ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — As crews continue to work on building the new Highmark Stadium, nearby a property owner is wondering when he can get to work redeveloping his land for fans to stay, drink, and eat.
On Big Tree Road, adjacent to Highmark Stadium and within walking distance from the new stadium, are homes and vacant lots that owner Mark Lester hopes to sell, turning the land from homes, grass, and gravel into possible hotels and restaurants for Bills fans to enjoy on game day.
But Orchard Park’s zoning rules are currently preventing that from happening, and Lester and his real estate agent, Alina Pierowicz, hope the village will approve zoning changes to welcome commercial development.
“We’re hoping for Orchard Park to expand on the rezoning. It will give an opportunity for local residents and local business owners to develop more of the area,” Pierowicz said.
With an average of 70,615 fans per game last season, according to the Bills, the area has no shortage of volume and traffic. Pierowicz said developers hope to capture that market and turn the area around the stadium into a village of entertainment, like what fans can experience at Titletown in Green Bay.
“That will open a whole new opportunity for developers locally in which they could make this area a little bit more profitable and economic growth which will help Orchard Park in general,” she said.
Around Highmark Stadium are a few restaurants, bars, and some of the quaint homes Lester and Pierowicz are selling that go for as much as $3.5 million. The price tag is high because of what both think is the potential for more economic growth.
Instead of fans leaving Orchard Park after games to find entertainment in nearby Hamburg or Buffalo, landowner Mark Lester believes the potential development will keep the revenue in Orchard Park.
“Additional commercial development will generate revenue, it will flow back to the town and the community, and then the community gets to enjoy all kinds of things,” he said.
Lester added that the new funds from potential development will help the residents of Orchard Park.
“We would like to be able to develop these parcels in a way that benefits the community and the town at large,” he said.
The next board meeting to discuss the potential project is August 21. Lester and Pierowicz hope the village will get the ball rolling on the possible rezoning.