Buffalo developer Carl Paladino had a banner day yesterday. Not only did he finally have plans approved for his parcel on South Division and Michigan that is earmarked for an ECC parking lot, but he picked up a couple of new properties.
For a total of $850,000, Paladino closed on warehouses at 1018 – 1050 Niagara Street and 960 Busti Avenue, but isn't ready to say what his plans are for the buildings. The Niagara street address is a two-story, 92,300 sq. ft. warehouse, and the Busti warehouse is 67,900 sq. ft. on four floors. Respectively, they formerly housed Miken Systems, a commercial printing and lithograph company; and Multiform Desiccants, now operating under the name Multisorb, manufacturers of absorbant desiccant products commonly found in pill bottles among other uses. Both buildings were erected in 1930.
These acquisitions are separated by two other structures, one still owned by an affiliate of Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation. The other houses the power lines that cross the Niagara River from Canada. Paladino says he has no plans to buy any of the neighboring structures.
The two buildings were bought in 1998 by Ciminelli and Steve McGarvey, the late, former owner of the Trico and M. Wile buildings downtown. Though one of the structures is listed as a Busti address, they each appear to be on Niagara Street, and cover a collective 3.99 acres.
While Paladino said his plans for the buildings involve different uses for each, he gave voice to what he doesn't plan to do. "It has nothing to do with the Peace Bridge," Paladino said. "I'll keep you posted."