelopment as retailer rumors intensify
At full build-out, the site could include between seven and 12 medium to large retailers, along with additional commercial space and residential units.
"We're supporting them, we're not here to throw roadblocks in their way or upstage them by making announcements prematurely," West Seneca Town Supervisor Gary Dickson said.
Plans call for roughly 500,000 square feet of development across the 56-acre property.
Town leaders say the location is ideal for a large-scale retail project, with direct access to major highways including the Interstate 90, U.S. Route 219, and New York State Route 400.
One visible sign of progress: thousands of truckloads of dirt are now being brought onto the property.
Town officials say about 60,000 cubic yards of material, some of it sourced from the construction of the new Highmark Stadium in nearby Orchard Park, is being used to build up and stabilize the site.
The material will sit and compact over several months, forming the foundation for future construction.
Dickson said that this is a major step forward for the town and added that more concrete details are expected by June.
