AMHERST, N.Y. — A clearer picture is forming on when the Boulevard Mall will be put up for sale. The future of the site might involve not just shops, but also places to live.
2 On You Side talked to Amherst supervisor Brian Kulpa, who said from conversations he's had with the managers of the Boulevard Mall that the property is expected to be auctioned this spring.
The mall has declined in recent years, with a lot of stores closing and jobs being cut.
A couple years ago ownership of the property was transferred from a company in Cleveland to LNR Partners, which is based in Miami, Fla.
Kulpa says it has been difficult getting in contact with the company, but adds that he recently had a conversation with them. The plan for now is that mall will be auctioned in April or May.
"We had initially thought it would be close to a year before we could see any movement on that property," he said. "Now we're in a matter of months, so that bodes well. That means the property would be under new ownership with a new development direction."
The supervisor and other officials in Amherst would like to see the mall be transformed into a place where you would not only shop, but also have apartments or townhouses and have entertainment attractions.
When the Boulevard Mall was built back in 1962, it was the first indoor mall in the area.
2 On Your Side reached out to LNR Partners to ask them about their plans to put the Boulevard Mall up for auction, but we did not hear back.