Developer plans forums on Batavia Walgreens proposal

Batavia Enterprises Inc., owner of the Batavia Plaza shopping center at Wilson and Water streets, wants to explain its vision for the proposed new Walgreens store in community meetings this week.

The first is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. today. They are also planned 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday. All are at the BEI office at 140 First St.

BEI proposes to knock down the former Prairie Path Cycles store at 122 W. Wilson (also known as the home of the former Swanson’s Hardware).

It would then build a 14,490-square-foot Walgreens, with a pharmacy drive-up window at the location.

The Batavia Plan Commission discussed the plan last week but has not had an official public hearing on the plan. When the plan was announced last year, some Batavia aldermen did not like that it called for putting a parking lot on the Wilson frontage.

“Walgreens has been a vital business in Batavia, and especially in our downtown. We’re thrilled that in these tough economic times, Walgreens is choosing to reinvest in our community with an updated and larger store. We want the community to come in and see for themselves the plans we’re proposing to the city. We’re very excited about this project, and want to share our enthusiasm with our neighbors and the Batavia community,” Austin Dempsey, BEI vice president, said in a prepared statement.

For more information about the project or the meetings, call Sara Belanger at (630) 879-3680 or visit bataviaenterprises.com.

The official plans can be viewed on the city website, cityofbatavia.net.