One of Buffalo's largest development companies believes in the promise of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Ellicott Development Company recently completed redevelopment of a string of buildings in the 1000 block of Main Street. Nearby, the firm has big plans for the Our Lady of Lourdes church campus and is buying a church at North Street and North Pearl for conversion to residences.
In 2009, Ellicott Development completed renovations on a three-story, turn-of-the- 20th-century building at 1010 Main Street. Kaleida Health opened an out-patient care facility in the 36,000 sq.ft. building (below).
Kaleida has expanded its Main Street presence by leasing 1026 and 1028 Main from Ellicott Development that once housed Bryant and Stratton's city campus. Work on the properties was recently completed and Kaleida has been occupying its new facilities in stages. In all, Kaleida is taking 80,000 sq.ft. of space.
"Kaleida will use the properties for clinical space," says William Paladino, Ellicott's Chief Executive Officer. "They will also relocate their security services and switchboard operations to the building's ground floor bringing a 24/7 presence to the block."
Despite Kaleida Health's construction plans on the Medical Campus, this is a long-term commitment to Main Street. Paladino says the company signed a 15-year lease for the space.
A one-story former gas station at the corner of North Street to provide additional parking for the properties. The lot is adjacent to the New Life Assembly of God church property the company is buying for residential use.
One block away, Ellicott Development is working on plans to redevelop the Our Lady of Lourdes campus on Main near Best Street. Many feared the worst when the company purchased the church, rectory and school, particularly when boards over windows went missing leaving the building open to the elements.
"We are keeping the church and will be adding onto it," says Paladino. "We are looking at various layouts to see what we can do there."
Paladino says he will be able to provide details about what the company plans for the site in about 60 days. He says it may potentially involve an addition to the church structure that would require demolition of the adjacent rectory. The firm's demolition application for the rectory was filed but later withdrawn last fall.
As for the six properties the company has purchased on St. Paul Mall in recent months behind the church, Paladino says the company doesn't have definitve plans just yet. For now, the company is leasing out the residences.
Get Connected: Ellicott Development Company, 716.854.0060
William (may we call you Bill--?): while I can understand in light of the recent closeup on two of your properties in the Buffalo News, that you'd be interested in changing the subject to your progress and plans with other projects. But I'm sure you can also understand that not only in light of that closeup but also the community's other experiences with Ellicott on let's see...the Harbor Inn, the Webb Building (which would be as gone as the Harbor if Ellicott had its way) to name just two, that we would "harbor" a natural skepticism -- especially regarding your intentions toward the Summer/Best properties.
If you'd like to help us to help you alleviate some of that skepticism, how about letting Buffalo Rising get even closer to your concept plans there--? Say, working with BRO to convene a walkthrough/discussion (or even go formal and call it a mini-charrette) for the properties and the surrounding block--?
You'll recall that BRO has played a role in improving project plans in the past, just down the street with storefront building Zeptometrix was rehabbing. BRO readers and writers include folks with solid experience in real estate, planning, development, historic preservation, and the community's heritage. Friends of BRO have lots of connections to that block, including folks who live and work nearby, and even attended the Lourdes parish back in the day. Our friend George Grasser's office is on the next block, and he not only leads a very visible community planning organization, but also has decades of experience working with some of WNY's biggest developers.
Perhaps we can find a way to perk up your Summer/Best plans -- so it can be not only a great and money-making project, but also one that doesn't sacrifice the rectory (which would be widely opposed and generate a lot of ill will) or St. Paul Mall (which the smart money says you want to demolish -- especially lacking any statement to the contrary).
Please consider this a genuine good will and good faith suggestion. What do you think--? You know how to reach us.
If you drove past Main Street anytime this or last year, you would have seen Paladino's workers improving this Main Street building. Two buildings out of how many are in disrepair? Its not like Buffalo is a hot bed for development. Projects take time here. This story or the other one isn't a plant.