Real Estate June 12, 2009 12:00 AM

Downtown Housing Tour Properties Announced

WCPerspective 14

Wondering what it might be like to live downtown and walk to work, theater, sports and nightlife? Looking for innovative ideas for decorating an ordinary room? On June 27, the fourth annual Downtown Housing Tour will showcase the attractive, spacious lofts, condominiums and apartments that are available in downtown Buffalo. The event, Noon until 3 pm, is free.

Downtown's new residents want to be in the heart of the city. They want to walk to work, sporting events, theater and dining, and do not want the responsibilities of conventional home ownership. Renovations of the upper floors of commercial buildings, as well as new residential construction, translate into people occupying downtown on a 24-hour basis.

These rental or condominium properties have signed-on to be open for viewing during the tour:

406 Franklin Street (private residence) *
Allentown Lofts *
Avant (off-site) *
The Belesario
The Bellesara *
Cobblestone Lofts *
The Cooperage *
Ellicott Commons
Historic Warehouse Lofts
IS Lofts
Lofts @ Elk Terminal
The Pasquale at Waterfront Place *
The Whitney

* New to the tour

Registration and maps will be available the day of the tour at the Electric Tower, 535 Washington Street. The tour is self-guided allowing participants to explore the properties in the order they choose.

The Downtown Housing Tour, meant to expose participants to the changing face of downtown, is sponsored by Buffalo Place, and is a key event of Buffalo Homecoming Citybration being held June 25 - 28.

Organizers are still looking for residents of the above properties interested in showing off their units. Contact me for additional information.

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Comments

14 Comments Leave a comment

QueenCity

June 12, 2009 12:33 AM

Oh I love downtown...I love to walk and drive around downtown. I love the views of the lakes and the parks. I love the architecture and the history.

Unfortunately, downtown has quite a long way to go before it can offer the simple amenities that Elmwood, Hertel, Union or Niagara Falls Boulevard can offer as far as the conveniences of everyday life.

The day when downtown is connected to the Galleria via Light Rail will completely change downtown living. It will mean that those who dwell downtown can have all the advantages of downtown while still having all the access to retail that other areas have...thus allowing the convenience of retail to come to downtown slowly and organically...

Id cant wait for them to start work on the 2nd waterfront tower. Only thing is that Id like to see the future towers between Niagara Street and the Niagara Expressway rather than in the waterfront village.

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majove

June 12, 2009 7:47 AM

Does anyone know what's going on at the Cooperage? I haven't noticed any activity there in quite a while. Is it possible to tour this building?

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WCPerspective

June 12, 2009 9:09 AM

Work on the Cooperage is expected to start this summer. Clint Brown and his team will be on site on the 27th to show off their exciting plans for the historic property.

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brownteeth

June 12, 2009 7:51 AM

I live downtown on Whitney Place and rather than a light rail to the galleria I'd rather have an "Urban Mall" in one of the many vacant warehouses in the cobblestone district or outskirts of the immediate downtown area. There are actually plenty of ammenities right downtown that I didn't realize until I moved here. All in all I'd rather have my historic brick victorian rather than a expensive condo but to each their own.

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Armchair MBA

June 12, 2009 8:38 AM

http://arieff.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/rethinking-the-mall/?ex=1259726400&en=dcbe7a5a5b7b6693&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=OP-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M100-ROS-0609-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click

The "Wilson Yard" (the one with a Target) example would look nice on one of downtowns many "shovel ready" parking lots. Maybe the lot behind the Market Arcade which would allow incorperating the historic arcade with the mall. Maybe not as big as the one in the rendering but if people keep moving downtown you might have a big enough population to support somthing like this. Lets hope the ball keeps rolling.

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Armchair MBA

June 12, 2009 8:42 AM

Thank you tennants and landlords for showcasing your homes to the public. Its great to see Buffalo showing off its newest neighborhood. I havent been seen some of the newer developments and I cant wait to check them out.

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Peter Palladio

June 12, 2009 10:58 AM

As for connecting light rail to retail: of course. Nobody could disagree. But may I add that my recent walk from the theater district along Delaware, and back into Allen Town, was especially pleasant for the lack of retail stores? Having been away for many years, I was elated to be seeing people: not in cars, not in cavernous box stores or breezy malls with ferns and cheap lighting: but people walking, people talking, people eating, people walking in and out of buildings, including affordable homes, without the least thought, apparently, to getting and spending.

A walk in a major city does not invariable turn into browsing or a shopping spree, as I can tell you from living in Paris and New York for many years.

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Pegger

June 12, 2009 11:56 AM

I still want to know where all these people shop for daily needs especially if they do not drive! What about late night safety? Can someone in the know let me know, please?

I look at Elk Terminal and wonder!

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Sean Brodfuehrer

June 12, 2009 12:27 PM

The same way that anyone else in the burbs does their daily shopping. Most of the outer ring suburbs are probably just as 'isolated' (read distance) from retail or shopping as downtown.

Tops is under 1/2 miles from downtown. Certainly walking distance for many. There is also a bus straight through downtown to it and back. Easy... How far are most homes in the suburbs from a major grocery store.

Wegmans is only 4 miles away. Target 5 miles, or 10 minutes up the 190.. Not exactly the middle of nowhere. Many of my coworkers regularly drive 10+ miles to do their daily shopping but somehow that's ok cause it is suburban driving (?).

Also the 33 is quit efficient is getting people from downtown to the gallaria area... you are there in probably 12-15 minutes. Not much different than my friends commute to the BLVD Mall from their Tonawanda home. The city's radial streets and highways are brutally easy to get around on so the isolation really isn't there.

As for walking it isn't that easy compared to North Buffalo or Elmwood but then again most people will drive and in that regards it isn't that much different than anywhere else in the region.. maybe a little better because you are not dealing with the traffic problems of the major traffic sewers (transit, maple, NFB, Sheridan etc.)

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brownteeth

June 12, 2009 2:01 PM

As I said before I live as downtown as you can get in the West Village and if I'm doing a big grocery run I hop on the 190 N to Amherst St for Wegmans, for daily needs I can walk to many of the gas stations or bodegas as well as a bunch of fast food and sit down restaurants. The beauty of our city is that it is still economical to have a car to go anywhere you need but also walk if you desire. The 33 gets me to work in williamsville in about 20 mins. I also manage to have a big house with plenty of room to grow as well as a decent sized yard with plenty of foliage. I couldn't imagine living in the suburbs after living where I do now. The only thing lacking as I said in my other post is some more clothing chain retail like gap or urban outfitter, H&M, etc somewhere near by. I think the cobblestone area could easily house some of the stores in the same manner that Queen st is in Toronto.

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whatever

June 12, 2009 6:19 PM

The above two comments from brownteeth and sbrof both illustrate how Buffalo benefits from having the 33 and 190. Same applies to Route 5 for city residents and city businesses who want to efficient transportation with the southtowns. All three are good regional assets.

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Peter Palladio

June 12, 2009 5:07 PM

I am glad to hear from city dwellers that shopping, far from being a problem, has its pleasures downtown and elswhere.

Seeing what I saw last weekend, I could consider coming back!

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LouisTully

June 12, 2009 10:38 PM

QueenCity:

what 2nd waterfront tower?

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c4h5n2o

June 17, 2009 7:36 AM

I just moved into the Whitney, and can't wait for the tour. It is great living downtown, and I think that this tour will demonstrate this to everyone who takes the tour.

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