ArtSpace Update: All Properties Have Been Acquired
ArtSpace has reached a significant milestone- the properties needed for the $16 million artist loft project in Midtown have been acquired. The five-story Buffalo Electric Vehicle Company Building and adjacent building at 1219-33 Main Street were sold by Agassiz Holdings Inc. for $500,000. Built in 1914, the brick structure will be renovated into 36 live/work units plus 13,000 sq.ft. of commercial space at street level for offices and other space for arts organizations and related businesses.
Two additional parcels located behind the Main Street properties were also purchased on Friday. A City-owned parcel at 29 Northampton Street was deeded to ArtSpace for $1, and William Leising sold 19 Northampton for $75,000. Twenty-four lofts will be constructed in a cluster of six new four-plexes on these properties. The purchases join the late-March purchase of the two-story building at the corner of Coe Place. A use for this building has not been announced. Construction on the project is expected to begin shortly and last approximately twelve months.
ArtSpace projects create, foster and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organizations. The organization has 32 projects completed or under development spread across the country.
Get Connected: will@artspaceusa.org
this can only not only help buffalo, but is great news for the art scene, and concidering buffalo just moved from the 23rd spot in 2005 to number one in 2006 for art destinations in medium size cities according to american style magazine, this can only help promote the city.
http://ww.americanstyle.com/magazine/AS49/top 25 art cities 2006
Martin: spell check on the url, above? hee hee hee. (seriously though, link doesn't work, even w/ wwW)
yeah and they they can enjoy the 24 gas pump, dunkin doughnuts, strip plaza accross the street. Sorry, great project just still a little bitter they tore down a perfectly good building for a gas station in what was supposed to be a transit friendly zone.
Seems like this is a good project but a lost opportunity to really turn that section of main street around. But we will wait and see.
sbrof, yes, I know what you mean....there were plenty of empty lots on Main Street or near Main Street...they didnt need to demolish for it.
Getting back to topic, the Artspace is a wonderful opportunity and we need more opportunities like artspace in Buffalo. I hope it gets replicated in other areas of the city, particularly on the cities southside, eastside and maybe the Niagara Street area of BlackRock or Riverside.
And speaking of Art, has anyone been to the art shows at the Central Terminal from local High Schools and local colleges (which makes me think that the Broadway Market area is a good opportunity for another Artspace.
Come to think of it so is the old Bethlehem North Office Building
http://www.buffalorising.com/city/archives/2006/05/redevelopment_opportunity_4.php or the area around South Park Botanical Gardens. The Bethlehem Steel Office Building must be saved and wow, wouldnt it make a great Artspace South!
Good point L-
Minneapolis, Seattle and St. Paul have more than one ArtSpace project. Since most of the funding for the Main Street building is federal funding, it would be a good way to get federal funds committed to a partial reuse of the Central Terminal. If our first is successful, why not go for a second?
I've clarified a few issues regarding WCP's map. The post office that's located at the corner of Main & Northampton will stay. And Mark Pagano who just closed on the adjacent building will remain the owner of that one story building...
More right here: http://tinyurl.com/kjmfu
Lots of pics of what the space behind 1219 Main Street looked like this past week, too.
Westcoastperspective,
Lets call our federal representatives this week and ask for federal funds for another artspace in Buffalo.
What amazes me and apalls me is that this city doesnt emulate what works in other parts of the city?
-The South Buffalo Chamber if Commerce is needed on the Eastside, Westside and Northside.
-Tour of homes on Linwood could easily be introduced in the other districts of the city
-now artspace projects could and should be considered for other sections of the city.
If we want a strong and vibrant city, then we need all the Buffalo districts anchored with stability and security provided by art/culturals, retail, parks, business, etc.
All of the properties were transfered into a limited partnership.
1219-1233 Main Street was sold by 'Agassiz Holdings Inc.' to 'ArtSpace Affordable Family Housing I LP' for $500k- it closed on 5/05 at 4:19 pm. Sorry for any confusion about the future of the post office property- the only parcels that ArtSpace has announced plans for is the larger 1219 building and the vacant land to the rear for new construction.
WCP is correct about the Main Street address for the 5-story bulding sold to Artspace. The one-story retained by Agassiz Holdings is 1235-1245 Main Street.
sbrof ......
You are so right. Living in the building behind Delta Sonic I am so mad that they tore down a vacant building that no one wanted and put up a vibrant place that i packed with people all day.
I mean this is a city after all, what were they thinking?
It is ridiculous that people in this city would be mad over crap like that. Same with the casino protesters on elmwood.
Elitist liberals .... one of the reasons why I am leaving the area
What will happen to the post office?
Terry...
maybe the reason you are so cranky is because all of the light pollution from that suburban blight is keeping you awake at night. Please look at things in perspective from now on. This city certainly does need vibrant places, but not while costing us some great architecture like the office furniture building.
also, I don't mean to start any riots here but the building was not vacant. It had a long term business in it, was in good condition, and could have easily been reused for stores, restaurants to build off of the Artspace Project.
The fact is there are plenty of ugly empty buildings on Main Street I would love to see demolished as much as you... but that wasn't one of the problem spots. Delta sonic just wanted what was convenient for them and as usual we bent over backwards and demolished a good building leaving the bad ones. If 24 gas pumps, car exaust, and oil spills are what you consider vibrancy, no one here is going to miss you when you are gone. On your trip elsewhere go to a real devloping citywhere they would kill to have the amount and quality of buildings that we throw away for gas pumps and a car wash.
Casino protesters on elmwood elitist, Vibrant deltasonic. I don't think the adjectives match, but maybe I'm missing something. Have a nice trip Terry. Best of luck.
When are the basic legal rights of individual property owners acknowleged? Are they secondary to the public good arguments du jour or preservation whims of a vocal few? Even when a property's proposed use fits the character of an existing neighborhood, do we expect planning boards to give owners and developers a rough ride when it suits someone's agenda? As unfortunate as the Mid-City property's razing might have been, it seems like the minority wants spot zoning and spot permitting when it is deemed acceptable to those crying loudest.
I agree with the comments posted by "me." The rights of property owners to develop their land as they see fit should not be ignored, so long as it fits within the pre-established laws guiding development within that municipality.
If "me," had done his homework, he would know that the area is zoned for transit-oriented development (as in, mass transit) with use and density controls that are supposed to restrict the type of automobile-oriented development that plagues Midtown Buffalo.
It is my guess that the City indeed "bent over backwards" to retain Delta Sonic. The City would have granted the necessary zoning variances and permits (use/density/form variance, demolition permit, liquefied petroleum gas permit, etc.) that would permit demolition of the historic building located there as well as expansion of automobile servicing facilities. After all, the City doesn't want to appear "anti-business."
If anybody is guilty of "spot zoning" and "spot permitting," it is the City of Buffalo...the same municipality that enacted the ordinances meant to protect the integrity of our urban fabric. What is the purpose of enacting zoning ordinances if every business that comes along is granted a variance? Perhaps the "vocal few" that "me" refers to are the only ones actually paying attention to the laws...this is not an example of an "argument du jour," but a lesson in how "policy du jour" trumps existing laws. Next time, do your homework...