Sep. 21, 2006 - The former Radisson Hotel across from Buffalo International Airport will be demolished to make way for two hotels, restaurants and a small water park.

Benderson Development has submitted preliminary plans to the Town of Cheektowaga to transform the parcel at 4243 Genesee St. from a run down vacant hotel to the new complex.

"It's something that I've been talking with Benderson for a number of years," Supervisor Dennis H. Gabryszak said. "Being across the street from the airport, it's a pretty valuable piece of property."

A four-story Fairfield Inn with 125 rooms is planned on the east side of the property, said Thomas J. Adamczak, supervisor of building inspectors. A 4,750-square-foot "water feature" would be connected to it. A second hotel, a 125-room Courtyard by Marriott, would be built on the south side of the parcel. There is room for a future 100-room hotel to the west.

Two restaurants, one 10,000 square-feet with 200 seats and another 11,400 square-feet with 280 seats also are planned at the site.

There would be parking for 559 cars, with driveway connections to adjacent properties, Adamczak said. The project would use the existing driveway with traffic signal at Genesee.

The development would improve the looks of a main corridor of the town where road reconstruction has been taking place for two years, town officials say.

"There's a gateway aspect to it," said Cheektowaga Council Member Jeff Swiatek.

The Cosentino family opened the hotel in 1961 as the Executive Motor Inn. It was renovated in the mid-1980s and became a Ramada Renaissance Hotel in 1986. In 1991, it switched its affiliation to Radisson and in 2003 the hotel became the Park Plaza Buffalo Airport. It closed in 2004.

The existing hotel had 274 rooms. If all the hotels were built, the new development would offer 350 rooms.

"We're starting to create an entertainment complex, with the golf course down the road," said Council Member James P. Rogowski. "I think the only thing we're missing is a convention center."

The transformation of a prime location is encouraging to officials in the town, which is nearly fully developed.

"If you take a look at what's been going on in town, what we're dealing with is the redevelopment of the town," Gabryszak said.

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