Mall owner Eastview hands over Lord & Taylor building to Victor for occupation
The Town of Victor has taken a significant step towards revitalizing the Eastview Mall area by filing a petition in state Supreme Court to acquire the 8.4-acre parcel containing the vacant 90,000-square-foot former Lord & Taylor building through eminent domain [1][2].
This legal move follows a lengthy court battle with the current property owner, HBC Victor LLC, and the town has received court affirmation of its right to seize the property for public benefit [2]. The goal is to transform the Lord & Taylor building into a vibrant retail, community, and recreation destination, aimed at boosting the local economy and increasing foot traffic to the mall.
The town's vision for the redeveloped space includes a community center or public space for residents, job creation, generating sales tax revenue, promoting tourism, and potentially constructing a hotel to enhance economic activity [1][2]. This initiative is driven by the need to reverse economic decline around the vacant Lord & Taylor wing and promote broader community and economic benefits.
The mall owner, Wilmorite, supports the town's initiative, while HBC Victor has not publicly commented [2]. The Lord & Taylor store closed permanently in February 2021 following its operator's bankruptcy in 2020 and pandemic-related challenges [1].
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[1] Source 1 [2] Source 2
The town plans to use the acquired property for redevelopment, intending to convert the former Lord & Taylor building into a hub for retail, community, and recreation, which is anticipated to stimulate local economy growth and attract more people to the mall. Furthermore, the town envisions including a community center or public space, promoting job creation, sales tax revenue generation, tourism enhancement, and possibly constructing a hotel within the redeveloped space, to increase economic activity in the area.
