CAPITAL REGION — Atlanta-based fast-food chain Chick-fil-A has been popping up all over Western and Upstate New York in recent years. By next year, the Capital Region could have two new locations.
Chick-fil-A has submitted plans to the Town of Colonie and the Town of Clifton Park to open 5,000 sq. ft. drive-thru locations. The chain wants to redevelop the sites of a former Pier 1 Imports at 304 Clifton Park Center and the former Brick House Tavern + Tap at 579 Troy Schenectady Road in Latham. They plan to lease the 1.5-acre property in Clifton Park from CCM Pad Partner LLC, an affiliate of Myron M. Hunt, and the 2.5-acre property in Colonie with the Latham Farms retail plaza. All according to plans filed with the respective towns.
“The Town of Clifton Park is pleased to welcome Chick-fil-A, another national brand to our Exit 9 Commerce Area,” said Clifton Park Town Supervisor, Phil Barrett. “We expect the planning process to proceed over the next 60-90 days and the restaurant being open for business in 2022. The time and hard work we have invested to revitalize Exit 9, since I began my tenure as Town Supervisor, has been a successful initiative with very important fiscal implications for Clifton Park residents and businesses.”
Bohler Engineering out of Albany is representing the company with both planning board applications. The Colonie project will be reviewed by the town’s planning board on Sept. 7, and the Clifton Park project will be reviewed by the town’s planning board on Sept. 14.
Sean M. Maguire, Director of Planning and Economic Development for the Town of Colonie, provided a more detailed look at what their planning process will look like. The first step is to review the sketch plan submission from Chick-fil-A and provide the chain with feedback and technical comments from various town departments expected to be involved in the project should it advance. Chick-fil-A would then submit an application for a concept plan to be accepted, and then a final plan as well.
“The Town of Colonie is always glad to know that businesses choose to locate here. We have an excellent location in the Capital Region – truly located at the center of everything,” said Maguire. “We’re especially happy to see existing sites reused and redeveloped – it is a smart thing to do.”
If the projects are approved, construction of the restaurants are expected to take six months. Chick-fil-A has more than 2,600 locations across the country, with close to 30 locations across New York State. The only Chick-fil-A location in the Capital Region as of now is beyond the security checkpoint at the Albany International Airport.
