A proposed chicken joint isn’t the only development currently being eyed in the town of Dunkirk.

Site plans have been submitted for a drive-thru restaurant at 3969 Vineyard Drive, the location of the Tops Markets plaza. The four-page initial application seeking site plan approval from the town of Dunkirk Planning Board was filed March 14 by James Boglioli, an attorney representing Benderson Development Co.

A privately owned real estate developer, Benderson Development Co. is reportedly looking to put a Starbucks in the same property that also houses Little Caesars in the plaza.

Boglioli does not mention the high-end coffeehouse chain in his application to the town Planning Board, only proposing a “retail/restaurant” at the existing site in addition to regrading for a drive thru lane.

However, a deputy clerk with the town Planning Board stated that the application is indeed for a proposed Starbucks.

According to a legal notice placed in the OBSERVER, planning board members will meet at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, to review plans submitted by Boglioli. The meeting will take place at the town hall, 4737 Willow Road, Dunkirk.

There are currently two Starbucks located within Chautauqua County, one on the State University of New York at Fredonia campus and another on Fairmount Avenue across from the plaza that contains Wegmans and the soon-to-be Target in the town of Ellicott.

It also was previously announced that a Starbucks will be located inside the new Target.

Boglioli did not respond to an email regarding the site plan application.

Benderson Development Co. is a big name in real estate development, both in Western New York where it was founded but also across the country. According to its website, the company owns a variety of properties, including grocery stores, hotels, office complexes and industrial warehouses.

As reported in March by The Buffalo News, Benderson Development Co. is looking to build a more than 800,000-square-foot warehouse complex in the town of Hamburg.

Starbucks isn’t the only popular chain being considered in town. Planning board members last week approved the site plan for a Popeyes restaurant to be built in front of the Dunkirk Multiplex on Bennett Road. The approval goes to the Dunkirk Town Board for final say April 25.

Popeyes is being sought locally by Liberty Restaurants.