Buffalorising has been redesigned.

I like the design for 285 Del. I am usually not impressed by modernist glass boxes or post modern randomness but this building feels like a good fit for the street and city alike. It follows good urban design principles and should be a welcomed addition of what real "progress" is about.

And I am glad to see that they are taking their time for the design of gates circle. If they plan and design it as well as 285 taking in a new site and inhabitants I have no doubts it will be another good project.

I believe that Uniland is looking at the Elmwood Hotel project and the amount of opposition it recieved. They, therefore, are attempting to design a building that cannot be fought against and, therefore, is able to survive any onslaughts.

The top doesn't look bad by on the drawing. What is that odd wall structure that runs along the street? That will be hard to do practically and not seem like a "keep out" wall.

At least it is built to the sidewalk. a huge leap for a surbauban developer. They must be pining away for vast surface lots and chain stores to surround their building.

It looks like the street level wall is cinder-blocks. But otherwise a great addition for Delaware Ave.

Anyone know what's happening to Conestoga-Rover's space on Main near Swan? Though I am happy to see this building on Delaware filling up, I hate to see Main Street continuing to lose tenants.

Tenants on Main St. might be moving in an attempt to avoid the proposed reconstruction of steetscape to allow for the return of vehicular traffic. Hopefully, once traffic is reintroduced to Main St. businesses will once again return, and developers will recodnize an opportunity to rehab more buildings on Main.

More likely they were just in outdated Class B or C space that was also too small for them. I do agree that Main Street won't see the kind of development occuring elsewhere downtown untill a return to vehicular traffic is completed. I think it could really take off after that.

That wall looks really wierd, but maybe theres a chance that they'll tear that down after they realize that its the only drawback to a great development.

I really hope they build that Gates Circle tower- honestly, Gates Circle is not at all vibrant, it just gets a lot of traffic. That will change if this thing gets built. Also, this development will hopefully have a positive effect on that Linwood area nearby.

vehicular traffic, that is...

Cinder block? I was thinking it looked more like granite. Cinder blocks would be nearly a third the size of the bricks in the drawing, if not smaller. If it's even remotely near scale those look to be two or three feet high each (assuming the people drawn in are average sized adults).

Although I, too, dislike the little wall. Living not too far from the site, I know it's bound to become Homeless Village, USA behind there. Won't be able to walk by without someone popping around the corner asking for change or cigarettes.

There are blank surfaces that size all over this city on Elmwood and Allen Street.

I'm so sick of these homeless pity ass bums in this town. If your going to beg for money, at least entertain us for some. Sing, dance, tell jokes, majic tricks, rap,....just don't ever BEG without doing something for it. Oh and also, for the guys who beg in front of the CVS and Rite Aid on Main St. ...THEY ARE ALWAYS HIRING!!!!! WALK YOUR DUMB ASS IN AND FILL AN APPLICATION!!!!!

The first floor is, in fact, cinder block now. I can't believe, however, that the cinder blocks will not be faced with granite, cast stone or something when the building is complete.

The finish surface on the wall that has been refered to above will be a nice stone surface and not CMU.

fill: that's what I was thinking. the building as it is now is clearly um, skinless for lack of a better term. I'm sure they're not going to put this kind of cash into a new building right on Delaware avenue and then finish off the ground floor to look like the Ellicott Complex.

It's a great new look to have downtown. Congrats to Uniland and Hamilton, Houstion & Lownie (designers).

I too hope the side wall "flanges" will disappear, or at the very least, be changed to a stylish industrial open wire weave look. Anything see-through...would be better. (Since Uniland is serious about community input for Gates, then they should consider the ongoing low-level satisfaction about 285's wing-dings.)

David,
Blank walls do abound, but they are generally just a part of a bldg's lower side walls/foundation. The flanges in question are street-side cosmetic elements, not needed structurally, and do not contain enclosed space behind them.

Y! --

If you're interested in helping the homeless, check out www.wnyhomeless.org.

If you're just looking to make fun of poor and desperate people, then I hope you get a nasty disease.

So if 5 floors sold out so quickly doesnt that make Uniland stupid rather than smart. Shouldnt the new building have been 6 or 7 stories instead of 5?

Its obvious that a building selling out that quickly says that there was more demand than supply...and therefore should have been built with more space.

Thats my message to developers.....take a cue from how fast your Class A buildings are getting rented and build them taller, larger and in greater quantity.

I wonder if there will be any interest in the retail spaces on the ground floor? It's a nice building and a plus for Delaware Ave, but I hope we don't have to look at a wall of "For Rent "signs for the next ten years. No one is fighting to get into the Granite Works on Main St. What's up with that?

Everything seems to be For Rent or For Sale in this city.
"Available" should be our city motto

Colin,

I get the pleasue of helping the homeless on each and every pay day, when I pay my income tax. Over a third of my check is never even seen (or used) by me. I pay over $10/year in federal income tax alone! Glad I could help...and I'm sure they really appreciate it too.

$10K, that is. Sorry for the typo. (I just got home from work at 5:30 this morning.)

This will definatly send a message to future developers that the taller, the better. When buildings sell out this quickly, it does prove that Buffalo is the place to do business!

Most retailers wont take a chance downtown till other retailers, or at least an anchor store takes a chance and the downtown sidewalks are busier with people. You can't depend on 10 or 20 pedestrians per day to open a business in this location of Delaware Ave.

Actually, I disagree with the build taller propoenents...

Now obviously I would rather see taller buildings because of what it does for the cityscape, but I think smaller buildings right now will make a larger return on investment.

In order to make it have sense to build taller, there has to be significant demand, and that is created by not having enough Class-A space. That drives up rents, which makes it more attractive for developers.

I believe we'll continue to see these 5-6 story buildings to keep demand up, and as much as people want to come downtown for their office needs, demand will continue to grow, allowing the rent rolls to grow higher and higher.

Once that happens, then it will become cost condusive to build higher. Until Buffalo's office rent's get higher, it is cost prohibitve to build higher here. It is no cheaper to build in Buffalo than it is in NYC, it's just the land that costs more elsewhere.

Nick,

You're a real hero, and you do a bang-up job.

Nice news about the popularity of the Delaware building. According to the News article ‘…developer is looking to attract a mix of office and retail tenants to the as-yet, unleased first floor of the complex.’

It would be great to have retail at the site, but if another good company or two wants to fill the building and neighborhood with office employees, I would consider that a win as well.

Nick, You're a real hero, and you do a bang-up job.

Not sure I'd go so far as to say 'hero', but I agree with Colin's basic point that Nick and taxpayers like him are very valuable to this area.

As time goes on and employable adults continue to move away, a smaller percent of people still living in this area are net payers of taxes. Those subsidied by a wide range of government programs are a growing percentage around here. The Census publishes stats about this.

Great that Nick and people like him are willing to stay here and keep paying a good chunk of earnings in taxes. Thanks Nick, and good point Colin!