The Alling & Cory conversion project has a new name, Lofts at 136; a retailer, Wilson Farms; and by the fall 2010 semester, its first tenants. Workers are busy turning the six-story former warehouse into 88 loft-like apartments geared to college students. The design and development team is led by principal investor and architect Jake Schneider. R&P Oakhill, with experience in the construction of student housing facilities, is construction manager.
Entry image and photo above by David Torke.
Schneider is committed to providing a state-of-the-art student housing facility that will be eco-friendly. Its proximity to Erie Community College's city campus and availability to other area colleges and universities is expected to provide a market for the 287 student facility.
"The property is close to ECC Downtown but is open to all students," says Schneider. "We are pushing the downtown experience in our marketing. We'll have a model unit open in April."
Three unit types will be offered. The studio and multi-bedroom apartments and will include utilities, cable and Internet service. Rents are expected to run from $500 a month per resident for apartments with up to four tenants, to $685 per month for a one-person studio. Units come fully-furnished.
The building will feature 24/7 security, a student activity center, study rooms on each floor, on-site parking, and video and pool rooms (rendering above). Residents will not have to go far for food and other necessities.
"We have signed a lease with Wilson Farms," reports Schneider. "It will be accessible from within the building but also open to the public." It will be downtown's first Wilson Farms. Though the convenience store has over 190 locations in New York State, its closest to downtown is at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Summer Street.
A "smart" Mac-Gray laundry facility is also planned. Tenants will be able to check online to see what machines are open and will receive a text message when their loads are done.
Constructed in 1910, the Alling & Cory complex had been vacant since 2001. The four buildings at the corner of Eagle and Michigan are not part of the Lofts at 136 project.
With 88 units, the $16.6 development will be the largest residential project completed downtown in recent years, slipping by Holling Place's 82 residences.
Schneider, along with Dave Resetarits and Tom Kiener, under the name The Warehouse Lofts, LLC, converted the seven-story Seneca Paper warehouse on nearby Ellicott Street into a mix of 30 upscale lofts and commercial space. That project opened in early-2008.
When asked if he is eyeing other projects downtown, Schneider says he is "always looking."
"I only do one at a time, and as long as I'm having fun and making money, I'll keep going."
Get connected, Lofts at 136: 716.923.7000
Photo by Nathan Mroz, Buffalonian4life.
What would be nice is to declare the boundaries of ECC City Campus and put forward a plan for infill.
I like the boundaries of Ellicott, Swan, Michigan and Eagle or Clinton which is a 12-16 block campus. A very nice size. Plus doing so would give plenty of time for the NFTA to consider alternate locations for the Bus Station and ways for the Buffalo Public Library to expand to service both ECC City Campus and UB City Campus.
Sounds like a great plan!
definitely. shouldn't the terminal be almost ON the subway line, so that people can transfer easily?