CLARENCE, N.Y. — For years we’ve been following Uniland Development’s plan to transform the old Eastern Hills Mall into a mixed use Town Center complex.
But one major infrastructure hurdle remains.
Will the state, with taxpayer money, help cover the cost of sewer upgrades?
It may be rather hard to envision at the now largely vacant Eastern Hills Mall site, but the architect’s renderings from Uniland Development remind us of its planned future as a mixed use 100 acre complex blending retail, restaurants, office, medical, entertainment, green space and yes residential.
There could be up to 1,500 projected units with apartments, townhouses, condos and senior housing
But there is a hitch – lots of water use including toilet flushing as Town Supervisor Patrick Casilio told 2 On Your Side Friday following his State of the Town address.
Casilio said, “We initially thought that just because it was a mall it would have the capacity. But we’ll have almost 1,500 people living there. So the mall itself or the new living center will need as much capacity just for that hundred acres as what we have for the rest of the whole town.”
It could be 1,500 units with 3,000 to 4,000 people living there.
So to handle this sewer capacity dilemma Erie County, which manages sewer districts including District 5 where Clarence is, had last year sent a letter to Governor Hochul requesting funding help to help enlarge the so called Peanut Line sewer. Erie Sewer District management already spent over $4 million dollars worth of design and planning work.
And a very bi-partisan group of state lawmakers from the Western New York delegation are supporting it in their own letter all the way.
According to Casilio, “We may know in a couple of months if we’re gonna be able to get a $30 Million dollar grant from New York state for sewer district number five. If we’re able to get that grant that project is full steam ahead.”
Back in 2023 Governor Hochul actually provided $31 Million dollars in state taxpayer money to help the town of Amherst improve sewer capacity for the also planned mixed use Boulevard Mall project which includes residential units.
It is expected the town of Amherst sewer system with the county would accept some of the Peanut Line sewer volume.
While it is $30 Million in state tax dollars the town supervisor emphasized last June that he feels it will pay off for the town and region in the decades to come. Casilio stated back then, “It’s the ability to have three thousand people live there and work there and contribute to the town of Clarence as far as tax revenues.”