Retail center planned for Avenue Motor Sales building in Batavia

BATAVIA – A developer plans to demolish the building that formerly housed Avenue Motor Sales in Batavia and build a retail center.

After being open for more than 80 years, Avenue Motor Sales, which was at McKee Street and Randall Road, shut its doors in December 2011.

The business had been selling used cars after being dropped as a Chevrolet dealership.

The dealership stopped selling new Chevrolet vehicles in November 2010.

Batavia Enterprises Real Estate has been marketing the property.

Austin Dempsey, of Batavia Enterprises Real Estate, said his company is under contract with a Wisconsin developer that plans to raze the building and build a retail center on the property.

Dempsey said he could not provide further details about the project. Batavia Community Development Director Scott Buening said the project was positive news.

“We would welcome redevelopment of the site,” Buening said.

Avenue Motor Sales President John Clark’s grandfather, William H. Clark, started Avenue Motor Sales in 1930 on Batavia Avenue in downtown Batavia before the dealership moved to Randall Road. Before General Motors took away Avenue’s franchise, the dealership had employed 48 employees and was doing well, John Clark said at the time.

“We were forced out of business,” he said at the time.

Avenue Chevrolet generated $400,000 to $500,000 a year in sales tax revenues for the city, Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke said.