Costco Confirms Amherst Plans with $6 Million Land Purchase

After months of speculation and anticipation among Western New York residents, confirmation has finally arrived: Costco Wholesale is officially coming to Amherst. The news comes through a deed filed Wednesday in the Erie County Clerk’s Office showing that Costco purchased the land for its new store from Benderson Development for $6 million.

While talk of a Costco store at the corner of Bailey Avenue and Ridge Lea Road has been circulating for quite some time, the company had not previously confirmed its involvement in the project.

In fact, neither Costco nor Benderson Development had publicly acknowledged the store’s identity.

Nonetheless, the Town of Amherst had announced plans for the store three years ago. But as per Costco’s long-standing policy, the company doesn’t comment on new warehouse locations until they are just two to three months away from opening.

Currently, Costco’s website lists new store openings scheduled in states like Texas, Florida, Washington, and Nevada throughout August, but provides no information beyond that timeframe.

The land purchased in Amherst spans over 16.5 acres of vacant, non-residential property. Construction has not yet begun and an official start date has yet to be announced. However, local officials expect the project to be finished in 2026.

From groceries and electronics to jewelry and furniture, Costco operates as a membership-based warehouse club that offers a broad range of products at discounted prices. The brand has earned a strong and loyal customer base. Until now, the nearest Costco location to Western New York has been in Rochester.

Plans for the Amherst store detail a 168,000-square-foot warehouse complete with a gas station. The location was once home to a Tony Roma’s restaurant, which has since been demolished to make way for the new development.

According to documents filed with the Amherst Building Department, the estimated cost of the new warehouse is $25 million with an additional $3.6 million allocated for the fuel station.

Meanwhile, speculation is growing that Costco could be eyeing a second location in Western New York. The potential site is the former Seneca Mall property in West Seneca.

Although no official confirmation has been made, the plans bear a striking resemblance to those in Amherst. Developers filed documents for a “discount club” with a fueling station, detailing a 164,576-square-foot facility with 24 fueling spots. This is a nearly identical layout to the Amherst Costco, which will feature 16 fueling locations.

While officials and developers have not publicly identified Costco as the retailer behind the West Seneca plans, the similarities have fueled widespread speculation that Western New York may soon be home to not just one, but two Costco stores.

Costco Confirms Amherst Plans with $6 Million Land Purchase