The anticipated Parklane condominium building is being unveiled today. I should say that the renderings are being unveiled, and so far the consensus seems to rally behind the twenty- two-storey design. At first appearance, one thing is clear: This is a different look that the city really has not seen up until now. The concept is sleek, unobtrusive, and highly transparent.
After many months of planning and over twenty major revisions to the final look, Uniland is extremely happy with the results. And why shouldn't they be? One look at the concept is all it takes to appreciate the work that went into the planning. The two-storey atrium/common area is invitingly simple at a glance. The super-clear, highly transparent glass shoots upwards to showcase a large lobby that draws the eye immediately to a live, green, bio-filter, ivy wall. The wall brings the surrounding greenery from Gates Circle into the space. It also acts as 30' by 40' fresh air intake and will take the building one step closer to embracing up-to-date 'green' standards. The circulating air is virtually filtered through a living wall of vegetation.
Once your eye gets past the initial two-storey limestone and glass features, the slightly bronze-tinted glass walls project upwards into a slender form. The glass form is light as it reflects the outward elements during the day, while emitting a beacon-like quality at night. The building will truly act as a grand entrance from Gates Circle to the city's historic Delaware Avenue. The oversized frosted glass balconies present an almost spine-like look, and the overall use of glass immediately updates Buffalo's architectural portfolio. These are the types of buildings that you see as you drive through Toronto and ask yourself why they are not found in a neighboring city.
As a matter of fact, it is Toronto's Diamond and Schmitt Architects along with Buffalo's Hamilton Houston Lownie Architects that dreamed up the concept. Uniland's Michael Montante sounds more like a proud dad than VP of a development company: "We tried to keep the neighborhood in mind when setting off to design the building. We intentionally made the top of the building narrow while keeping the base broader. It's unobtrusive, light and respects the existing circle and buildings that line it. What people might find interesting is the size of the footprint that it occupies... it is much smaller than that of the existing Parklane Restaurant, and incorporates plenty of green space throughout the property. It is a warm, welcoming building. There will be underground parking (123 car parks) camouflaged by an trellis screen so that much of the current asphalt will disappear."
Landscape architects, du Toit Allsopp Hiller are planning to keep as many green areas around the building as possible. And there are even intentions to incorporate a green grass roof above the two-storey garden room. Two condos will be located on the first floor, while the remaining sixty-six units will make up the rest. The mechanicals will be hidden above the 6300 sq.' top floor penthouse, leaving more functional room below. The main entrance will be located along Lafayette Avenue to alleviate any traffic concerns on Delaware. It looks as if Uniland and its architects have taken all neighborhood concerns to heart when coming up with the schematic.
Units will range from 1000 sq.' to 2500 sq.', though prices have yet to be determined. There has been a major interest as far as potential tenant inquiries go, with 60% of those inquiries deriving from suburban residents looking to own property in the city. And since the final footprint leaves space in back, Uniland has said that there is potential for a smaller project down the road. Take a look at all of the space (150') from Gates Circle for public right away, especially when compared to the adjacent hospital. Plus keep in mind that the building angles and the distancing from neighboring buildings are all intentional planning elements used to be as friendly to existing residents as possible.
Next steps include a formal application to The City (next week) followed by reviews. That will be about an eight-month process, and at that time there will be invitations to secure space within. Uniland is looking for between 50% to 75% presell before the project officially gets underway. For more information on the building, visit www.gatescircle.com.