Back in December we reported on the sad condition of 918 Main Street, a City-owned historic building dating from 1891 that is severely dilapidated due to neglect. There is some good news to report: Robert Wolbrecht, owner of neighboring 916 Main, wants to purchase the property and rehabilitate both into residential and commercial space. The bad news? His reuse plan cannot move forward due to a short-sighted decision by the city several years ago.
Robert Wolbrecht purchased 916 Main Street, a three-story 9,600 sq.ft. building in 2003. He entered into an agreement in February 2005 with the City of Buffalo to purchase the larger 918 Main next door for $14,300 and make immediate repairs to the collapsing roof. Wolbrecht had planned to convert the upper floors of the buildings to residences and retail space on the ground floor. Now the complications.
916 and 918 Main are built to their rear property lines. In order to convert the properties to residential, building codes require a secondary fire exit to the rear of the buildings. Unfortunately, the City sold the rear of 918 Main, located at 81 North Pearl, to a third-party, 20 Allen LLC.
Worse, the City didnit require an easement be granted with the sale. Therefore, a fire exit would open to private property, currently a parking lot. Without an easement, the owner of 81 North Pearl could put a fence up to block an exit door completely. Thus, residential reuse of the Main Street properties cannot proceed without a five foot easement from the rear doors and a 3 foot easement to North Pearl Street. Without the easement, Wolbrecht would have to restrict the use of the properties to warehousing. Meanwhile, he has not moved forward on completing the purchase of 918 Main where rain and snow continue to damage the 23,000 sq.ft. building.
20 Allen LLC is a partnership headed by John Little, owner of Cathode Ray bar at the corner of North Pearl and Allen. Wolbrechtis and the Cityis request for an easement have thus far been thwarted. Wolbrecht is not seeking use of the site for parking or other tenant access; he only needs the easement in order to utilize the rear doors for emergency egress. Neighboring residents are supportive of the plan and expect to meet with Richard Tobe, the new Commissioner of Economic Development, Permit and Inspection Services, to address this and other neighborhood issues.
A local business owner is hindering a developer who wants to bring life back to two long-vacant buildings on a crucial block of Main. The stand-off continues while 920 decays under the Cityis watch. Stay tuned.