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After more than five years of planning and delays, construction is finally set to begin on the Capital Region's first Costco store in Guilderland. Town officials announced on Monday (March 17) that demolition of homes and trees near the 163,000-square-foot store site, located near Crossgates Mall, will commence soon. The project faced setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple lawsuits, but these have now been resolved.
According to NEWS10 ABC, the Guilderland Industrial Development Agency (IDA) has played a significant role in moving the project forward by granting tax exemptions to the developers. The IDA recently approved an additional $55,000 tax exemption, which will aid in covering higher costs faced by the developers, as reported by Times Union.
The new Costco store, which will include a gas station, is anticipated to open by the end of 2025. Dave Messner, Costco’s senior vice president of real estate, expressed the company's eagerness to begin construction. However, final steps such as removing deed restrictions and finalizing tax exemptions are still pending.
The development has not been without controversy, as local opponents raised concerns about potential traffic congestion and environmental impacts on the nearby Pine Bush nature preserve. Despite these challenges, the state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the project in June 2024, allowing the development to proceed.