Carl Paladino Makes a Purchase
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."
What Others Have To Say
What Do You Think?
Related Articles
-
City Dweller (at Heart)
Last month we ran a post on buffalorising.com, Looking for City Dwellers (at Heart), and Kyle LoConti was one of many people who answered the call. As it turns out, her personal profile fits exactly the type of person real estate agents and developers have been telling us will move into Downtown Buffalo.
LoConti is a unique person whose most typical trait is that of a being an empty nester, single, professional who is looking for a place in the City of Buffalo to call her own. … - Yesterday, 2:39pm
- Continue Reading
- 5 Comments
-
Look Out for the Blue Buffalo
With a few strokes of a paint roller pushed by Mayor Byron Brown and other community leaders, the Blue Buffaloes that mark the Walk Buffalo tours are reappearing at 28 locations in downtown Buffalo.
At a press conference in front of the Market Arcade Building Tuesday afternoon, celebrating National Tourism Week, Mayor Brown, Rich Geiger, Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau; Grant Loomis, Office of the County Executive, and Michael Schmand, Buffalo Place, painted the firs … - Yesterday, 2:24pm
- Continue Reading
- 3 Comments
-
2008 Thursday @ The Square & BP Rocks The Harbor
Coming at you from Labatt US headquarters, Buffalo Place has just announced the line-up for the 2008 Thursday at the Square (presented by M&T Bank). It was a no-brainer to visit the Labatt Blue base in order to listen to the announcement. There was one zinger that took a few people by surprise - on August 15th-16th Buffalo Place will 'Rock the Harbor' once again. On that Friday Great Big Sea will take the stage followed by The Robert Cray Band and Keb' Mo' on Saturday. This will b … - Yesterday, 11:18am
- Continue Reading
- 33 Comments
-
"Relocate America's Top 100 Cities"
This morning, former BRO contributor Giovanni Centurione sent me an email asking if I would let readers know that there is a chance to nominate Buffalo as the Best Place to Relocate/Live for 2009. There is a website where people submit their choices for the category of "Relocate America's Top 100 Cities". For eleven years the top 100 cities have been listed according to the number of submissions as well as editorial input. Gio has requested that BRO readers visit the site and subm … - Yesterday, 10:48am
- Continue Reading
- 27 Comments
Comment Options
bradon
Anyone know if these properties overlook the river? It looks like they might on the aerial photo above. Prime real estate if we lose the thruway.
Report this
mbhxam
lose the thruway...wishful thinking....
Report this
sbrof
hmmm this could be great news or blah news. Paladino's track record for renovation isn't the strongest. If he wanted to build a new building for condo's or whatever I sure would have liked him to buy one of the many vacant lots along Niagara for it. Since he is the one that was quoted by the paper saying that new construction is the way to go for condo sales. These buildings have a great value to the street facade and future of Niagara. Niagara Street really has such potential to link downtown, the west side, blackrock and riverside.
Report this
comptart_lws
who is CP kidding? they are directly in the shadow of the Peace Bridge and adjacent to the (intended) Peace Bridge expansion plan. If he means to say, they will not be commercially developed in relation to transportation business, OK fine. But, however his plans play out — those properties are downwind, down stream and right next door to an (intended) truck plaza and major transportation project. It'll be interesting to see if he joins the voices united against the current expansion plan and destruction of 100+ year old neighborhood.
Report this
simcoe
Wait Palladino is putting a parking lot in downtown? Does he have any experience with this type of project?
Report this
fredrico
Regardless of what Mr. Paladino does with these particular properties, I have said it before and I will say it again, Niagara street and - YES - Grant street are the biggest diamonds in the rough this city has. Talk about specatular views (go down the foot of Ferry when the sun sets)--- and check out the cultural diversity on Grant street and you will see what I mean. I know - it won't happen for maybe 100 years - maybe even 200 hundred - but there on the river and deep in our culturally exploding neighborhood (Grant street) is where our potential lies. No matter what his plans are, I think Paladino made a smart move.
Report this
UrbanBody
...so is he going to sit on these like the Graystone Hotel....and let them rot more?
Report this
RaChaCha
Fredrico, I find your comment quite intriguing about the Grant/Ferry area, and am wondering if there are ever tours of the neighborhood--?
Report this
fredrico
RaChaCha I don't know if there are tours of these areas- does anyone out there know of any? I would be happy to give you a tour of my favorite spots. I think you will see what I mean.
Report this
fredrico
RaChaCha I don't know if there are tours of these areas- does anyone out there know of any? I would be happy to give you a tour of my favorite spots. I think you will see what I mean.
Report this
Biniszkiewicz
these properties do have very nice views of the river, the Busti bldg especially. I wouldn't be shocked to see this go to lofts or condos. View across the river from this section of Niagara is quite charming.
Peace Bridge also claims no interest in this land. CP might have in mind the idea of catering to tenants who use the bridge, but I think he's quite sincere that he has no intention of selling to the bridge authority.
Report this
ECB
Just spoke to Carl again. He said it's very possible that he may go residential with one of the buildings that he hopes to convert to mixed-use including offices.
Report this
cyndrome
I often thought that this building would make a great residential conversion. Since it is above the highway, there could be some creative landscaping done to deaden the noise. As an example, when you are in BrooklyC, and you were to walk along the Brooklyn Heights promenade, you are rarely aware that the Brooklyn Queens Expressway is screaming beneath you. And no, it is not a tunnel, the promenade just cantilevers over it. Admittedly, this property isn't likely to go to that extreme, but there are creative ways to muffle the highway noise.
Report this
LivingForge
I've often thought the Brooklyn Heights Promenade example offered the best option for the Niagara expressway, short of demolishing it altogether.
Report this
RisingDamp666
It'll be great....in 2058.
Report this
chris69
Now who has been telling everyone on BuffaloRising to watch Niagara Street!!!!!!
Looks like Palladino is going tobe joining the arguments on the side of minimizing the Peace Bridge Plaza now that he owns property there.
Once the area between the Niagara Expressway and the water are fully built then the area between Niagara Street and the Niagara Expressway are next. As I have said before, Niagara Street, Amherst, Forest, Tonawanda, Buffalo State....these are areas to watch because they are going ot have a profound impact on the westvillage, westside and black rock.
Buffalo State is finally getting through its very thick head that its not going to be able to expand along Elmwood or Forest. The result is that Buffalo State is finally raising speculation along Rees, Grant, Hawley, Dart, Danforth, Badley, Letchworth, Fernwood, West, Niagara, Tonawanda and Amherst.
If would be a huge boon to Buffalo State in joining colleges like UB, Canisius and Medaille if the NFTA would restart the Beltway as a Light Rail which would perfectly connect Buffalo State adding $10,000 students and moving their parking problem off campus.
Report this
dagner
Let's hope the view of these buildings from the river improves, although I'm not certain which ones they are.
The great concern about the look of a new bridge seemed like worrying about the color of the tutu we planned to put on the trash can. The US side looks like a dump. Or what it is: the unattractive backside of industrial buildings.
I've long thought that somewhere along that stretch was a prime site for a restaurant with views. In the upper Hudson valley, many popular restaurants overlook the river, even with views of boring bridges. Frankly, that's true all over the world.
If you angle it right, that square arch might be blocked and visitors see only the Eiffel-tower-on-its-side iron work of the Peace Bridge: an attractive view to my eye. Tourists would be intrigued by a river view to Canada.
Report this
gaustad
I think it is a great idea, but one project will not be enough to drive out the hookers and crack dealers that line this street.
If it in fact it is built, it will be a long time before the entire neighborhod is turned around. However, niagara St could be a great place to live....couple good Italian restaraunts, nice views, and close to downtown.
Report this
countryside
It's going to be residential and commercial... http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/319938.html
Report this
BloCity
They do say "could be high end residential", and of course there is no time frame. This lower west side perplexes me, its a relatively small area between Niagara street and richmond and s. elmwood, but the violence there, especially during the summer is astounding. However if you surround the area with projects like this it will be interesting to see what happens to the people in the middle.
Report this
redbaron
The Buffalo News reported that Paladino plans on building high end residential in those buildings. The neighborhood isn't the best and the view would be partially blocked by the Thruway so good luck to him succeeding. For once I'd like to see some middle income loft apartments! I think the $1000 plus loft apartments are maxed out already!
Report this