Former Seneca Mall Site Seeing Signs Of Life

What was an outparcel to the former Seneca Mall site has been acquired by a bank that’s looking to grow its footprint and presence in the Western New York market place.

Community Bank N.A. paid $1.5 million for a vacant 2,722-square-foot building at 325 Orchard Park Road, West Seneca. The deed was recorded Sept. 5 in the Erie County Clerk's office, although the deal closed in August.

Community Bank acquired the building from S&R Co. of West Seneca Newco LLC, according to the county clerk's documents.

The new Community Bank branch is slated to open this fall.

S&R Co. of West Seneca has the same mailing address as the Syracuse-based Pyramid Cos., whose local holdings include the Walden Galleria and the long-vacant Seneca Mall property. The Seneca Mall site has been the subject of an online real estate auction.

The building was originally a First Niagara Bank location and later became a KeyBank branch.

The deal was jointly brokered by Robert Schell and Richard Schechter from Pyramid Brokerage Co.