BUFFALO | Development Thread

[Tedious]

FWS conversion via buffalo rising:

Before and After:

http://i2.wp.com/buffalorising.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/fwsbeforeandafter1.jpg?resize=622%2C766

http://buffalorising.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/IMG_7651-770x300.jpg

[Tedious]

From Business First:

"Developers for the closed Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital site have taken another step forward, unveiling a website with information on the apartments that will be part of the new $28 million Canterbury Woods retirement living community.

The site (cwgatescircle.org) includes information on the community as well as information on a charter resident program for individuals to gain priority placement for apartments ahead of its 2016 projected opening.

A sales and marketing office is expected to open near the site in the coming weeks, with construction slated to begin on the city campus in early 2015.

“We believe that Canterbury Woods Gates Circle will be one of the most important developments in senior living that Western New York has seen in a generation,” said Robert Wallace, president and CEO.

http://www.cwgatescircle.org/images/tr-front.jpg

[ladsnine]

Nice rendering...I hope Gates Circle ends up looking something like that. Love the hints of modernism - we don't get enough of that in WNY.

[Tedious]

Yeah it looks pretty good, though not sure if the final product will turn out that nice.

The only other recent well done modern building I can think of is 285 Delaware. Good to see they are going full steam ahead with sales.

[ladsnine]

Casa di Pizza is looking at a new location downtown on Mohawk Street:
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/05/27/casa-di-pizza-eyes-downtown-site.html?ana=fbk

Also, the storefront two east of Starbucks on Chippewa is under construction. Not sure what's going in there, but that was the last empty storefront on Chippewa. It was a porn shop back in Chippewa's red-light district days, but has been empty for years.

[ladsnine]

http://i57.tinypic.com/34jd73n.jpg
Image source: Buffalo News

Apartment building renovations on Elmwood and Delaware:
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/real-estate/major-renovations-planned-for-apartments-on-elmwood-delaware-20140529

Fairly minor news, but another small sign of the city's continuing rebound. Renovating and renting out any vacant units that are present now allows the city to densify without even needing construction - and I guess it makes sense for that to happen before building new buildings to fill in the gaps...

[westcoastperspective]

The sale of David Sweet's buildings is a big WIN for downtown - the new owner (sources say Paul Kolkmeyer) is going to convert most to residential (Stanton and Main/Seneca) or mixed-use (Rand). That'll add new apartments and 'get rid' of a bunch of Class C office space. Win-Win

[ladsnine]

WHOA. That is seriously big news. I hope he takes an aggressive timeline to actually getting those conversions done.

Buffalo's downtown is full of amazing old buildings that are totally outmoded for office use, yet continue to be used as really low-quality office space - when they would make amazing residential units that developers could get pretty high rents for. It's just that no developer has come in to make those conversions happen - so this might be a sign of that situation changing. Glad to hear the buyer has vision. Thank God it isn't Croce.

[ladsnine]

Speaking of rumors, I have heard that ECC is considering moving its nursing school downtown, possibly to one of the low-rise buildings between Oak and Elm.

[westcoastperspective]

WHOA. That is seriously big news. I hope he takes an aggressive timeline to actually getting those conversions done.

Buffalo's downtown is full of amazing old buildings that are totally outmoded for office use, yet continue to be used as really low-quality office space - when they would make amazing residential units that developers could get pretty high rents for. It's just that no developer has come in to make those conversions happen - so this might be a sign of that situation changing. Glad to hear the buyer has vision. Thank God it isn't Croce.

Kissling I believe is starting conversion of the upper floors of 298 Main into residential units. That'll take 50k of office space out.

I've been asking a few developers and realtors about where they think IBM will land. It's 50-50: Key Center or Larkin District. Trico third. All speculation though.

Croce should have three of his projects underway this summer/fall: Saturn Rings makeover, Curtiss Hotel, and exterior work at Statler. I know everyone wants to have Statler done yesterday but he has said all along it would be a phased project and he was going to work with partners on the upper floors. He told me he's been approached by two developers interested in residential but hasn't struck a deal yet.

[ladsnine]

Oo, thanks for all the news!!

Kissling I believe is starting conversion of the upper floors of 298 Main into residential units. That'll take 50k of office space out.

They've been talking about this for a couple of years - is it actually moving forward? This would be awesome.

I've been asking a few developers and realtors about where they think IBM will land. It's 50-50: Key Center or Larkin District. Trico third. All speculation though.

Obviously I hope for Key Center, or perhaps Trico. Larkin wouldn't help downtown, and we really don't need to funnel any more development to Larkin. Residential yes, office no. It'll be interesting to see what happens when Larkin District runs out of parking (which it pretty much has already, though 500 Seneca is adding a couple more lots), because that's the only real strategic advantage it has over the CBD proper - acres of free parking. (And perhaps some trendiness due to the food trucks and the Square.) They might build parking garages, but even at $100/month/car, those are always huge money-losers, so I doubt they'd get built without some government subsidy for construction and maintenance.

Croce should have three of his projects underway this summer/fall: Saturn Rings makeover, Curtiss Hotel, and exterior work at Statler. I know everyone wants to have Statler done yesterday but he has said all along it would be a phased project and he was going to work with partners on the upper floors. He told me he's been approached by two developers interested in residential but hasn't struck a deal yet.

Glad to hear it, but we've been hearing this for years. The reality is that Croce says a lot and he's done absolutely nothing to date (aside from kinda-sorta renovate the first and second floors of the Statler, and open 3 or 4 restaurants), so I'll believe these when I see work actually being done on them. For example, back in December he gave an early 2014 start date for Curtiss (and many dates before that) and none of them have gone to fruition. Obviously the Statler is a giant project so we can understandably expect that to take a while, but so far he hasn't even pulled off a small project. If these happen, it would be awesome, but I'm not counting on it. But, on the bright side, even if he doesn't do anything, he's essentially landbanking historic buildings and not tearing them down, so that contributes to downtown somewhat, since he's paying the taxes on them and preserving them in a mothballed state for future developers.

[ladsnine]

New vodka distillery coming to an old warehouse next to the Broadway Market. http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/06/02/vodka-makers-eye-fillmore-district-site.html This is important because the Broadway-Fillmore district, 50 years ago, held the second-busiest intersection in New York State (second only to Times Square) and now is one of Buffalo's bleakest neighborhoods. Investment is desperately needed, so hopefully this is the beginning of a movement over there...there are plenty of great buildings.

Also - a Toronto burger chain is opening its first US location on Elmwood Avenue: http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/06/02/toronto-s-hero-burgers-bound-for-elmwood.html . Note that they chose Elmwood Avenue, not the Galleria Mall.

[Tedious]

The sale of David Sweet's buildings is a big WIN for downtown - the new owner (sources say Paul Kolkmeyer) is going to convert most to residential (Stanton and Main/Seneca) or mixed-use (Rand). That'll add new apartments and 'get rid' of a bunch of Class C office space. Win-Win

Do you know if Savarino's Freight House development is still going forward? There's no activity on site. And I just noticed that people will be able to see it from rt 5 south of the skyway, which is always a plus. I figured it would be too out of sight to have a visual impact.

[Tedious]

Also - a Toronto burger chain is opening its first US location on Elmwood Avenue: http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/06/02/toronto-s-hero-burgers-bound-for-elmwood.html . Note that they chose Elmwood Avenue, not the Galleria Mall.

Probably chose Elmwood because there's a glut of burger joints there (is there even one? The only other burger centric place i know of in the city is Soho). It's a good idea. Not everyone wants Greek Asian or Mexican.

Also in the article: "Other works-in-progress include plans by Benchmark Group to erect a three-story, mixed-use development at 766 Elmwood Ave. and, Chason Development, having won a lengthy legal battle, is poised to start work on a hotel project on Elmwood Avenue near Forest Avenue." Hope they start soon. A few hotels up that way makes a lot of sense.

[homestar]

Croce should have three of his projects underway this summer/fall: Saturn Rings makeover, Curtiss Hotel, and exterior work at Statler. I know everyone wants to have Statler done yesterday but he has said all along it would be a phased project and he was going to work with partners on the upper floors. He told me he's been approached by two developers interested in residential but hasn't struck a deal yet.
Wasn't the exterior work supposed to be one of the first things he did? I thought part of the deal was the city giving him $5 million for exterior repairs. Has it taken 3 years for them to give the money to him?

[westcoastperspective]

Wasn't the exterior work supposed to be one of the first things he did? I thought part of the deal was the city giving him $5 million for exterior repairs. Has it taken 3 years for them to give the money to him?

He fixed the immediate roof issues and some short-term masonry repairs. There hasn't been one dime of public money yet. Three years and counting to get that $5 million to finish the masonry work, repair the entrances and storefronts, and finally get the sidewalk sheds removed.

[ladsnine]

He fixed the immediate roof issues and some short-term masonry repairs. There hasn't been one dime of public money yet. Three years and counting to get that $5 million to finish the masonry work, repair the entrances and storefronts, and finally get the sidewalk sheds removed.

Apparently the money is ultimately coming from Empire State Development and being funneled through the City of Buffalo. Both those government entities are quite bureaucratic, but even given that, three years seems a bit extreme...


Also, apparently Tops has some interest in opening a store downtown:
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/06/03/tops-considering-new-downtown-buffalo-store.html

A couple highlights from the article:


Improving demographics and increased development in and around Buffalo’s central business district has Tops Markets LLC considering building or opening a supermarket in the downtown area.

“We are actively exploring a number of options,” said Frank Curci, Tops president and CEO. “Downtown is something we’d like to do this year. But does that mean we will build in the middle of Niagara Square? No.”

Curci declined to identify a specific location or the potential size of a store. Tops has stores that range from 6,500-square-feet to 100,000-square-feet among its portfolio of 159 supermarkets. Curci would not commit to an exact time frame for when Tops will decide whether to open a downtown Buffalo store.

Curci also said Tops is watching closely developments in downtown Rochester and may consider building or opening a supermarket in the Flower City’s central business district. Tops has invested more than $25 million in upgrading and expanding its presence in Rochester. Tops has 24 Rochester stores.

“A Buffalo decision is a lot closer than Rochester,” Curci said. “Downtown Rochester is getting to the point where it might be able to support a downtown store, but you still need that critical mass to support it.”



Most people I've talked to would prefer something more upscale than Tops, but one of the main reasons potential downtown residents pass it over right now is the lack of a grocery store, so this could help speed up development if it happens. And, I suspect Tops would do something unique in terms of offerings if it did do a downtown store.

[Tedious]

Most people I've talked to would prefer something more upscale than Tops, but one of the main reasons potential downtown residents pass it over right now is the lack of a grocery store, so this could help speed up development if it happens. And, I suspect Tops would do something unique in terms of offerings if it did do a downtown store.

I don't get why Tops would be considering a downtown location unless it was one of their smaller and nicer Orchard Fresh prototypes. A regular tops would make absolutely no sense as they already have 5 in the city including one just blocks from downtown. That store is not a great shopping experience, so Orchard Fresh is the only brand that would make sense. It's smaller, captures a more 'discerning' customer and exposes them to a product they might gravitate towards over Wegmans. There's lots of city folk who would love the chance to patronize a downtown grocer. Wegmans on Amherst is consistently mobbed so there should be plenty of room in the market for another nice store. The huge daytime work population is there as well. I hope Tops seizes the opportunity. They need to step it up and they have a chance here.

Side note, when did Wegmans move to Amherst St? It's a great thing for that neighborhood, straddling the better parts of north buffalo and the poorer. So diverse and the employees all seem to like working there.

[ladsnine]

IBM chooses KeyCenter for the 500 jobs it is creating in downtown Buffalo:



http://i62.tinypic.com/2qx2vys.jpg

500 New IBM Jobs to Call Nearly Vacant Key Center Building Home (http://www.buffalonews.com/business/real-estate/500-new-ibm-jobs-to-call-nearly-vacant-key-center-building-home-20140604)

About 500 new jobs that IBM Corp. previously promised to create in downtown Buffalo, as part of a state economic development initiative, will take up a big portion of the Key Center office building that is otherwise being vacated in a year by Delaware North Cos.

The announcement ends weeks of speculation about where IBM’s new software research facility and jobs would be located, as more than 15 city sites and multiple developers vied for the high-profile project.

In an unusual transaction, the state will spend $15 million to purchase a portion of the building and build it out for IBM, while the rest of the building would remain in private hands. Details of the final contract are still being finalized.

The list, which began with all potential sites that could handle the space, was narrowed to seven applicants and then to three finalists, who were interviewed separately Friday.

Other buildings whose owners responded to the bidding request included the Bank of America Building at Fountain Plaza, Main Place Liberty Group’s Main Place Mall and Tower, Uniland Development Co.’s 250 Delaware, Krog Corp.’s 701 Seneca, Krog’s Trico Building and Savarino Cos.’ 500 Seneca, according to sources with knowledge of the selection process.



Yay! KeyCenter is right in the heart of downtown Buffalo, so this is awesome.

[westcoastperspective]

IBM chooses KeyCenter for the 500 jobs it is creating in downtown Buffalo:



Yay! KeyCenter is right in the heart of downtown Buffalo, so this is awesome.

Agreed! :cheers:

Fills a chunk of space that could have been empty for a very long time. And, puts these employees in a location that is only improving with all of the new restaurants opening on nearby blocks.

[homestar]

Wondering if someone can explain a little to me about the keybank buildings (it's a little cloudy to me) ...

How much of the building is vacant now, and how much would be vacant after DN leaves?

Also, who owns the building.. is it KeyBank? How much space do they use themselves? (If it's a keybank building, seems like a lot of space they don't ever use)

Thanks

[westcoastperspective]

Wondering if someone can explain a little to me about the keybank buildings (it's a little cloudy to me) ...

How much of the building is vacant now, and how much would be vacant after DN leaves?

Also, who owns the building.. is it KeyBank? How much space do they use themselves? (If it's a keybank building, seems like a lot of space they don't ever use)

Thanks

Key Success LLC owns both and they're managed by Ciminelli.

Here's Key's available space (if it is updated):

http://keyboa.com/key/building_info/floor_plans_building_specs/

There's a sister site for Bank of America but I thought they had more vacant space than it shows.

DNC occupies everything above the third floor in the south tower and leases space on the ground floor for Vitos. Key only has four floor or so in the north tower. They never occupied more than half of the building.

[homestar]

Thanks for the info WCP.
I'm curious why KeyBank had the buildings built if it wasn't for their own use. They could have just leased space. Unless maybe they thought they would occupy more of it.

[westcoastperspective]

[QUOTE=homestar;6607399]Thanks for the info WCP.
I'm curious why KeyBank had the buildings built if it wasn't for their own use. They could have just leased space. Unless maybe

They never owned the complex- they were just the anchor tenant with naming rights. Key selected the site as their new area HQs location. At the time, Citicomm was trying to get them into a tower they wanted to build at Main/Swan. Key was in Ellicott Square. Key invited Citicomm, Uniland, Snyder and maybe some others to propose a building for them on the "North Block." Citicomm won, built the first tower for Key and a few other tenants that pre-leased space, and built the shell of the south tower. The shell was empty for 10 years until Delaware North took it.

[homestar]

ok. I misread your first post and thought 'Key Success LTD' was the same thing as Key Bank.

[Fortunate4Now]

homestar there are some other relics of unbuilt proposals: http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28446 It would be cool if there were more pictures to go along with them.

[Halovet]

Agreed! :cheers:

Fills a chunk of space that could have been empty for a very long time. And, puts these employees in a location that is only improving with all of the new restaurants opening on nearby blocks.


Now to get something into One Seneca Tower or whatever they call the old Marine Midland Bldg. Great stuff for Key Center though!:tup:

[Tedious]

Construction starting July 1?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fTZwavOI8Ik/U5o0aJ0i_zI/AAAAAAAAAis/R2PsuIDJoMM/w346-h461/download.jpg

http://www.buffalonews.com/storyimage/BN/20140225/CITYANDREGION/140229280/AR/0/AR-140229280.jpg&maxW=602&maxH=602&AlignV=top&Q=80

[ladsnine]

Construction starting July 1?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fTZwavOI8Ik/U5o0aJ0i_zI/AAAAAAAAAis/R2PsuIDJoMM/w346-h461/download.jpg

http://www.buffalonews.com/storyimage/BN/20140225/CITYANDREGION/140229280/AR/0/AR-140229280.jpg&maxW=602&maxH=602&AlignV=top&Q=80

:cheers::cheers:
And the removal of the most prominent parking lot on the Elmwood strip begins. Now that's progress!

[Tedious]

:cheers::cheers:
And the removal of the most prominent parking lot on the Elmwood strip begins. Now that's progress!

Agreed. Big progress. These will rent really fast in what is probably the best location in the city. It's a no brainer to build here.

Can't see why they'd close the lot unless construction was starting imminently?

[westcoastperspective]

:cheers::cheers:
And the removal of the most prominent parking lot on the Elmwood strip begins. Now that's progress!

Yes- and the Ellicott Development project will take out a gas station at Delevan/Elmwood. One down, a few more to go....:cheers:

[ladsnine]

The housing market is doing very well:
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/real-estate/bidding-wars-and-big-prices-buffalo-real-estate-is-red-hot-2014061 (http://www.buffalonews.com/business/real-estate/bidding-wars-and-big-prices-buffalo-real-estate-is-red-hot-20140614) . Sounds like we might not be the least expensive housing market in the country for long... (for better or worse)

Also, from the article, it sounds like the most intense activity is in the city, in the Elmwood Village and Allentown, so that's a good sign for the city's continuing resurgence. I personally know a couple people that looked in Elmwood recently but bought in other areas of the West Side because they were priced out.

[ladsnine]

The Riverbend deal changed a bit today. The solar panel manufacturer Silevo, which was supposed to anchor the complex, was bought by SolarCity and SolarCity is pushing forward on the plan except that they are expanding it, saying that the new Buffalo factory will be one of the largest in the world, with 1000 employees. The news made CNNMoney today:

http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/17/news/companies/solarcity-silevo/index.html

[JohnMarko]

Here's a pic of the proposed new facility: http://buffalorising.com/2014/06/riverbend-anchor-sold-to-solarcity/

http://buffalorising.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/riverbend-770x286.jpg

[westcoastperspective]

The Riverbend deal changed a bit today. The solar panel manufacturer Silevo, which was supposed to anchor the complex, was bought by SolarCity and SolarCity is pushing forward on the plan except that they are expanding it, saying that the new Buffalo factory will be one of the largest in the world, with 1000 employees. The news made CNNMoney today:

http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/17/news/companies/solarcity-silevo/index.html

Musk is a rock star. I'd trade the solar plant for the battery plant Tesla is planning - over 5000 jobs. Texas and Nevada appear to be the front runners for it but California hasn't given up.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/10/reno-san-antonio-tesla-battery-plant/10302953/

Still, 1000 jobs is a BIG deal! It's really time to get serious about some light rail extensions or trolley lines to connect the nodes developing.

[ladsnine]

The Riverbend project is located less than 4 miles from downtown Buffalo, very much in an urban location surrounded by dense 100-year old neighborhoods. That juxtaposition will be what makes it an economic boon, I think. The neighborhoods around it will get re-invested and it will provide more justification for the continuing re-development of downtown for housing for these relatively well-paid workers and offices for related companies. Giant office parks in suburbia don't tend to contribute to their surroundings very much, but this has the potential to since it's right in the middle of the city.

I would love to see a light rail extension to Riverbend, Larkin, etc., but even without that, the bus service on South Park Avenue is excellent (every 15 minutes all day) and there are bike lanes the whole way, so transportation options are pretty good already.

The battery factory WOULD be even cooler, but honestly, just this is awesome. We didn't have to fight with other states for this, the incentives for it were relatively small and don't expire, and we didn't expect it. And - this is just one of several active engines for new jobs happening in the region right now, so we're not absolutely dependent on it. A good situation to be in.

------------------------------------------

In other news, Mark Croce took another step forward on the Curtiss Building hotel project today. Hopefully he will start construction soon:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/downtown-waterfront/croce-gets-tax-breaks-for-curtiss-building-hotel-conversion-20140618

[Tedious]

In other news, Mark Croce took another step forward on the Curtiss Building hotel project today. Hopefully he will start construction soon:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/downtown-waterfront/croce-gets-tax-breaks-for-curtiss-building-hotel-conversion-20140618

$18 million seems like a lot for that project. A bigger building built from the ground up could be built for less than that it seems. Not that a new build would be anywhere near as gorgeous as the Curtis.

Does this mean it will begin construction? What other obstacles can he have? I'm almost sick of hearing about this (awesome) project.

[ladsnine]

$18,000,000 / 57,500 square feet = $313/SF . That IS pretty high - not crazy, but a bit higher than I would expect from a developer project. He did talk about installing pretty high-end finishes and such, so perhaps that is reflected in the price? I'm sure the interior is in rough shape since it hasn't been heated for many years, so that probably adds cost. I wonder if he is going to put on a new cornice? Buffalo had a thing for removing them back in the 1940s.

Anyway, I agree - he needs to get on with it and put out a press release when construction is underway and not before.

[ladsnine]

Some photos of the Main Street 600 Block reconstruction project from this evening:

http://i57.tinypic.com/2ds4igp.jpg

This is where the traffic lane joins the light rail tracks. Right now, and since the mid-1980s, Main Street has been a pedestrian mall with a light rail line running down it. The pedestrian mall was a failure, so the city is tearing it out with the belief that that will help bring life back to the street. In the new configuration, both cars and trains will use the same lane along the center and there will be a bike lane and a parking lane on the outside.

http://i57.tinypic.com/5mj03c.jpg

Just before the join point.

http://i60.tinypic.com/zmxd2o.jpg

The new "Theater District" sign at Main & Tupper. The "Plaza of Stars" that is sinking into the sidewalk on Chippewa Street was/will be moved to this location to complete the plaza. I think it looks amazing...

http://i57.tinypic.com/2q00qza.jpg

New sidewalks and planters...

http://i57.tinypic.com/ao9kzs.jpg

Bijou put out a sidewalk cafe...

http://i61.tinypic.com/10gyypg.jpg

New pedestrian signal under wraps in front of Shea's.
(A small brag for non-locals: Shea's Buffalo is the highest-grossing Broadway theater outside of New York City.)

[Corbin Dalus]

Very happy about all the development. Never thought I'd see this--I couldn't have believed it had someone told me when I moved to Buff a decade and a half ago after meeting my wife.

The Riverbend project, I really hope it lives up to all the hype. I have rental properties scattered in the South Buffalo area and one of them just happens to be right near the proposed Riverbend. I'd love
to see a pos. effect on rentals there, of course. It's always been my impression that S. Buffalo always seemed to get overlooked in the past.

I grew up in Florida just south of Tampa. When I was a kid there was just one skyscraper in downtown Tampa--Park Tower.

http://i.imgur.com/R6yiu9o.jpg
(Wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Tampa

Quite a difference as you can see. Every time I'd drive into town I used to see those awesome tower cranes above another rising skyscraper project. I really missed that.

Then suddenly the tower cranes started popping up in Buffalo, of all places. I work downtown near the Harborfront project so I get to watch the progress daily. I was heading to my car today and I saw a total of three cranes at the project and I said "This, I should take a pic of!" Never thought I'd see such a thing! (Please excuse the crummy cell phone image)

http://i.imgur.com/rRuYXck.jpg

Here's another angle as I reached my truck
http://i.imgur.com/lu34KES.jpg

Needless to say, I'm excited to see how long all this lasts. After years of disappointments as anyone who lives in Buffalo knows.

[Corbin Dalus]

Just though I'd throw these in:
Here's a recent pic of the Roswell tower.

http://i.imgur.com/Muuog7C.jpg

And here's one of the medical school just before they took the tower down (or maybe it's still up?)

http://i.imgur.com/JQxlu8f.jpg

[eleven=11]

hello , the wiki/maps and google street view
seems very old around the downtown area
but my question is
1 - what are they building around the arena ?
2- anybody know a better web map ?

[Corbin Dalus]

Below is the location of the Harbor Center project w a walk bridge connecting to First Niagara Center Arena:

http://i.imgur.com/gT3uO17.jpg

Another pic of Harbor Center development comes from a NY Times article:

http://i.imgur.com/iY2xfsb.jpg

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/sports/hockey/buffalo-banks-on-a-hockey-centered-development-to-boost-civic-rebirth.html

This next pic shows at right the Roswell Clinical Sciences addition, at top light upper is the medical school and below it another building (can't recall the name--anybody?) which has ground dug out with foundation started.

http://i.imgur.com/suc51mz.jpg

Here is a pic of the Roswell addition courtesy of City of Buffalo website
http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Leadership/City_Comptroller/economy

http://i.imgur.com/E6ZcVS5.jpg

These projects are at two different ends of downtown Buffalo. As many aren't aware the downtown area from Buff Gen to the waterfront near the arena is two miles in length.

[ladsnine]

Thanks for the photos!!

The building you have a photo of is actually a new 7-story medical office building called Conventus. The building that is being dug out right across the street from it will be the new medical school.

[ladsnine]

The City of Buffalo has an RFP out for one of the last parcels in Waterfront Village:
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/06/24/bids-sought-for-waterfront-village-parcel.html

[map removed - see below]

AND...this year's list of projects requesting funds from the Buffalo Building Reuse Project revolving loan fund is out:

505 Pearl St. (Saturn Rings Building, Mark Croce)
298 Main St. (White Building, Kissling and Ciminelli Development Cos.)
7 buildings at Oak & Genesee including Curve Building at Oak & Genesee (Sienna Realty)
1110-1116 Main St. (Sinatra)
Genesee & Michigan (Madison Construction)

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2014/06/24/budc-to-review-downtown-redevelopment-funding.html

[ladsnine]

Photo Update

Giant photo dump from Friday evening.


http://i60.tinypic.com/2w2pwuw.jpg

The new Fountain Plaza station for the Metro Rail taking shape.

http://i59.tinypic.com/29ay15y.jpg

Rocco's shipping container hot dog stand taking shape on this little tiny sliver of land.

http://i62.tinypic.com/sg7fau.jpg

Contrary to all logic, he doesn't ACTUALLY appear to be building it out of shipping containers. It looks like it will be conventional construction make to LOOK like shipping containers. What's the point of that?! People use shipping containers because there's a surplus of them and they're cheap...

http://i61.tinypic.com/11blwsp.jpg

The Curve Building next door (a homeless drop-in center until it closed earlier this year) is being gutted.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2dr99bb.jpg

Across Oak Street, the new Catholic Health Headquarters is rapidly nearing completion.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2hzo27k.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/msghli.jpg

Apparently the parking ramp is over 900 spaces. Usually I would have a huge problem with add so much parking when we have such an excess downtown already, but the reality is that this site is sandwiched between expressway on/off-ramps on three sides. It will never be very urban and walkable unless major infrastructure changes are made, so if any location makes sense for a giant parking ramp, this does.

http://i60.tinypic.com/1ekjlc.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/s6ppo0.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/2dw6lhh.jpg

Big Ditch Brewery (reuse of a former Verizon vehicle garage) at Huron & Ellicott

http://i57.tinypic.com/2rwwae0.jpg

173 Elm St. is sporting a sign "Future Home of Service Collaborative of WNY". This is one of Paladino's upcoming projects.

http://i59.tinypic.com/35k1je9.jpg

The Planing Mill Lofts at Elm & William. 22 market-rate units + office space on the first floor. I guess they're test out what size the "P" should be on the front.

http://i62.tinypic.com/34ngro4.jpg

The building is the old Hager & Sons Planing Mill, built in the 1860s.

http://i57.tinypic.com/1ypt1g.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/igkryg.jpg

The newly restored porte-cochere on the Oak Street side of ECC City Campus.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2hfs3a1.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/2zow21z.jpg

New clay tile roof on ECC City Campus

http://i59.tinypic.com/1673zm8.jpg

The HUB Apartments. Swan & Elm. 50 market-rate units under construction.

http://i59.tinypic.com/m9xawo.jpg

Awesome brickwork.

http://i57.tinypic.com/mkhpjr.jpg

Cast iron elements integrated into the new storefront. The retail will be a bike shop and a restaurant.

http://i58.tinypic.com/wgoymc.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/2v3ho3m.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/15qx4px.jpg

Fairmont Creamery. This project has a nearly 15-year history and is finally underway. For a decade it is was a dilapidated building right along I-190. It is being renovated in office space, 30? apartments, and some sort of banquet space. It also wins the award for worst windows in a historic rehab - I mean, really, how boring can you be?

http://i62.tinypic.com/j0a8ht.jpg

Cool brickwork on the creamery.

http://i62.tinypic.com/29lkzex.jpg

Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino. $130 million new casino completed last year.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2uemkvp.jpg

Bonus shot of Elevator Alley, mostly because it's awesome. It was a nice day for kayaking.

http://i60.tinypic.com/20gbfno.jpg

The tortured Replica Canals project at the Aud Block site. This was supposed to be finished in 2012, then they fired the contractor for being incredibly slow. From the looks of things, there's still not much getting done. Maybe the project is cursed?

http://i61.tinypic.com/2hz485v.jpg

The NFTA just redid the Erie Canal Harbor Metro Rail station including adding these medallions showing the canal district.

http://i62.tinypic.com/27xdnis.jpg

One Canalside. I believe construction finished on this last month. This is the former Donovan State Office Building. It is now home to a Courtyard by Marriott hotel on the lower floors and the Philips Lytle law firm on the upper floors.

http://i61.tinypic.com/28tz8m8.jpg

The rear of One Canalside, along Washington Street.

http://i60.tinypic.com/24qkfmx.jpg

The new East Canal pocket park in front of One Canalside. The building at right is the Buffalo News.

http://i59.tinypic.com/2r4hamc.jpg

This new park is SERIOUSLY well done.

http://i60.tinypic.com/34e4xoz.jpg

HarborCenter - new double-rink hockey arena with 15-story hotel on top, parking ramp, and restaurants/retail

http://i60.tinypic.com/25j8rok.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/wstw77.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/w1acxx.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/2qvh9og.jpg

All of a sudden Washington Street is feeling a lot more crowded over here...

http://i61.tinypic.com/2d27k13.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2b191v.jpg

I just loved this shot because there's so much going on here...

http://i58.tinypic.com/k9f2mr.jpg

Tishman Building Renovation - 20-story skyscraper being renovated into restaurants on the ground floor, hotel above up to floor 14, apartments on 15-17, and the offices of the developer, Hamister, on 18-20. Hamister is moving downtown from Amherst.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2afy8so.jpg

Reconstruction of West Mohawk Street looking from Main. Paladino actually gave up a row of parking to make this a reality - imagine that.

http://i60.tinypic.com/ohihcy.jpg

East Mohawk

http://i58.tinypic.com/2nc02zc.jpg

Main Street 500 Block re-construction, looking north

http://i57.tinypic.com/2rpacef.jpg

Looking south (Lafayette Square Metro Rail station in the foreground)

http://i59.tinypic.com/30sh6k4.jpg

535 Main Street - renovation of a long-abandoned 19th century building. D'Avolio's Kitchen is opening on the first floor and the upper floors will be apartments.

http://i61.tinypic.com/ace8g9.jpg

537 Main Street - this is becoming a french restaurant with the owners building an apartment above

http://i61.tinypic.com/2yoty52.jpg

5-7-9 Genesee - the yellow hot dog building and the gray building next to it. These are some of the oldest buildings downtown, built in the 1840s. The gray building (#9) is becoming a single-family residence on the upper floors with a "street meat" deli on the first floor. 5-7 are going to have that gross yellow stuff torn off and will be restored, with apartments on the upper floors and retail on the first floor. #9 is underway but 5-7 isn't yet.

Roosevelt Square is being reconstructed in the foreground. The building looming in the background is another renovation project that has been announced and is upcoming.

http://i58.tinypic.com/1588ub4.jpg

The Curtiss Building, at Huron & Franklin. The owner, Mark Croce, has been working on redevelopment plans on and off since 2009?. But supposedly construction is starting the second week of July, so it may actually be happening. This will be a boutique hotel.

http://i57.tinypic.com/kcyz2s.jpg

Detail, Curtiss Building

http://i60.tinypic.com/20h223p.jpg

And - last but not least - the Lake Hotel. Formerly abandoned, re-opened last year as apartments.

CRAZILY enough, that's not even close to all the activity going on in downtown Buffalo. I missed a few smaller projects in this area (and one large one - Delaware North HQ), but the main area I didn't walk through is the Medical Campus, located on the north end of downtown. Over $500 million in construction is underway there with more planned. But the sun was going down...so, another day :)

[Fortunate4Now]

Thanks for all the photos! :tup:


The City of Buffalo has an RFP out for one of the last parcels in Waterfront Village:

http://i59.tinypic.com/4rxrew.jpg

Come on Uniland, dust off those 33 gates plans!!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mnVwoUIOyoM/Rk8zeDEtcqI/AAAAAAAAAA0/R1IL6Atvv3I/s1600/1078_2_1000+Diamond+33+Gates+Circle+2.jpg

[Downtown Bolivar]

I still don't understand what restoring traffic to main street will do for main street or metro rail. Patrick Whalen, former CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus was right, Metro Rail is an asset the city doesn't deserve. They are killing off ridership with this reconstruction. The NFTA continues its incredible record of utter incompetence.

[atlantaguy]

While Raleigh obviously doesn't have LRT down its signature street, restoring auto traffic to Fayetteville Street after being converted into a pedestrian mall years ago has proven to be a huge success.

Hopefully the same success will happen in Buffalo.

[ladsnine]

While Raleigh obviously doesn't have LRT down its signature street, restoring auto traffic to Fayetteville Street after being converted into a pedestrian mall years ago has proven to be a huge success.

Hopefully the same success will happen in Buffalo.

Agreed. It won't be a "silver bullet" where Main Street will all of a sudden blossom to life, but I think it will make a difference. There are a LOT of cities that have done this and in the examples I know of, the result has always been positive. Kalamazoo, Michigan was the first city to put in a mall, on Burdick St., but tore it out in 1998 and that street is doing well. Chicago tore out its State Street mall in 1996 and State Street is booming, as examples.

Also, it's not the NFTA that's doing it. The NFTA is actually fighting it tooth-and-nail. I believe Buffalo Place and the mayor's office are leading the charge to get the mall removed. If you'll notice, there's still a green signal box sitting in front of Hostel Buffalo Niagara that is right in the middle of the new northbound traffic lane on the 600 block. I have heard rumors that the NFTA is trying to leverage that box in order to keep traffic from returning to the block - they probably won't be successful, given that the project has to be finished and in service before the city can get reimbursed by the feds, but they might successfully delay it for a few months.

[Fortunate4Now]

ladsnine, after reading the BRO article today is was made clear the request for proposal is for the lot to the left of the image not the right or area that was highlighted in red.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Buffharbor_view.jpg/800px-Buffharbor_view.jpg

[ladsnine]

Oy, yes, you're right.

It's these parcels:

http://i62.tinypic.com/2eyl5c2.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/34osbrn.jpg

I guess that might make it a lot more attractive for developers, right, since it's right on the water?

---------------

Also from BRO, the city is RFP'ing this lot at Main & Best, right across from the Summer-Best Metro Rail station and a couple of blocks north of the Medical Campus

http://i57.tinypic.com/14ljbs7.jpg

This is just begging for something really urban. I wonder what we'll see here. Poor little kiddies will lose their play yard, though...

Here's the link: http://www.city-buffalo.com/files/1_2_1/city_departments/BURA/rfp/BURA_1127Main.pdf

[westcoastperspective]

Oy, yes, you're right.

It's these parcels:

http://i62.tinypic.com/2eyl5c2.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/34osbrn.jpg

I guess that might make it a lot more attractive for developers, right, since it's right on the water?

---------------

Also from BRO, the city is RFP'ing this lot at Main & Best, right across from the Summer-Best Metro Rail station and a couple of blocks north of the Medical Campus

http://i57.tinypic.com/14ljbs7.jpg

This is just begging for something really urban. I wonder what we'll see here. Poor little kiddies will lose their play yard, though...

Here's the link: http://www.city-buffalo.com/files/1_2_1/city_departments/BURA/rfp/BURA_1127Main.pdf

A nice 4 to 6 story residential building with one or two storefronts would be ideal for that corner on Main. Fingers crossed they get something appropriate.

It has only been 30 years since Waterfront Village started and yet there is still empty land there. Granted the layout of the neighborhood isn't ideal, but the units and location is great. It seems like developers propose projects but the real estate market takes a dump before they start work or they bail on future phases. Portside and Marina Park were supposed to fill those Lakefront Blvd. parcels with more phases- each died after one phase (Marina Park) or two (Portside - which has a second developer come in to finish up units that were started but not finished by the original developer). It doesn't give me much hope for alot of residential development on the outer harbor.

[Corbin Dalus]

Ladsnine, thanks for the building clarifications—and the photo dump. I wish I could find time to do one. I’m downtown every day!

Fortunate4Now, I echo your question regarding 33 Gates!! I never forgot about this! Wasn't it just a handful of little bitties that stepped up to denounce it (anti-progress)?! I think it was something like 30 stories proposed wasn’t it? Cool shot of the downtown westend there! Am I a nut to think we should divide the halves of downtown into Eastend and Westend? Or has this already been done? It’s two miles long for cripe sakes!

As for Main St., I never knew what to think about it going in and now. I respect they took a shot at something in a city that has a track record of sitting on the fence. It seems to function now, sort of. I’m down at Laffayette Square and I will say it’s drivable but it’s tight and I often hear people beeping (and the train beeping), when someone parks to run inside somewhere.

I noticed that traffic box when I took a walk up near Shae’s. Is that what that ridiculous thing is? It’s an eyesore. Frankly, since I moved her in 95’ nothing stumps me more than that ridiculous NFTA. Heck, they were always the major obstacle to getting the waterfront done.

I think your best bet for creating momentum is the medical corridor (Eastend) and the waterfront.
They will come…
:yes:

[ladsnine]

51 of the 53 senior apartments at the new Canterbury Woods location at Gates Circle are already spoken for, and they aren't even close to starting construction on it:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/development/canterbury-woods-opens-sales-office-most-apartments-tentatively-taken-20140626
The article also says they are planning 500 market-rate residential units, including both apartments and condos, as part of the new mixed-use complex.


AND...the tower crane is up at the Delaware North HQ (250 Delaware):
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/and-the-cranes-keep-whooping-as-a-270-footer-rises-at-250-delaware-20140626
It looms VERY impressively over downtown. I'll try to get a photo in the new couple of days. That's 5 tower cranes up right now, right? Any idea when the one for the new Med School will go up?


ALSO...this isn't as sexy, but it is interesting:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/environment/buffalo-sewer-project-that-aims-to-control-overflows-alarms-neighborhood-20140625
Buffalo has a Combined Sewer, like most older cities, which means the rainwater and sanitary sewers mix together and it all goes to the treatment plant. It is also means that when the system overflows in large rainfalls, we dump a lot of untreated poop in the Niagara River. The city is undertaking a 20-year $380 million project to create a series of in-line storage tanks in the sewer system, throughout the city, in order to store the water during big rain events. It seems the first part of the construction started this winter, under Bird Avenue in the Elmwood Village. Apparently the suburbs will be paying the city for the privilege to use these storage tanks as well, which will help the city's finances.

[Corbin Dalus]

Was able to get a pic of the Roswell tower today - had to be quick as I was driving:

http://i.imgur.com/PEPajxj.jpg

[ladsnine]

Thanks for all the pictures Corbin! (this and those from the other day too)

That Roswell tower is really starting to get tall. It's only going to be 11 stories, I think?, so it must be almost topped out. Is that box at the top of the steel the penthouse? If so, then it is topped out.

EDIT: Apparently the Roswell Clinical Sciences Center was topped off June 6th. The Buffalo News has a slideshow of the topping off ceremony here: http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?site=bn&date=20140606&category=photogalleries&artno=606009992&ref=ph and a slideshow of construction photos from June 7th here: http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?date=20140607&category=photogalleries&artno=607009999&ref=ph

[ladsnine]

More information on the proposals to redo the Market Arcade Theater:
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/buffalo/proposals-for-market-arcade-theater-include-dining-drinking-and-entertainment-20140627

Rocco renamed his proposal to "Tavern + Bowl" (he dropped the Laverne & Shirley references, it seems) and would have 4 theaters with food and drink service, 10 bowling lanes, and a lobby bar. Sinatra's is similar, but with less changes from the existing - Dipson would run the theater, Bijou would offer dining, and there would be 3 theaters with food and drink service. There is a third proposal as well, but the city isn't divulging any information about it - but it apparently keeps the theater open and includes dining as well.

[ladsnine]

That parking lot across from Spot Coffee on Elmwood that will become the new mixed-use building at 766 Elmwood is officially closed as of today. Rode the bus by it today and there are jersey barriers around it. No construction equipment on site yet.

Also, steel is going up at the Delaware North HQ tower. They've gotten the basement and first floor up along the north end of the site.

Sorry, didn't have a chance to grab pictures.

[homestar]

I still don't understand what restoring traffic to main street will do for main street or metro rail. Patrick Whalen, former CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus was right, Metro Rail is an asset the city doesn't deserve. They are killing off ridership with this reconstruction. The NFTA continues its incredible record of utter incompetence.
Three points to consider with this...

1 - the rail track bed was 30 years old and due for replacement. So even if the Cars On Main project never happened, the tracks would need to be ripped out and replaced at some point soon, and that would have disrupted ridership either way. Plus we all know how dated and deteriorated the sidewalks were on Main, so those would have had to be ripped up too. Bottom line is that the disruption to metro riders and pedestrians would have happened regardless of this project.

2 - the huge spike in renovation announcements along the 400 and 500 blocks (restaurants, apartments, offices) only occurred after the Cars On Main project was finalized and financed for those blocks. It could be a total coincidence... but it definitely appears to be a positive factor in the rebirth of Main.

3 - the reduced ridership on the metro will only be temporary, because around the same time that Metro schedules get back to normal, it will coincide with the opening of Conventus, Children's Hospital, and UB Medical... all right on Main St and right above a subway stop. It is virtually guaranteed that there will be a huge boost to ridership once they open, especially with the limited parking in that area.

[westcoastperspective]

Three points to consider with this...

1 - the rail track bed was 30 years old and due for replacement. So even if the Cars On Main project never happened, the tracks would need to be ripped out and replaced at some point soon, and that would have disrupted ridership either way. Plus we all know how dated and deteriorated the sidewalks were on Main, so those would have had to be ripped up too. Bottom line is that the disruption to metro riders and pedestrians would have happened regardless of this project.

2 - the huge spike in renovation announcements along the 400 and 500 blocks (restaurants, apartments, offices) only occurred after the Cars On Main project was finalized and financed for those blocks. It could be a total coincidence... but it definitely appears to be a positive factor in the rebirth of Main.

3 - the reduced ridership on the metro will only be temporary, because around the same time that Metro schedules get back to normal, it will coincide with the opening of Conventus, Children's Hospital, and UB Medical... all right on Main St and right above a subway stop. It is virtually guaranteed that there will be a huge boost to ridership once they open, especially with the limited parking in that area.

What they need to add downtown are more crossovers so that trains can go around problems or work areas - not sure how that gets accomplished with cars soon to be sharing the road but it's a cluster F during this reconstruction. Right now the switches are at Allen and Canalside. That wasn't very smart.

[ladsnine]

Three points to consider with this...

1 - the rail track bed was 30 years old and due for replacement. So even if the Cars On Main project never happened, the tracks would need to be ripped out and replaced at some point soon, and that would have disrupted ridership either way. Plus we all know how dated and deteriorated the sidewalks were on Main, so those would have had to be ripped up too. Bottom line is that the disruption to metro riders and pedestrians would have happened regardless of this project.

2 - the huge spike in renovation announcements along the 400 and 500 blocks (restaurants, apartments, offices) only occurred after the Cars On Main project was finalized and financed for those blocks. It could be a total coincidence... but it definitely appears to be a positive factor in the rebirth of Main.

3 - the reduced ridership on the metro will only be temporary, because around the same time that Metro schedules get back to normal, it will coincide with the opening of Conventus, Children's Hospital, and UB Medical... all right on Main St and right above a subway stop. It is virtually guaranteed that there will be a huge boost to ridership once they open, especially with the limited parking in that area.

The thing that people keep missing when they talk about how much ridership has fallen during the Main Street renovation is something that the NFTA said in a Buffalo News article a while back: ridership has fallen but revenue has not. Which basically means that all the people that aren't riding it are the people that used to use it as a way to get from one part of downtown to another for free. The people that pay are commuters and other people riding from the underground sections, and that number of people hasn't changed. All this makes me think that the ridership dip is very temporary.

[ladsnine]

Ciminelli announced plans for a second Conventus building, though it sounds like plans are in the very early stages. http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/conventus/ciminelli-planning-75-million-building-near-conventus-center-20140707

The site is the 1920s warehouse across the street from Conventus and the new Womens & Childrens Hospital site:

http://i58.tinypic.com/2ngsn53.jpg

EDIT: The top left blue box should read "Conventus" and the bottom right box is the proposed "Conventus 2". Sorry, I was really tired when I made this, but I don't have a way to change the file anymore.)

(Just a crude diagram I made quickly - do you think they would go all the way over to Ellicott Street with the site or be half the width of the block like this?)
Also - wasn't this site the planned location for the second phase of the Med School?


Also, asbestos abatement appears to be underway at the Phoenix Brewery (windows are out and plastic sheeting is in) so that project seems likely moving forward.

[westcoastperspective]

Ciminelli announced plans for a second Conventus building, though it sounds like plans are in the very early stages. http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/conventus/ciminelli-planning-75-million-building-near-conventus-center-20140707

The site is the 1920s warehouse across the street from Conventus and the new Womens & Childrens Hospital site:

http://i58.tinypic.com/2ngsn53.jpg

(Just a crude diagram I made quickly - do you think they would go all the way over to Ellicott Street with the site or be half the width of the block like this?)
Also - wasn't this site the planned location for the second phase of the Med School?


Also, asbestos abatement appears to be underway at the Phoenix Brewery (windows are out and plastic sheeting is in) so that project seems likely moving forward.

Yes- a second wing for the med school was shown on the Langston site. Hmm- maybe Ciminelli is trying to raise the price of the parcel?

[westcoastperspective]

A developer is planning 30, market-rate infill homes on the west side. Scattered sites around Fargo. I am going to talk to the developer on Monday but the News is possibly running something tomorrow. Stay tuned. Everyone will recognize the name behind the project. :tup:

[ladsnine]

OMG so awesome - very excited for this! New infill is exactly what the West Side needs. So many vacant lots left over from the bad old days.

[westcoastperspective]

OMG so awesome - very excited for this! New infill is exactly what the West Side needs. So many vacant lots left over from the bad old days.

I know! Fingers crossed for some great design.

[Fortunate4Now]

Got out on a paddle board from BFLO Harbor Kayak which was a great experience. Here's a couple photos I snapped from my phone around town.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/canalside_zpse0a5de11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/frompaddleboard_zps5ef48d62.jpg

There were workers on site for both Harborcenter and 250 Delaware ave.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/HarborCntr_zpsf5c13d8b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/250delave_zps081e8cd8.jpg

New canal bridge. There were a bunch of concrete blocks (right) they were beginning to position in place.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/canalbridge_zps46bf28d0.jpg

[ladsnine]

Crazy how that's only the first floor of 250 Delaware. It already looks so big... Can you imagine 11 more stories? It's totally gonna tower over that intersection.

Also, when you look at it in person, they lined the top of the first floor (the line of that steel) up perfectly with the top of the first floor at the Tourraine Hotel next door. It's little things like that that make for quality streetscapes.

[Tedious]

Crazy how that's only the first floor of 250 Delaware. It already looks so big... Can you imagine 11 more stories? It's totally gonna tower over that intersection.

Also, when you look at it in person, they lined the top of the first floor (the line of that steel) up perfectly with the top of the first floor at the Tourraine Hotel next door. It's little things like that that make for quality streetscapes.

The first floor is about double height, but yeah it will still have a wow factor even though we already know what it will look like. The top to bottom glass is great. It is going up really fast right now. There's already two more floors in the works.


Anyone know when the Elmwood developmen next to Globe will start? The parking lot has been closed for weeks now.

[ladsnine]

Serious progress on the Big Ditch Brewery. As in, the corner of the building is currently missing:

http://i61.tinypic.com/5kg45i.jpg
Source: Big Ditch's facebook page

[DuluthJon]

Are any of these places going to be affordable keeping in line with the average income in Buffalo? While it's nice to see these old buildings breathing new life, it's going to be very disappointing if they're built in such a way where, after ten years, hardly anyone can afford to live there and they'll either sit empty, or be rented out to 5-6 college students occupying one apartment.

This is the mistake that happened in downtown Duluth, Minnesota. The ability of the developers to transform old flophouse hotels and rotted out warehouses into beautiful spaces was amazing. But here's where they go wrong: most people here who are unmarried, childless and want to live downtown aren't rich like the downtown residents in Minneapolis, Chicago, Seattle and Toronto. They're just scraping by and want to live downtown so they don't need the extra expense of a car and can walk to most places. They don't want granite/quartz countertops! They don't want cork flooring! They don't want a yoga room or any of these amenities that justify charging $1100 a month for a studio. They want safe, clean, accessible and somewhat modern buildings to live in. The only reason these expensive amenities are added is to charge outrageous rents that hardly anyone in the Duluths and Buffalos can afford. Neither is an affluent city, and those with lots of money often don't want to live downtown.

I know these developments are trying to outdo each other with fascinating perks and amenities, but when you consider your local market and their average salaries, all you're building are rehabbed old buildings that nobody will be able to,afford or even qualify to rent.

[Tedious]

Are any of these places going to be affordable keeping in line with the average income in Buffalo? While it's nice to see these old buildings breathing new life, it's going to be very disappointing if they're built in such a way where, after ten years, hardly anyone can afford to live there and they'll either sit empty, or be rented out to 5-6 college students occupying one apartment.

This is the mistake that happened in downtown Duluth, Minnesota. The ability of the developers to transform old flophouse hotels and rotted out warehouses into beautiful spaces was amazing. But here's where they go wrong: most people here who are unmarried, childless and want to live downtown aren't rich like the downtown residents in Minneapolis, Chicago, Seattle and Toronto. They're just scraping by and want to live downtown so they don't need the extra expense of a car and can walk to most places. They don't want granite/quartz countertops! They don't want cork flooring! They don't want a yoga room or any of these amenities that justify charging $1100 a month for a studio. They want safe, clean, accessible and somewhat modern buildings to live in. The only reason these expensive amenities are added is to charge outrageous rents that hardly anyone in the Duluths and Buffalos can afford. Neither is an affluent city, and those with lots of money often don't want to live downtown.

I know these developments are trying to outdo each other with fascinating perks and amenities, but when you consider your local market and their average salaries, all you're building are rehabbed old buildings that nobody will be able to,afford or even qualify to rent.

Are you just speaking of the loft conversions? Like anywhere else, they follow the laws of economics. The current crop of maybe a couple thousand newer lofts rent for between $800 and $2500. They are building more because they rent out very quickly. Buffalo, probably like Duluth, is normally late to the party when it comes to national trends. So, there's at least a few hundred units under construction currently. That's not really that much. A lot for Buffalo, but not much on a national level. There's still lots of hipsters and young professionals who want swankier diggs like any city.

The city of Buffalo is generally poor, but then you have another million in the suburbs, and maybe another million across the immediate border in the wealthier canadian side. There's areas in buffalo where homes sell for a dollar, then theres many areas where awesome guilded age homes sell for between $300,000 and $1,500,000. It's not a Detroit market.

They will stop converting when people stop renting. Buffalo is far from dead. Lots of folks are misinformed.


There may be other bubbles. 4 microbreweries opening around the same time in the city strikes me as pretty iffy. Also the 5 hotels under construction is iffy as well, but the best ones will survive while the older stock dies. Just what we need, frankly.

[ladsnine]

Agreed. The City of Buffalo is poor, but when you take the 1.1 million person metro area into account, the incomes are pretty average for the country as a whole. Right now, there is tons of demand for higher-end downtown apartments and very little supply - thus, the developers can charge high rents. Buffalo has many older buildings within a 5-10 minute walk of its downtown that provide lower-income or standard income housing for tens of thousands of people, so that market is already served pretty well. The thing that I feel is holding back Buffalo's downtown is a lack of confidence by developers in its future - many developers and bankers seem to be old-school and suburban-minded and don't want the unique challenges of developing in the city and don't understand why somebody would want to live there, so projects are slow to get funded and started. But there are projects, and things are slowly happening.

[westcoastperspective]

We should be hearing about Uniland's plans for the Frey properties they recently purchased at Tupper/Ellicott soon. :cheers:

[ladsnine]

Massive streetscaping project going on in the Larkin District when I visited last week. New sidewalks, bumpouts, a new stone wall. This is along Seneca Street next to the Larkin Center of Commerce west of the Square. Sorry, didn't have my camera.

Also, 6th floor steel is going up at the Delaware North HQ. All of a sudden, it looks pretty imposing. Almost as tall as the Hampton Inn across the street.

[Tedious]

Massive streetscaping project going on in the Larkin District when I visited last week. New sidewalks, bumpouts, a new stone wall. This is along Seneca Street next to the Larkin Center of Commerce west of the Square. Sorry, didn't have my camera.

Also, 6th floor steel is going up at the Delaware North HQ. All of a sudden, it looks pretty imposing. Almost as tall as the Hampton Inn across the street.

Hard to believe all the (good) crap going on downtown and vicinity. It has to be a couple billion. So many developments compared to a decade ago.

[ladsnine]

Walked by the Curtiss Building today at lunch. The door was open and contractors were inside talking. No construction equipment on-site yet, but Croce seems to have been serious - the project seems to be underway.

[westcoastperspective]

It was a busy development week- all of the 'big boys' were in the news:

Sinatra buys at Tupper/Franklin
Uniland gets Rainbow Centre
Ciminelli skins Conventus
Ellicott Dev. buys Episcopal and Christian Center
Benderson confirms plans for new building along Scott Street

I hear the Uniland should be showing plans for the Frey site on Tupper as soon as next week.

[ladsnine]

It was a busy development week- all of the 'big boys' were in the news:

Sinatra buys at Tupper/Franklin
Uniland gets Rainbow Centre
Ciminelli skins Conventus
Ellicott Dev. buys Episcopal and Christian Center
Benderson confirms plans for new building along Scott Street

I hear the Uniland should be showing plans for the Frey site on Tupper as soon as next week.

Awesome to see all this buying activity downtown and even more development in the pipeline. The story (http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/buffalo/developer-duo-acquires-red-jacket-building-and-other-property-near-the-medical-campus-20140808) in the News yesterday that a new owner of the Red Jacket Building is planning to reactivate its 10,000 SF of ground-floor retail is big news too. I hear Sinatra is officially closing on the Market Arcade next week.

Great to see development starting to happen in Niagara Falls too (Hamister and now Uniland). Visited the Falls with family a couple weeks ago and the only food available on the American side near the bridge is little stands run by enterprising Chinese, Indian, and Bengladeshi immigrants. All the storefronts are vacant or boarded up. Americans have clearly given up on that city completely. It's such a weirdly dreary and depressing place, yet has so much potential since it's a big tourist attraction. So it's great that things are starting to improve...it helps that they have a really good mayor (Dyster).

[Halovet]

Got out on a paddle board from BFLO Harbor Kayak which was a great experience. Here's a couple photos I snapped from my phone around town.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/canalside_zpse0a5de11.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/frompaddleboard_zps5ef48d62.jpg

There were workers on site for both Harborcenter and 250 Delaware ave.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/HarborCntr_zpsf5c13d8b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/250delave_zps081e8cd8.jpg

New canal bridge. There were a bunch of concrete blocks (right) they were beginning to position in place.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v80/Localvandal/Photos%20In%20Buffalo/canalbridge_zps46bf28d0.jpg
Love these photos. I wonder if that Ship is lit up at night. That would be so cool.:tup:

[westcoastperspective]

Ellicott Development is planning four stories, 21 apartments and commercial space for the gas station at Elmwood/Delavan according to the News.

[Tedious]

Ellicott Development is planning four stories, 21 apartments and commercial space for the gas station at Elmwood/Delavan according to the News.

Everyone here has seen it im sure, but ill insert the pic anyways.

http://i1.wp.com/buffalorising.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/elmwood2.jpeg?resize=1024%2C491

Not surprising that most of the new-build market rate residential is in the Elmwood village. It's the most walkable place in the city. Lots of eyes on the street, unlike downtown.

[homestar]

that rendering is slightly different than the ones shown at the meeting tonight.
The one at the meeting was newer I think. it's darker and the privacy slats come all the way down to the ground. I liked this older version better, actually. Not sure why they made it so dark.

I took a photo but it's blurry:


http://s29.postimg.org/3w2v5yclz/WP_20140818_009b.jpg

[Evergrey]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bills/2014/09/09/buffalo-bills-terry-pegula-purchase/15330821/

Terry Pegula has agreement to purchase Buffalo Bills

WGRZ-TV 12:25 p.m. EDT September 9, 2014

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/52ce1ed7a2b99e954b86dd2c8ee0c23e425aab38/c=200-146-3670-2754&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/USATODAY/usatsports/2014/06/20/0c03c19e1829a118570f6a7067000490.jpg

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bills trust has reached an agreement to sell the franchise to Terry Pegula, according to two people who spoke with WGRZ-TV..

The news of the agreement comes less than 24 hours after binding bids for the team were due. Pegula, who also owns the Buffalo Sabres, was the front runner to purchase the team since bidding began. Bids were also submitted from Donald Trump and a Toronto based group that had included rocker Jon Bon Jovi.

The agreement still needs to be approved by the National Football League.

On Monday, Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) spoke highly about the Pegula bid, citing his connection to the Western New York area as an important qualification.

"I believe that [Pegula] is enthusiastic about both owning and keeping the Bills in Buffalo for generations," Schumer said.

A CBS Sports report, which also named Pegula as the front runner, says the expected price tag for the Bills will be between $1.1 and $1.4 billion.

Once identified as the prospective ownership candidates, the Pegulas would require approval from members of the NFL Finance Committee, which is to meet next week. They would also have to go through an extensive background check by an NFL-contracted security firm.

The final step would be approval from three-quarters of the league's 31 other owners, which could come at league meetings next month. After that, NFL owners are next scheduled to meet in December.

Under NFL ownership rules, the Pegulas are allowed to own both the Bills and the Sabres because they are located in the same market.

The Bills are up for sale after Wilson, a Hall of Famer who founded the franchise, died in March.

...

[Tedious]

A little construction update taken over the last few days.

Delaware North HQ

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eAzS3tQgWrU/VB4dg9CsPqI/AAAAAAAAAzc/kAa6omkrrrY/w640-h480-no/image1.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JIWzQ6Yls30/VB4diC1rFkI/AAAAAAAAAzk/7dkeQnTThHw/w480-h640-no/image2.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-YrURl_sF9yc/VB4djT2nWEI/AAAAAAAAAzs/Zj-ILQM-2ek/w480-h640-no/image3.JPG

Conventus:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iL41qNPXBOc/VB4dq-Z5vNI/AAAAAAAAA0M/kEIUge1vXiY/w640-h480-no/image7.JPG

HarborCenter

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--8JD18p9Thw/VB4drp1JoYI/AAAAAAAAA0U/or0YFyGQ71Q/w640-h480-no/image9.JPG

Roswell Addition (terra cotta closeup)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7yfVrZ1sY6Y/VB4dkWeFf0I/AAAAAAAAAz0/ue3216orbJM/w480-h640-no/image4.JPG

Curtis Building:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0L96bGwc6jc/VB4dvLPskwI/AAAAAAAAA00/48pL5C8DyWY/w640-h480-no/image13.JPG

Big Ditch Brewery I believe?

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zHBIKL1D0n0/VB4dsVJ-LmI/AAAAAAAAA0c/fRAa7VnEKsM/w640-h480-no/image10.JPG

Planing Mill, looking great all around

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5hcPWoSYQq0/VB4dudihTlI/AAAAAAAAA0o/8a2FtJC5W78/w640-h480-no/image12.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pLwWgPKeSMw/VB4duXG57xI/AAAAAAAAA0s/eBERMIRMlTw/w480-h640-no/image11.JPG

West Ferry Lofts. Looking great. Sinatra is the real deal. He does what he says he's gonna do like Termini.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eGunHUCaU9k/VB4d2h-Ap6I/AAAAAAAAA1M/7UYYmKLqF8g/w640-h480-no/image16.JPG

[mstem58]

Tedious, thanks for the photo shoot....looks as though you hit all the major projects.:tup:

[Tedious]

Tedious, thanks for the photo shoot....looks as though you hit all the major projects.:tup:

Yeah, I forgot a few more I had:

Dog-E-Style

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SkeXLMIMnRc/VB8Vjfs2buI/AAAAAAAAA2o/WmAa8Lgy-bY/w480-h640-no/image5.JPG

Main St Rehab, not sure if this started back up again. There's a dumpster and boards removed

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ar88Gw8gkjY/VB8VieboV6I/AAAAAAAAA2g/y04nDi3W5SQ/w480-h640-no/image6.JPG

Delaware ave rehab (color washed out) - No rendering was released so who knows what this will end up looking like.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-97QNPmDb6j8/VB4dx5oIdmI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/70Yh1J3oMu8/w640-h480-no/image14.JPG


Some of the other developments:


- didn't check the canals.

- 500 Seneca looks like it's stalled from the outside.

- UB Med School is a gigantic crater of construction activity

- Mixed use Elmwood development they're working on foundation

- There's a sign up advertising the new apartments on Hertel

[Corbin Dalus]

Had a little time after work today and it was so beautiful out (as it has
been recently) so I thought I’d take a quick tour & get some snapshots
of some of the major projects going up downtown & provide readers with
an update. (Sorry for the camera phone quality).

First, the Harbor Center project which I believe has now topped out:

http://i.imgur.com/a2q4XWG.jpg

The Roswell Medical addition:

http://i.imgur.com/3F7MoFB.jpg

The Conventus building:

http://i.imgur.com/gIZqY2h.jpg

Just across the street is the dig for the medical campus. I’d estimate it’s a
good 25 to 30 feet deep:

http://i.imgur.com/7sEosaJ.jpg

Then a quick shot of Main Street as I head to the next project:

http://i.imgur.com/DN4XZXh.jpg

Delaware North, which I believe is now topped out:

http://i.imgur.com/xWQVY2e.jpg

Per the website “dl.dropboxusercontent.com”, and if I understood correctly,
there are listed a total of 95 construction or rehab projects approved, under
construction or recently finished in the downtown area estimated at just
over 5 Billion dollars!

[Corbin Dalus]

Excuse me, it seems one would need to subtract about 1.89 /billion for the "Buffalo Billions Initiative", a catch all for the proposed Buffalo commitment by the gov.

[eleven=11]

Excuse me, it seems one would need to subtract about 1.89 /billion for the "Buffalo Billions Initiative", a catch all for the proposed Buffalo commitment by the gov.

i have no idea what that means
seems like buffalo has a lot of new stuff going on & up.

[ladsnine]

There is SO much construction right now, and more in the pipeline.

[Evergrey]

How many floors is the Delaware North HQ?

[mstem58]

How many floors is the Delaware North HQ?

Delaware North or 250 Delaware will have 12 floors split up as follows;
first floor retail,
floors 2-5 will have a 120 room hotel.
floors 6 through 12 will be 200,000 sq ft of office space
a 5 level parking ramp will be on the west side of the site with some ground floor retail.

[sullymon54]

Summer 2014 pics
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15404794692_12d89d9066_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15218518378_689c4c21fd_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15404800512_8151f0bbbf_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3931/15404804172_91c498c037_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15405127415_f3244ee7e4_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/2941/15218617737_e19e824c07_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/2941/15218385839_c149580cec_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15405136705_71d8291eca_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/2945/15218391689_d877cb7ef3_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/2948/15218630147_2e89d5227f_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/2948/15218396769_e6ee7b8f5e_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3930/15218544018_600179aea2_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15401964161_9ca5d339e0_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/2950/15404831112_a30b0a3cd0_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15218489410_97be2d8a37_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2948/15404838432_236fef4a23_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15218649497_cf894a6776_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3930/15405164005_48d7f026f5_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2941/15218499560_8d105d289f_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3930/15401982421_2c751eb7c9_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2941/15218504280_0cb6655bc3_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2942/15218425519_1bc1d88e32_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3930/15218664177_d9014b9fce_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15401994291_5afc84488b_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3953/15476440041_d56cb705fa_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2947/15292921858_f83437aed7_b.jpg

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3954/15292923438_e67188bda6_b.jpg

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2948/15479588815_37ce2276d4_b.jpg

[Wigs]

great photos, guys! :cheers:

[Tedious]

Nice pics, crazy amount of construction. :cheers:

[JohnMarko]

Love the pics. What time/day did you take these - looks like the show "Earth After People" or whatever it was called. I know it's all "under construction" along Main Street, but it really looks awful now...

[Corbin Dalus]

Dude, those were sweet! You put alotta work into getting those. And I liked the Harbor Center. Had not been able to see them that close up.
And today they broke ground on the new Children's Hospital

[Wigs]

Thanks for the photo updates, guys!

Right now there's over $1.1 Billion in construction projects occurring in Downtown Buffalo/Medical Campus area.

highlights
UB Medical School $375,000,000
Oishei Children's Hospital $270,000,000
Coventus Medical Building $110,000,000
HarborCenter (2 ice rinks/Marriott hotel/parking ramp/retail) $173,000,000
Tishman Building/Hilton Garden Inn $41,500,000
Roswell Park addition $43,000,000
Delaware North HQ/hotel/office/retail/parking ramp $93,000,000

Downtown Buffalo Development Projects (http://www.buffaloniagara.org/files/content/Marketing/Brochures/DTdevMap-ByStatus.pdf)