Bidleman’s Albion dealership plans expansion
Orleans County Planning Board gives OK to project with new showroom, service area
Photo by Tom Rivers: George Bidleman (left), owner of Orleans Ford in Medina, and his business partner, Sam LaNasa, are shown in July 2018 after they acquired the Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership in Albion. They are expanding the site with two additions, including a new showroom and service area.
ALBION – The Orleans County Planning Board on Thursday evening voted in support of a plan to expand the Bidleman Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership in Albion.
George Bidleman, one of the partners at Orleans Ford, purchased the former Don Davis Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership on Route 98 about three years ago. Bidleman is co-owner of the Albion dealership along with Sam LaNasa, who works as general manager for Bidleman at Orleans Ford.
The new owners have dramatically increased the inventory and staff at the Albion dealership. Now they are looking to put in a new showroom and a new service area.
The Albion location was built in 1967 and opened as Nesbitt Motors. LaNasa and Bidleman have lots of space at the site with 22 acres at 4048 Oak Orchard Rd.
The new showroom will go on the north side of the building with the service area addition on the back end of the building for auto repair, maintenance and detailing. The current front office will become an administrative area.
The show room will provide much needed floor and display area for the sales staff, Bidleman representatives told the Planning Board on Thursday. Construction could start in July and take about six months.
Planners back sporting clay shooting site in Shelby
This map shows the area and layout planned for a sporting clay site in Shelby Center.
The Planning Board also recommended the Town of Shelby approve the site plan and a special use permit for an outdoor recreation facility at 11380 Main St. in Shelby Center.
William Keppler wants to open a sporting clay site with 10 stations in agricultural residential district near Alabama Street in the Shelby Center hamlet.
There would be about 150 to 200 feet between each station. The layout is designed so no shots fired would towards Alabama Street. The first four stations would have people shooting south, and then the other six stations would have people shooting to the east.
The 193-acre parcel is currently used as a hunting preserve and for agriculture.
Keppler said he anticipates 5 vehicles at a time, but could hold up to 30. There would be entrances from Alabama Street or Main Street. The perimeter goes from the hamlet of Shelby Center to the eastern boundary, which is a bend in the Oak Orchard River.
