West Herr Automotive Group Plans New Dealership at Former Protocol Restaurant Site

West Herr Automotive Group plans to redevelop the former Protocol Restaurant site at 6766 Transit Road in Amherst into a 17,350-square-foot dealership with 117 parking spaces, the Buffalo News reported on November 15, 2026. West Herr is New York State's largest automotive dealer group, operating 41 dealerships across Western New York, Rochester and Syracuse.

West Herr's Transit Road Dealership Plans

Plans by Carmina Wood Design call for tearing out the remaining foundations of the former restaurant and its parking lot and constructing a new sales facility in their place, with parking on all sides of the building. The project would also include space for vehicle display and circulation, as well as landscaping, lighting and other site improvements.

Spokeswoman Mary Wright said the dealership does not "currently have any specific manufacturer designated for that space." "While we are working to develop the site for a dealership, this land was acquired as a long-term investment and, consequently, we remain open to other suitable projects, as well," she said.

The 2.31-acre property sits at the southwestern edge of the town, across Transit Road from Russell's Steaks Chops & More, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Buffalo Airport and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. It fronts on Freeman Road Extension and McKinley Avenue as well as Transit. The land is zoned "general business," and West Herr wrote in its application to the town that the project "returns a vacant commercial parcel along an established commercial corridor to productive use."

Besides site plan approval and municipal permits, the project requires a state wetlands permit, as well as approvals from the Erie County Water Authority and state Department of Transportation. If approved, work would begin March 1, with completion by Dec. 1, 2027.

West Herr's Dealership Network

West Herr operates 41 dealerships representing 27 brands and sells more than 60,000 vehicles a year, according to akta.pro company records. The Orchard Park-based company was founded in 1950 and has served more than 1.4 million customers since then. In 2026 it extended its dealership footprint into the Syracuse market through wholly-owned Chevrolet locations in East Syracuse and Clay.

Earlier West Herr Developments

In October 2026, West Herr won a C-Level Award from Buffalo Business First, with Jay Galligan of the company among 22 executives honored in the 2026 C-Level Awards & Hall of Fame, American City Business Journals reported. That same month, West Herr began collecting non-perishable food at its dealerships until November 13 for Western New York's holiday season and said it would donate $100,000 in turkeys, Yahoo reported.

West Herr's Second Transit Road Project

West Herr is also pursuing a redevelopment of a vacant 9-acre parcel at 6700 Transit that it is acquiring from Iskalo Development Corp., according to the Buffalo News. The company's website lists its dealership locations.