Kissling Planning Ambassador Renovation

This is good to see. I have a couple of friends that live in this building. I'm looking forward to coming home to visit Buffalo and see what they come up with for the roof garden. The current deck on the roof is nice, but rather small for a building this size.

http://misplacedinthemidwest-osiris.blogspot.com

I am sure they will do a great job. Is this a part of their effort to 'green' their buildings?

I do hope that an expanded parking lot won't extend closer to the street. The one they have is nice now because of the elevation change you cannot see it from the street at all. Although a nice new building on that giant lawn would also block the lot and perhaps allow them to expand parking as well.

Are you serious? Kissling has done an appalling job with all of the Architecturally significant buildings they own in the city. This is Kissling playing catch-up.

The degree to which they have allowed The Ambassador to fall over their 9yrs of ownership is sad. Especially considering that The Ambassador was truly a full-service building when it was initially constructed. Kissling has allowed the infrastructure of The Ambassador to deteriorate to an abysmal level.

Clearly management has not been able to find its calling. They say this renovation will start next spring - LOL. Has anyone seen their lofts on Virgina that were supposed to begin leasing in Spring of 2009? They are so behind, it won't be open till February 2010.

Anyone that would pay $1,400 to live in the Ambassador must be getting assistance from the county.

Why do you say that HF?

Anyway,

I am confused by the comments here. They propose to renovate the building and so they get criticized because it needs to be renovated. There is only so much you should expect from a $500 apartment. Are you going to complain that the rents are too high once it is renovated?

Kissling can afford to do whatever they want with their buildings because they have SERIOUSLY low assessed valuations. 175 North Street is assessed at $1.15M when the purchase price was $3.725M alomost 10 years ago. Tell me that the building has decreased in value that much?

I completely agree with the sentiment that I also would not live in a building or complex that accepted vouchers. Been there, done that. Not to start a class warfare argument here, but there is a clash of lifestyles. People who work and can pay the full fare have a different rhythm of living that those who don't. More often than not, they attract a very different group of friends as well. I found it difficult living nest to thosw who partied at 3 AM on week nights and disoriented scumbags knocking on my door or lurking around waiting for friends to come home.

I've never rented from Kissling, but I had a friend that did. I have to agree - he complained about them being horrible management. His apartment was crappy -- it was a studio in the building at 401 Delaware. Drop tile ceilings, discount depot kitchen and commercial carpeting. The heat was crazy noisy, it would wake you up at night.

I went to look at one of their apartments on Allen St. once, I had an appointment with a lady to see it at like 2pm. I got there at about 1:58, parked and walked over - it was about 2:04. Instead of "Hi, nice to meet you" -- I was greeted with "Oh, you came -- I didn't think you were going to bother to show up I was about to leave." -- She then hurried me up and told me we needed to get moving and look quick because she had other things to. We got up to the apartment which was a 1-bedroom - also crappy. I like to call it the "Kissling Treatment" (bargain bin kitchens, commercial carpeting and drop ceilings)

Long story short, I didn't even have a chance to look around before she was huffing and looking at her watch, I told her to forget it, I had no interest in renting from someone who represented their company so poorly and had no respect for a potential tenant.