A 7-Eleven located at 2065 Delaware Avenue is now boarded up, leaving a great opportunity to do something more constructive with the southeast corner of Delaware and Amherst. This intersection consists of a gas station/minimart, a car sales business, another gas station, and the shuttered 7-Eleven.
Corner commercial lots are very desirable due to their high profile nature. Unfortunately, in modern times, that means that many corner lots have become gas stations, convenient markets, drug stores, etc., with lots of parking. This is a prime example of how competition between convenient stores and gas stations can escalate, leaving behind an intersection that is an urbanist’s nightmare.
Another Delaware intersection that befell a similar fate is at Delaware and Delavan (see here). This corner is occupied by a shuttered gas station (also on a southeast corner), a gas station, a pharmacy, and the entranceway to Forest Lawn Cemetery. This prime intersection should be replanned altogether – possibly creating a roundabout, while incorporating sorely needed bike lanes on Delavan (bridging Canisius College). Once again, it would be great to see some prime infill and infrastructure improvements at this location. Considering that there is already one gas station… do we really need another at the southeast corner?
Hopefully we will start to see some sensitive infill projects at these intersections. Delaware Avenue is a beautiful roadway that is in need of a more thoughtful planning tact.