BUFFALO | Development Thread

[ladsnine]

Originally Posted by westcoastperspective

Not every Rocco project has happened - AM&As conversion. Maybe someday.

True! I don't know what's up with AM&A's. It's right across the street from other successful rehabs, so the market is proven. I've heard the basement levels are flooded, but the hazardous materials/contamination issue at Trico sounded way worse, yet that is being redeveloped. AM&A's is eligible for a 40% tax credit for rehab, and I'm sure ECIDA would be happy to give away incentives on top of that. I don't know what more the city, county or state could do to encourage it.

I hear the Genny project will be a grill (hot dogs).

Well, it's not unique...but, we'll take what we can get, I guess? At least it should make that block less forlorn looking...

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Also, they were taking (scrapping?) the ornamental railings off the Delaware Court Building today (Sunday). From my experience, when a contractor does something on a Sunday (which is not a normal workday for them), that means something is starting Monday morning that he's getting ready for...so, my guess is that real demo starts tomorrow.

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Finally, a photo of the Swan Street apartments project from mid-February that I keep forgetting to post:



Do you think they'll finally repaint that sign encouraging you to get your Bills season tickets for the '99 season when this rehab is over?

[ladsnine]

You've probably heard that the lovely North Park Theatre on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo reopened Friday from a short slumber and a meticulous restoration. Like any good indie movie geek, I had to try it out today. There were probably 150 people in the audience on a Sunday afternoon, more than the old North Park ever had. Talking to the manager, apparently they had over 400 people on Friday night for the first show after re-opening. Bodes well for its future...

Here are some photos of the beautifully restored 1930s marquee and the original 1920 dome in the auditorium. The front facade also had a massive stained glass window, which is also being restored and will be re-installed in a couple of months.





The marquee was originally made by a Buffalo company called Flexlume. They still exist and they did the restoration.

[Tedious]

Originally Posted by ladsnine

Buffalo is finally getting a shipping container building!! (assuming it gets through the various city approval boards). Every project Rocco has announced has happened, so I expect this will happen.



Here's the site: (not really the most inviting little shred of land)



The city really needs to get on that streetscaping project they have planned for this stretch. How long have they been talking about that??

I was going to say, the streetscapes in this city are brutal. Why don't trees grow?

Genny Gateway has so much potential. Good to see this side of the street getting some development. Maybe that'll get the ball rolling on the street improvements:


www.buffalorising.com

[westcoastperspective]

[ladsnine]

And apparently it will be called "Dog e Style"...
I guess innuendo can only be good for business?

[Fortunate4Now]

^^Well that and being across from the new catholic health HQ.

[homestar]

Originally Posted by Fortunate4Now

^^Well that and being across from the new catholic health HQ.

Once they see how much everyone else is enjoying it, they will love Dog e Style too.

[westcoastperspective]

Originally Posted by homestar

Once they see how much everyone else is enjoying it, they will love Dog e Style too.

[ladsnine]

The hot dog place made out of shipping containers was approved.

Hot Dogs Sold in a Container Box OK'd by Buffalo Planners

With a key approval in hand, developer Rocco Termini hopes to open his latest city project this summer.

The Buffalo Planning Board, Tuesday morning, approved Termini’s proposal to take a sliver-like vacant lot at 128 Genesee St and turn it into a 3,000-square-foot, two-story restaurant made from shipping containers. When it opens, the restaurant will be the first structure locally made from the containers. Other cities have seen a number of projects developed using the containers as key elements of their site footprints.

Another interesting tidbit in that article:

Local real estate investor Fred LoFaso confirmed he has the former Curve restaurant, located at the corner of Genesee and Oak streets, under contract with plans to open either a restaurant or coffee shop in the building. The building is currently used as a homeless shelter.

LoFaso said he is talking with several potential operators and will sign a tenant once he closes on the property.

So, the homeless shelter will become a coffee shop. I wouldn't want to be a Catholic Health employee that had to cross that freeway to get coffee, but apparently the developers think they will.

The site today. The shipping container building is proposed for the little sliver lot in the middle. The one-story yellow brick building at right, next to it, is the homeless shelter:



And in context with the new Catholic Health HQ:



Finally, loft conversion has started on the Ellicott Paint building two doors down (the building on the right in this picture). Contractor cars are parked during the day, but this photo was taken during the evening, so the only way you can tell is by the porta potty and dumpster out front.

[ladsnine]

Construction is underway on Oshun Oyster Bar in the old Howard Shoes Building at Huron & Washington. Constructed in the 1940s, it was original a Waldorf Cafeteria (hence the "W" monogram in the terra cotta over the door.) The company constructed two at the same time - the other is in Broadway-Fillmore and is still standing as well. The building was Howard Shoes for many years, and was most recently restored in 2006 by Iskalo Development. This will be the building's first tenant since restoration. Oshun will be run by the son of the owner of Shango in University Heights.



As you can see, work is underway...



This is the cool Art Deco-era mural on the wall. The floor is a swirly Art Deco-era terrazzo as well, but it's covered by plywood in this photo.



And - a bonus shot of the lovely 500 Block. This was taken last week, the day after the giant snowstorm (the latest in this most ridiculous of winters) but luckily it's melted and things have warmed up since then. And so, today the reconstruction of Main Street on this block restarted for the season.

[ladsnine]

This was posted elsewhere, but I thought it was cool enough to post here too. A time-lapse construction animation of HarborCenter:

• Video Link

[westcoastperspective]

Originally Posted by ladsnine

And - a bonus shot of the lovely 500 Block. This was taken last week, the day after the giant snowstorm (the latest in this most ridiculous of winters) but luckily it's melted and things have warmed up since then. And so, today the reconstruction of Main Street on this block restarted for the season.

What a difference it will make when Carmina and Trettel redo the Red Hots building (in yellow). I wonder when the last time windows were in those two buildings.

[ladsnine]

Originally Posted by westcoastperspective

What a difference it will make when Carmina and Trettel redo the Red Hots building (in yellow). I wonder when the last time windows were in those two buildings.

I know - I am so curious what's behind that yellow stucco. I guess that passed for "modernizing" your building at some point in the past.

I can't stop staring at this historic photo. I wonder if it will look anything like it did back then. (it's the building with the "Weeds" billboard on top and the one with the "Hotel for Men" sign next to it.)


source: buffalorising


Also, this is happening:

[ladsnine]

Two more apartment projects announced today:

Genesee and Pearl Street Rehabs on Planning Agenda

Working their way through the Buffalo approval process are plans to renovate a six-story, nearly century-old Pearl Street building into a mixed-use structure, potentially anchored by as many as 30 apartments...

Businessman Mark Croce, who a decade ago, bought the 505 Pearl Street Building wants to bring a residential component to the upper five floors while leasing its first floor to a commercial tenant. Work on the $3.4 million project could begin this year, Croce said.

source: PreservationReady.org

Genesee we know about (it's the yellow 5-7 Genesee building in the previous posts), but this building on Pearl Street we didn't know about. BUT it's Mark Croce, who has a huge habit of getting nothing done after he says he will do stuff. So...we'll see.

This is the other one announced today:

Nineteen Apartments Planned for Midtown Site

Main Street in Midtown will gain 19 new apartments under plans prepared by Ellicott Development. The development company is proposing to convert the top floor of a three-story building it owns at 1285 Main Street to residential.

William Paladino, Ellicott Development CEO, said plans now call for converting the building’s third floor into 19 apartments, including a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units.

This is in a pretty crusty stretch of Main Street, so it's interesting to see a rehab going on here. It will also be nice to have windows returned to the third floor of that building. This is only a couple blocks from a light rail station, so that might help explain investment here, perhaps? On the other hand, the first floor is a substance abuse clinic, so not the friendliest neighbor for these residents and, knowing Carl, they will probably be super-high end apartments. Buffalo has the weirdest juxtapositions sometimes...last week it was a hot dog stand next to a homeless shelter...

[ladsnine]

Also, this is happening: (photos from this evening)

[TexasRE]

It's wonderful to see Buffalo rebuild itself. Hope the renaissance continues to regain its stature from years ago. It's a beautiful city that needs a break, and have some things go its way. Keep it going Buffalo, I'm pulling for you!

[westcoastperspective]

Originally Posted by ladsnine

Also, this is happening: (photos from this evening)

Wow! Any signs showing what's coming soon to our out of town guests here for the NCAAs???

[ladsnine]

I didn't see any I thought about printing a rendering on my inkjet and ziptie-ing it to the fence...alas...

[westcoastperspective]

Originally Posted by ladsnine

I didn't see any I thought about printing a rendering on my inkjet and ziptie-ing it to the fence...alas...

You should!

I wish all developers would put up boards. Imagine staying at the Hampton and seeing that? I'd think- wow- how dumb to tear that gorgeous building down not knowing something was taking its place.

[homestar]

Originally Posted by westcoastperspective

Wow! Any signs showing what's coming soon to our out of town guests here for the NCAAs???

Unfortunately I think some visitors will just assume we're tearing it down for a new parking lot.

Also, they started Main Street construction again this week, and promptly tore out EVERY tree that was still standing on the 500/600 blocks. So Main St looks pretty bad right now. At least there it's obvious that the street is getting redone, but still it's not going to leave the greatest impression on anyone that's only here for 3 days. It will be clear that things are changing but I'm not sure people will realize it's 'good' change. Next time around it will be more obvious.