$14.25 per square foot for 472 Main. $12.42 per square foot for 283 Pearl. Meanwhile, a single family house in Amherst will go for about $80 to $150 a square foot, and that's considered a bargain by national standards.

Space in downtown commercial buildings -- granted, below Class C, but still in the heart of downtown -- are selling for a fifth to a tenth of what a single family house in the 'burbs would go for. It's a sad indicator. It's also a possible goldmine for a motivated developer; the potential return on investment could be phenomenal if the buildings are structurally sound.

It would be nice to have underground parking, but remember, in Buffalo, the cost of building a multi-level or sub-basement parking area is far higher than the value of the land that would be covered by the equivalent amount of surface spaces. In other cities, it's cheaper to build a ramp or an underground/basement lot than to pave over valuable real estate; in Buffalo, because land is so cheap, the opposite is true. Until there's an economic incentive to do so, zoning regulations forcing developers to build underground parking need to be adopted. Until that happens, don't count on seeing too many of the gaps of downtown's urban fabric filled anytime soon.

I hope something happens with these properties, meeting a Bride at the Hyatt last week and looking out the atrium windows was rather dismal. I can't begin to think what it must look like to out of towners staying at the hotel.

What would really help this area would be reconnecting West Mohawk with East Mohawk. That connection with traffic back on Main Street would help to link up downtown in a east west sense. This would also help new development like Epstein's projects with the rest of downtwon. It seems fairly easy to do ...... that's what scares me.

I love the 496 Main Street building unfortunately it is totally landlocked, with both Main and W. Mohawk closed the back of the building only has access to the Belesario parking lot. The building has so much potential. I have often dreamed of a development project there, yes mixed retail and residential. Secured parking for the tenants is the biggest problem, I park in the ramp around the corner and have had my car broken into at night.

BTY Happy Garden isn’t half bad for $3.99 Chinese Food.

The CPC along with BuffaloPlace are trying to work with amiable owners to create a plan for the block. But I am sure with so many owners and parcels it is hard to get everyone involved and on the same page. Part of the problem with the block are the owners don't have enough capital to do each of these projects separately perhaps a joint venture is needed where they can all profit from working together.

Also Mohawk will get reconnected to itself with the Main Street reconstruction and I am not holding my breath that bringing cars back will do ANYTHING. If that was the case the rest of downtown would be a jumping place of prosperity and growth... The sad truth is ALL of downtown had the bottom fall out of it, car areas or not and Main Street was one of the only places to consistently keep businesses and any semblance of life during this period. Cars won't change anything except make it more noisy and slow up the train.

I thought a plan was in place for the 500 Block already. I thought that was why all the small shops there had closed over this past summer. Are we being "HAD" Again? This whole stretch needs a brand new makeover, a mix of retail, restaurants, and other services with upper floor office and retail. It is sad to be inside the Hyatt Hotel and look out to a ghetto. My first impression would be "what a dump, I would'nt want to walk around here, especially alone". With areas in the downtown core looking as bad as this, it is no wonder outsiders who visit only Downtown leave with a very bad impression on our city.

prices are interesting, fact is the only way to fill this stuff without incentives and actually fixing the problem is to put cars back on Main and LOWER TAXES.

its win win.

theres nothing much at all happening there...all the owners are bailing out here

I thought a plan was in place for the 500 Block already. I thought that was why all the small shops there had closed over this past summer. Are we being "HAD" Again? This whole stretch needs a brand new makeover, a mix of retail, restaurants, and other services with upper floor office and retail. It is sad to be inside the Hyatt Hotel and look out to a ghetto. My first impression would be "what a dump, I would'nt want to walk around here, especially alone". With areas in the downtown core looking as bad as this, it is no wonder outsiders who visit only Downtown leave with a very bad impression on our city.

Streetcar great points, I work on that block of main and it is depressing. The asking prices seem high for what they are selling.

Cheap rents is how Elmwood got started and now has grown up to better stores and bigger rents that now compete with the suburban malls. When I was growing up I remember going to Home of the Hits and eating at ETS and now I shop at ROOM. (shameless plug for my friends at ROOM, great store) and take my son to eat at ETS as well as many other places. Unfortunately the landlords on Main are TOO greedy and don’t realize what they are passing up.

My wife works for the GAP and they did study Elmwood a few years ago but the people traffic just isn’t there, so Main Street is really out. The GAP does have a number of urban stores but in much larger markets with much denser populations i.e. Toronto on Young and up on Queen, NYC etc. With the big stores it is bring the people then we will come, the smaller start ups are the opposite. It was nice to see the “Get Dressed” has just opened up on this block too.

There are a good number of people that work in the immediate area, at the end of the 400-500 block, there are seven or eight medium to large building, plus the apartments in the middle. The opportunity is definitely there.

I should have made the parking point more clear, another place that has the ability for underground parking is the old AM&A’s building. It is more expensive to put cars underground but the service is needed and is doesn’t detract from the cityscape.

The city and the politics is a whole different story and I’m not going there tonight. ;)

Does anyone have an update on the spa lofts? I haven't heard anything in a long time.

off topic: Have any of you been to Krudmart? Its nice. No?

StreetcarSuburbanite I was thinking more in terms of underground parking for residents, not the urban sprawl of Cheetavegas. Secure parking for residents is a big concern, Elmwood has side streets for residents, unfortunately downtown has meters everywhere. I am a HUGE proponent of downtown but I also like my car to be safe and secure and the current ramps don't address that problem. In a perfect world you would not need a car but we are not there yet in Buffalo.

My opinion is that we have to come with something unique for downtown's Main Street. This can be done by looking at other cities that have successful downtowns, and learn the lessons that made it successful.

This block of Main Street appears to suffer the most from lack of vehicle traffic. The closest parking options are the crumbling Mohawk Ramp (off Washington) and the newly built Augspurger at Huron & Pearl. There is little or no street parking on the blocks of Pearl and Washington that run parallel to this portion of Main St, or on Court St., Lafayette Square or Huron.

However, with anchors at each end of the block (Hyatt at Main & Huron, and several offices, including the hopefully revitalized former National Fuel Headquarters), this block has potential...but the burning question is whether this potential will be realized before or after vehicular traffic returns to Main.

I am hopeful for Main street developement. However the fact that 496 has the architects rendering for aprtments/retail available suggests that the current owner has looked into developing and obviously found it unprofitable. I love the concept but as others have stated the lack of parking and the potential construction nightmare to reopen traffic certainly limits profitability. I think it will require some deep pockets to turn these around and hold them until profitable.