Did you know that a portion of the land where Batavia Plaza and Walgreens are located used to be submerged? As seen in the following photos of the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from 1885, 1891, 1897, 1907, and 1916 you can see how “Mill Pond” changed and was ultimately filled in during the 1960’s. (Sanborn Maps after 1928 are unavailable online and ceased publication in the 1950’s.)
The limestone buildings that once stood at the southeast corner of Water and Wilson Streets were part of the US Wind Energy & Pump Company. In 1959, Batavia Enterprises purchased the old manufacturing buildings, and in 1961, a controlled fire was set to demolish them to make space for a new retail center. Jewel Food Stores served as the main anchor tenant from 1960 to 1988, and other original shops in the Plaza included Ben Franklin, Coast to Coast, and Colonial Ice Cream. Today, Daddio’s holds the title of longest-standing tenant having occupied the end space since 2007, taking over from a diner that opened in 1962.
Walgreens later became the anchor tenant until it built its current location across the parking lot in 2016. Now, the Plaza offers prime space for turnkey restaurant or retail opportunities in a unique downtown setting.
