Real Estate: January 2010 Archives

Sam Savarino is interested in converting the ravaged St. Mary's-on-the-Hill Church into residences, if he can purchase the property from an out-of-town owner.  The landmarked circa-1903 church, or what remains of it, is located at the northeast corner of Niagara and Vermont streets directly behind the Connecticut Street Armory.

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Does downtown need additional parking?  A study completed in 2008 by national parking consultants Desman Associates says yes.  Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps (BCAR), operator of City-owned downtown ramps agrees, but not in the all of the locations suggested by the consultants. 

The idea of building additional ramps is being looked at by a subcommittee created by the Board of Parking.  The issue promises to set off a new round of fighting downtown.  Parking issues have pitted preservationists against downtown boosters,

A historic brick structure has been rehabbed and expanded by Lakeshore Behavior Health, Inc.  The adaptive reuse project at the northeast corner of Sycamore Street and Michigan Avenue created a sixteen-bed homeless housing facility.  BHNT Architects designed and Savarino Construction built the $1.4 million project.

An existing 2½-story brick structure at 108 Sycamore Street, was renovated to contain the major living and dining areas and a new commercial-grade kitchen.  A two-story, 2,800 square foot wood framed addition to the rear contains most of the living areas. 

Genesee Gateway, one of downtown's most visible and overdue rehab projects, marches on towards a spring completion.  CityView Properties and the Wendt Foundation are rehabbing the half block of historic buildings at 99-125 Genesee Street into 60,400 sq.ft. of retail and office space. 
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The former KFC restaurant site is on its way towards a mixed-use future.  Work has started on what will be a three-story retail and residential building at the northwest corner of Elmwood Avenue and Bryant Street.  The $3.5 million project is being developed by The Krog Corp, attorney Michael Ferdman and architect Karl Frizlen. 

The new 20,000 sq.ft. structure will contain 4,300 sq.ft. of retail space along with enclosed parking on the ground floor for eight vehicles.  Twelve apartments units on the second and third

Ellicott Development Co. is seeking to demolish a one-story former gas station at the southwest corner of Main and North streets.  Ellicott's 4268 Group Inc. has owned the 1,352 sq.ft. building at 1030 Main since 2004.  After a brief run as a Quizno's restaurant, the building most recently housed Medina Deli.  If approved for demolition, an existing parking lot on the site will be expanded by 10-12 additional spaces.  The development firm has begun renovations to  an adjacent four-story building at 1028 Main Street that once housed Bryant and Stratton's city campus.

Two former warehouses are racing towards new life as mixed-use commercial and residential complexes.  On Washington Street, Rocco Termini's Signature Development is rehabbing three historic former AM&A's warehouses.  The project will result in 48 loft apartments and 15,000 sq.ft. of commercial space.  Carmina Wood Morris is the project architect.

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A 12-unit, two bedroom apartment complex on Monroe Street is nearly complete.

The Tishman Building has a new name and lobby.  New York City-based owner Solil Management has completed a renovation of the building's lobby and ground floor exterior.  Rechristened 10 Lafayette Square, the owners have retained Gunner Tronolone of MJ Peterson Commercial Real Estate to refill

Don Warfe's renovation of the three-story building at 501 Main Street is underway.  Brodo, the popular soup and wine bar co-owned by Warfe, will be opening a take-out only outlet at the Main Street site.  The 6,000 sq.ft. building, purchased

The Buffalo Planning Board was provided with an overview of Canal Side General Project Plan and associated design guidelines that will apply to future development in the inner harbor area on Tuesday.  The presentation was given by consultants retained by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC).  No official Planning Board action was required./real-estate/2010/01/index.html

You are invited to join me in a reception at Lafayette Church this Sunday from 11:30-1:30, where we will give a presentation outlining our efforts to preserve our building through creative re-use.

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church was added to the national register of historic places this year, and if we are successful in our plans for re-use, the building will continue to be an integral part of the Elmwood Village for years to come.  We will accomplish this by converting

Expansion of Mercy Hospital's emergency room is progressing towards a spring completion.  The $32 million construction project will result in a 46,000 square-foot addition to the front of the hospital along Abbott Road, tripling the size of the current emergency room.  Work started in November 2008.  Cannon Design is the architect.

The facility will feature thirty-four private treatment rooms, including three airborne isolation rooms, and two cardiac/trauma resuscitation rooms.  A row of windows

Downtown development held its own last year, despite a rocky national and local economy.  While redevelopment of the Statler remains in serious doubt, plans to renovate two other underutilized properties, the AM&A's Department Store and the Lafayette Hotel, were announced.   2009 saw 80 new downtown residential units completed and plans unveiled for 294 additional residences in five new projects.  125,000 sq.ft. of office space,