Glenville is getting an Applebee’s.
A national chain had indicated last fall that it wanted to build a 208-seat restaurant in town, but it didn’t want to divulge its identity until plans were firmed up. Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle confirmed Thursday that the chain is Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar, and that construction could begin early this summer.
“This is a huge step forward for the town center because it’s exactly what residents have indicated they wanted, so we’re excited about it,” said Koetzle. “The feedback last fall had been overwhelmingly positive about the prospect of any national brand coming into town. No one was really focused on which brand it would be, they were just happy that any brand was coming.”
The restaurant chain is well-known and well-regarded in the Capital Region, he added. Nearby locations include Schenectady, Latham, Saratoga Springs and Johnstown.
The Applebee’s would be built at 268 Saratoga Road next to Hannaford Plaza. A currently vacant 3,500-square-foot building at the site would be demolished.
It has housed a number of smaller restaurants over the years, including Lucia’s Restaurant, Home Style Pizza and most recently Teresa’s Restaurant. It’s been vacant for a number of years now, Koetzle said.
The new restaurant would be 6,300 square feet, slightly bigger than a proposal submitted to town officials last fall by MSF Mayfair LLC, a developer in suburban Buffalo that owns the property and the adjacent Hannaford Plaza. It also would be closer to the road than the current structure.
Benderson Development, a Florida-based real estate company, is overseeing development and construction of the restaurant. Gershen Associates P.A., of Miami, completed architectural renderings for the project.
The project still has to receive approvals from the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals over the next month.
The developer is requesting a conditional use permit to build a restaurant in a part of town zoned general business.
Demolition could begin early this summer, Koetzle said.
James Boglioli, an attorney with Benderson Development, said typical construction time for an Applebee’s is six months.
Parking for the restaurant would be shared with others in the Hannaford Plaza.
The news comes just as another national chain is eyeing Glenville as a possible location for a new restaurant.
“We’re receiving good indication that we are on the short list for a second national chain restaurant,” said Koetzle. “It’s too early to really talk about specifics, but I’ll be having meetings with developers next week to discuss site selection.”
He said possible locations for this chain would be in the town center near Glenridge Road or along Freemans Bridge Road, which the town is preparing to rezone in an effort to spur more development.
“There’s a lot of interest, not just from this one chain, but other developers, to locate in our town center,” he said. “We still have a spot across from Price Chopper that seems to be attracting attention.”
Koetzle said he doesn’t expect the new Applebee’s to conflict with any of the town’s existing restaurants.
While Glenville has several locally owned and operated restaurants, like the Glenville Queen Diner and The Waters Edge Lighthouse, residents have long expressed a desire for more dining options around town.
Just last month, Socha Management announced that Altamont restaurant Mio Vino Wine Bar & Bistro would be opening a second location on the ground floor of a new $10 million building it’s constructing on Route 50.
