WCPerspective: July 2011 Archives

Benderson Development today detailed plans to completely reinvent the former Donovan State Office Building as a mixed-use, LEED certified complex, with Buffalo law firm Phillips Lytle LLP, as the anchor tenant of new Class-A office space.

This morning Benderson Development was unanimously awarded the development rights for the critical Donovan Block of the Canal Side project by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (EDHDC).

The Erie County Industrial Development Agency and Regional Development Corporation boards of directors today approved a revised slate of loan programs aimed at serving a broader range of emerging and expanding businesses.

As part of the process to have its loan programs re-certified by the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA), the ECIDA and RDC are seeking to add new loan categories targeting non-traditional industries and better serve start-up businesses.

"When the ECIDA made the first loan in 1979, our clients were primarily larger industrial companies with similar

The Erie County Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors aided a Canadian company, Future Mobility Products, Inc., with plans to establish U.S. operations in a vacant industrial facility at One Buffalo River Place off of South Park Avenue.

The Mississauga, Ontario maker of innovative wheelchairs, walkers and related products for mobility-challenged individuals, plans to invest $2 million to make physical upgrades and equip the new plant.  Future Mobility expects to create 16 new jobs over the next two years. 

On Saturday, I Heart Central Terminal was the kick-off event for Buffalo Unscripted, a documentary produced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation about Buffalo, by Buffalo.  Over the course of this week, the Unscripted team will be fanning out across town with one mission -- to have Buffalonians tell it like it is.  In addition to block party meet-ups in Parkside, Allentown, Hamlin Park, Prospect Hill, and Columbus Park, their cameras will be rolling at the Grant Street location of Sweetness_7 (Tuesday, Thursday,

The Erie County Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors today approved a $2.6 million mix of property, sales and mortgage recording tax savings to aid conversion of an historic property at 2915 Main Street in to 87 market rate loft-style apartments. Ciminelli Real Estate plans to invest $15.5 million in the project to revitalize the long-vacant site as Bethune Lofts.

An original window from the Darwin Martin carriage house is returning home thanks to a generous donation by a Buffalo couple.  Will and Nan Clarkson have given the Frank Lloyd Wright designed window to the Darwin Martin Restoration Corporation to display in the rebuilt carriage house.  The couple had owned the window since the mid-1980's and its value on the resale market was estimated at over $100,000.

The donation was written up in The Buffalo

Ellicott Street is in line for two rehab projects.  Rocco Termini is looking to purchase 338 Ellicott Street and 437 Ellicott Street and convert each for restaurant use.  The projects would help link previous Termini projects east of the Theater District including IS Lofts, Ellicott Lofts and Ellicott Commons to his largest project to date, the rehab of the Lafayette Hotel. 

Termini is said to be working with the owners of Pearl Street Brew Pub on the new projects. The Termini partnership will convert the Golden Swan Café and Grille, at 437 Ellicott Street, the Golden

Kissling Interests has brought upscale loft living to North Tonawanda.  The developer's $20 million renovation of the former Remington Rand complex is nearing completion.  Remington Lofts on the Canal features 79 apartment units and commercial space overlooking the Erie Canal.  It is Kissling's first Niagara County project.

The NYC-based firm has built a portfolio of over 950 apartments in the City of Buffalo since buying its first local property in 1999.  Many of the properties are historic apartment buildings that

Aldi is proposing to demolish the vacant Kmart store at 998 Broadway across from the Broadway Market to construct a new store.  The new construction at what may be Buffalo's most famous retail address is raising questions on the impact on the Market where Save-A-Lot, an Aldi-like discount grocer, is the anchor tenant.

The vacant 90,000 sq.ft. Kmart building has been vacant since 2002.  A Sattler's store on the site was torn down in the late-1980s.  A proposal to use the vacant structure

The City is hell-bent on selling School No. 36 on Days Park to Elmwood Village Charter School.  Never mind a competing offer, for the same use, and for $250,000 more.  The Buffalo Common Council is being asked to sell the shuttered school to Elmwood Village Charter School (EVCS) for $550,000.  Developer Sam Savarino, working with West Buffalo Charter School (WBCS), has offered $800,000. 

A sale to Elmwood Village has been in the works since early 2010.  Savarino

The Robert T. Coles House and Studio at 321 Humboldt Parkway has been recommended for listing on the State Register of Historic Places and will be forwarded to the National Park Service for National Register listing as well.  Architect Bob Coles designed the building as his own personal home and studio, and he and his wife Sylvia have lived in the house since it was constructed in 1961.  The combined house and studio is an excellent example of mid-twentieth century Modern residential architecture that

A rare new road in the city is nearing completion.  Located in the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park, the street connects Ship Canal Parkway and Fuhrman Boulevard, parallel to and north of the Union Ship Canal.  Economic development officials will now have access to nearly 50 acres of investment-ready land that has been fallow for decades. 

The new road is the final phase of infrastructure in the business park.  Work is also underway on a new park surrounding the canal.  Ship Canal Commons will provide approximately 22

Benderson Development was the only firm that responded to an Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) request for proposals (RFP) to redevelop the Donovan Building at the foot of Main Street.  Ellicott Development is said to have expressed interest in the site but did not submit a proposal.  Ciminelli Development was also interested but objected to the submittal requirements