Benchmark Makes Slight Changes to Elmwood Mixed-Use Proposal

Good to see that EIFS disappear. Shouldn't have been on the building in the first place.

Looks good to me. But storefront glass should be CLEAR.

The EV design guidelines state that the storefront glass must be clear. Tinted glass has no place in any commercial district. Clear glass allows for interaction between what is happening inside a commercial storefront and pedestrians on the sidewalk. This adds vitality to the commercial district. It also is a crime prevention strategy. Clear glass allows for maximum visibility and therefore the ability to keep eyes on any possible criminal activity.

Looks much better than the crappy stucco.
Is this the same group responsible for that building down Elmwood near Utica, Hunt I believe is in the first floor? (Next to Neo)

With all the cool things happening on this block, where will the pan-handlers hang out now? Between this spot and Blockbuster changing to a Panera, I may be able to cross the street witout getting hit up twice in just as many minutes!

Kinda' sad that Frizlen is this generation's answer to E.B. Green.

All for it!

Id like alittle more architectural details that would blend into the general period of Elmwood and the surrounding neighborhood.

I think it would look better with a 4th floor and dont understand the zoning issues preventing it. There are plenty of students and others that dont have a car and dont need parking.

I like the fill in and hope the restaurant concept is a family friendly restaurant...somewhere an elmwood family can sit, eat good food, watch sports and enjoy family size tables...something that is missing on elmwood.....
Also, the building has retail...I hope the windows dont sit vacant like his building on elmwood and bryant next to Coffee Culture....maybe its time to lower the lease price and attract someone....its going on how many years..............

like the cultured stone foundation and the removal of the dry-vit.

i'm with dan. we have a wealth of architectural talent in buffalo. i wish karl wasn't the only guy getting new-builds.

We all know Karl uses his involvement with the neighborhood groups to spear head these developments, but he should remain as a developer, because his building design skills are an embarrassment to himself and this neighborhood.

Benchmark and others should invite local architects to submit (price based)concepts, and certainly should push the design envelope a little in this (once) eclectic neighborhood.

I LOVE the project. I'm an out of town developer of houses and apartments. I think the design fails to consider two things however:

1. Who wants those terraces over the 1st floor garbage totes??? (Not me)

2. I can't wait to see complaints once people smell those walking back toward Globe market on a nice ripe day. Depending on operations is an epic fail.

3. Anyone in construction or development knows that "Cultured Stone" is like putting lipstick on a pig - its the equal of paste-n-stick brick. Used in wainscott/watertable condition, it scratches, chips, pops off, etc. as people shovel, throw sidewalk salt on it (causing it to break down), the color doesn't run through the material so you get to see the white core center when dings/dents happen, etc. NOT a good choice - cast stone, decorative CMU, or even good cheap natural stone would be a MUCH wiser choice. If it's good cultured stone it runs the same per sq. ft. pricing as the real stone!

I have to agree with others' comments--while I like the concept of the development, and the form of the building, I find the design REALLY blahhhhh (and, obviously, repetitive of his other blah designs).

It would be nice to see some truly inspiring newbuilds for residential around town.

I just wanted to share with you the results of yesterday's ZBA meeting. 766 Elmwood Avenue was finally approved!