Rumor Watch: Hotel Likely for Delaware/Chippewa Site

Every single Aloft that I see--all of which look to be of mediocre quality, really--are newbuilds. Completely new structures--not adaptive reuses.

www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/directory/hotels/all/list.html

So, might the hotel go on the Elmwood side?

10-14 stories, that might potentially built above an existing, 2-story curved-corner facade...

In a wild urbanist fantasy, then, one could imagine the upper floors of that curved-corner Abu Dhabi building, or something like it -- dramatic by virtue of its shape and massing alone, so as not to detract from the street-level architecture -- perched atop Delaware Court.

Happy thought!

2 things...I love these hotel projects going downtown. I think the next 10 years in Downtown Buffalo are going to be huge, people are getting in now.

BUT..I was hoping for residential at this block with the aim of taking the Chippewa Strip in another "direction". Still hoping for a condo. option here, if they're going 10-14 stories I don't see why you couldn't build right ontop of the current footprint completly. Hotels won't do it, residential will. And secondly, man..stick a fork in Mark Croce and call in Rudnick Demolition Co.

Do you see this Mark...the Statler is being filled up...outside of the Statler...paging Mark Croce.

Somebody partner up with the guy..he's Mister hospitality and it seems like his first day. How many hotels have been announced/planned since he's purchased the Statler? 5-6?

"According to a source"? Could you possibly be any more vague than that? Please. Tell us about this when there's actually something to say. At least half the time, even when developers announce projects, things don't get built in this town. And in this case, no one has even made an announcement. Makes it a little hard to get excited over this "news."

If this is developed they need to do something with the building next door...at the corner of Johnson Park and Delaware..it could be beautiful if the right owner take is over..Very seedy people reside there.

I have stayed at quite a few aloft hotels including the ones in Dallas. The downtown property is certainly interesting; but having been fit into an existing building, it has some good rooms and some that are really tiny or awkward. I enjoy the trendy concept but think these will probably be dated sooner rather than later. Not everyone enjoys a bathroom without a door or a shower with a window into the bedroom. You probably wouldn't want to share a room like that with your kids. The service is always great though. Hopefully, they'll update the concept a bit for their new hotels.

I am certainly pumped at the idea of having a Starwood hotel in Buffalo. I'd stay there. I stayed at the Mansion last week and the service was amazing, the staff incredible, but the rooms are getting a bit dated and worn.

I repeat -- don't start something else until you finish your already existing announcements. Uniland should finish Gates Circle first, just as Paladino should finish Court Street and Croce should finish the Franklin/Huron.

Starwood is rehabbing an old hotel near SFO out here in San Francisco and turning it into an Aloft and it looks pretty nice. Buffalo might not be able to land a full blown W hotel, but aloft is a nice alternative. With all these additions, in a few years, Tom Brady's dad will not be able to bad mouth Buffalo hotels.

why do we need another parking garage? If they need parking they the hotel should put it underground. Enough with the parking garages already!!

YAY - new architecture! It'll make an improvement on the entire block! Think how positive it will be to have something other than a 3rd rate gas station and parking lot areas along Chippewa and Elmwood Ave.

New growth like this is positive - Buffalo should embrace an investment like this. Kudos to uniland. We have an A-loft going up here in Cleveland that is helping to strengthen the dge of our warehouse loft residential area. It's a welcome addition to our market. They are really great hotels and should not be under estimated.

Old hotel buildings (akak Statler) should be converted to other uses (hello lower price market rate apartments or much cheaper condos!) since they don't fit the prototype thinking of franchise and branded designs requiring new builds (sorry Buffalo - you're not likely to change that mentality anytime soon; embrace it for what it is instead).

Think ++ POSITIVE ++ for a change!

Aloft will compete with many of the other hotels already in the works. Starwood has almost no footprint outside of NYC in New York State. Starwood Preferred Guests like myself will rejoice to have a option. W Hotels are cool, however they would not fill the true luxury gap (if it exisits). Buffalo needs a Four Seasons/St Regis type hotel.

Either way this is amazing news!

guess i'm the only person who thinks that all of these hotel rooms are going to cannibalize each other.

This certainly would be an exciting addition to that corner and would hopefully force the city to play its hand and make some major, much needed asthetic improvements to crumbling Chippewa Street. A few things...

1. It would be a shame to still have that (albeit small) parking lot across the street in front of Starbucks. It chips away at the urban fabric on what should be a dynamic corner.

2. Yes.. Croce really needs to at least do something to fix-up the front entrance to the Statler. Shouldn't that be a top priority? It's so beautiful inside but the entrance (marquee and all) look like crap.

3.Is 50 Court still dead? While this hotel and parking ramp would be a great addition to Delaware/Chippewa, I'd much rather see something done to cover up (yet another) surface lot at 50 Court or across the street from the Hyatt.

Aloft is a good banner for downtown Buffalo. Other cities score better brands only to lose them later because the numbers didn't work. Whatever this becomes, I hope it isn't a curved tower but a rectilinear one that hovers just above the curved facade of Delaware Court. One thing that would be inevitable is Aloft's trademark dopey roofline.

This is a really good hotel chain! I hope it works out!