First Floor Leased at 598 Main
Dunkin Donuts at Main and Chippewa is getting a neighbor. SEFCU, the largest credit union in the Albany region will be opening a branch at 598 Main Street in the Theater District. The ground floor of the three-story office building was vacant for approximately two years until Dunkin Donuts opened an outlet in late-July. SEFCU will be leasing the balance of the space filling this highly visible downtown location owned and developed by CityView Properties.
SEFCU, established in 1934, recently merged with Niagara Frontier State Employees Federal Credit Union to serve the Buffalo region. The credit union’s current branch is in the Mahoney State Office Building, 65 Court Street. SEFCU ranks as the largest credit union in the Capital Region and is among the 70 largest in the country with 21 branches, over $1.3 billion is assets and 142,000 members.
598 Main, a $3.5 million office building designed by MWT Architects, replaced what was once a long under-used pocket park and in recent years a surface parking lot. Offices in the 28,000 sq.ft. building are fully leased to National Life and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Congratulations to CityView for not caving and leasing the space to pure office tenants.
CityView, recently busy in the Larkin District, is returning to downtown development as a partner in plans to redevelop the Genesee Block.
Get Connected: CityView Properties, 716.856.8400
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RisingDamp666
A car loan and a Boston Creme, and all in one convenient location? Fifth Avenue here we come!
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bfloMatt
really a good spot for a place like this imo. eventually when there is cars on main, the 500 block redone and all that jazz, its going to help main become more of a destination.
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icecreamsub
yeah, it is pretty sad when this is newsworthy stuff but for downtown's growth I guess we can't expect to walk before we learn to crawl (sorry for the awful Phil Collinsesque cliche) and I would rather have buildings occupied than sit vacant.
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halljd39
This is great - it seems like more businesses are moving into Downtown. Downtown needs more apartments and condos.
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Jefferson
I'm very happy.
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SLEEPL8
The homeless people wandering Main St. will definitely be excited about the credit union. Too bad that the rest of us who drive cars will never use it.
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Quinn
And the scores of folks who don't use cars may use it. People with cars are not the only consumers.
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MJWorthington
whaah whaah. there's nothing on Main St. whaah whaah, there's only a credit union and doughnut shop.
Some people are never happy. Spaces are starting to get filled. Support them and watch it start to grow. Sit back and complain and watch it stall and die. Or maybe if you are lucky others will pick up the slack and make something of it.
Congrats on filling the space which not too long ago was only a parking lot and half-ass greenery.
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Hospitable
Things like this will fade into the background if cars ever come back to main...well said icecreamsub better occupied than vacant
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SLEEPL8
Quinn...Lack of vehicle access is ruining Main St. Sorry but more "consumers" drive than do not. Argue away. Have fun walking to the credit union
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Perry
The thing about the Theatre District is that they never promoted the pedestrian mall like other cities have (Ithaca, Burlingtown, VT to name a few). They sort of closed off Main Street and said - there ya go. In Ithaca and Burlington they have big parking garages a block from the pedestrian mall, seems to work for them.
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Genghis
That's actually the entire reason the downtown Buffalo pedestrian mall is a deserted wasteland. No one ever promoted it. Rather than doing all this expensive "redevelopment", why not just promote the current pedestrian mall. The same can work for the Main Place mall. There are lots of reasons to go there too. Once I got a fork there, it was a very nice fork and I got it a lot cheaper than I would have at the Galleria. You too can get discounts!! Come to the Main Place Mall!!!
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T-Rex
I believe that credit unions are founded by and for certain groups often sharing common employers. My guess is this one is for certain state employees. It's not as if just anyone can walk in and open an account or apply for a car loan. Still, it's nice to see another occupant on Main Street.
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Hospitable
Funny you mention that Perry...I was in Burlington 2 weeks ago and was amazed when I went down church street..the fact that its closed and booming is an achievement but the eclectic mix of stores is awesome as well. A mix of homegrown Vermont and corporate America on a closed pedestrian mall... who woulda knew it could work
I second that though... its never been promoted.. Main Place mall is the most wasted asset in Buffalo.. and by what I've read nothing was done to combat the decline of Main st once it started, traffic on main will do wonders
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pgf1948
To think what Buffalo used to build and contribute to American architecture, and then to have to look at this dismal block, and appalling corner. Might as well house peep shows, nail salons, and car-rental agencies. Simply ugly.
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Denizen
^ Ugly?? I think not. Architecturally it's a beautiful block. The deadness and vacant storefronts really inhibits its vibrancy, but the block is certainly anything but ugly.
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Quinn
Sleep - I walk down that block everyday. Much more fun to look into the windows of occupied buildings on your walk to work then dirty windows covered with paper.
I think its great that when Main Street opens these businesses will be up and running, and storefronts will be in place. I think we can all agree that these bits and pieces of development are good news all 'round. Like icecream sub implied - baby steps. Rome was not built in a day. Any other cliches I can throw in here?
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SLEEPL8
Quinn. I don't have a problem with the type of business. I agree that Main St. needs to be revitalized one piece at a time. My point is that thie whole process would be accelerated with improved accessability to Main St...by automobile traffic...
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Spaulding97
Just curious, what stores do they have in this pedestrian Mall in Burlington?
I remember going downtown (main st) for Xmas shopping with my family. There were Xmas displays in the store windows. Even though we would just go to AM&As, then cross over the bridge to the so called mall.
It USED to be something to see and we would love it. That was in the late 80's early 90's when Jim Kelly had his restaurant at the corner of main place. I do seem to remember commercials promoting coming down to shop for the Holidays. Then it just stopped. Now, its a ghost town. Real shame.
Hopefully, this is a start and can get things back on track.
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Spaulding97
I should have added, we took the train there.
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