Hope For The Cooperage?
Crews are, at this moment, working on removing unsalvageable components of the Old First Ward's historic Cooperage building. This news might at first appear to be a bad omen, but fortunately that is not the case. Next week, an announcement will be made that preservation efforts will ultimately save most of this structure. Apparently, moneys have been secured in order to launch a six-week shoring up process that will ultimately make the Cooperage a candidate for a loft conversion. It was not long ago that we saw a neighbor to this property, McBrides Tavern, come crashing down. Many have been surmising that The Cooperage might see that same fate.
A second stroke of luck is scheduled to fall on the heels of this report. I understand that additional moneys are being secured to renovate a series of 25 genuine waterfront lofts. Details on the loft project may be announced as early as next week. It was not long ago that news reports began to circulate that The Cooperage was beyond saving due to sections of the building that had collapsed.
Fortunately, the much of the building is salvageable and will stand to see a second life in the form of living units... all right on the Buffalo River and the Ohio Street bike path (and soon-to-be Festival Park).
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Comment Options
stephenjames716
this is such a cool building....it would be awesome if it could be saved.
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br_boy
Wow! Saw these guys working on this building last week and I thought the opposite, it was doomed. What a simply terrific announcement, I really hope that this, unlike the Cobblestone Lofts project, actually creates some real lofts!
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siloman02
I'll sign on! Preferably with one of the courtyard, arched window units. A view of the Lake on the other side.
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bhorvath
Here we go again. Or is this a gag post?
Knock the POS down.
Or did we suddenly find a market for high rent 'lofts' in South Buff?
Get real guys, it's a dilapadated crack house and nothing more.
The past is the past.
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bhorvath
This has to be a joke.
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bhorvath
recommendations for Buffalo:
Incorporate Erie county (like Marion County in Indiana / Indianapolis among many many others)
Market to retirees for 2nd homes (like Hattiesburg MS)
Recruit modern manufacturing into state owned land.
Stop wasting money saving POS's like this.
Is Mr. Issa going to run the loft conversion?
Sad.
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TranspoGuy
bhorvath - your optimism is overwhelming
Why do you care? If there is a market for the units, and they are sold, then great. If not, it doesn't really concern you, don't live there.
You say "knock the POS down" - Why? What advantage would that provide?
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nyc
great!
everything was once a crackhouse...
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bhorvath
I think BRO and it's moonie following has lost it's mind this time.
Beyond belief that folks focus on saving every brick shell that 'was once something great'. Go dig up an old picture of a cooper and a barrel in front of the building and wipe the tears from your eyes.
The BRO cult lives in the past and dreams of the future.
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nyc
bhorvath, out of courisity, why do you prefer this torn down to redeveloped?
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bhorvath
Symbolism of a new future, a new mentality. I wouldn't even waste money knocking it down in that part of Buffalo right now, maybe in 10 years when people actually want to live and spend money in that part of the city we can do that.
PS - on the silo that got bought, ethanol was yesterday - liquified natural gas is the way to go if you are thinking of an alternative fuel plant.
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urbansoul
This is so HOT
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nyc
that doesn't make any sense since so much has been torn down or left abandoned. Buffalo therefore must already be a gleaming symbol for a new future.
I assume you are actually interested in knowing whether this is being saved by public funding. Money you think could be spent elsewhere or not collected through lower taxes.
So who is funding this project?
And how could this possibly move forward without a casino nearby??? (that's a joke)
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urbansoul
*****I'm hearing rumblings that the Statler was sold to two developers***** Anyone have any news???
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bhorvath
I would think most of the improvements around the city BRO will claim co-credit for are being funded by the tax levy, donations and debt (parks, canal, etc.).
I don't think the city has lost it's mind, so I can guess it's private funds for this salvation mirage. I still think this post is a gag.
I applaud city hall for knocking down structures that have no purpose anymore, it shows they have their eyes on the future, not the past.
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buffaloweiner
I love stories like this....but it reminds me ... does anyone have any status on the Fairmont Cremery Building being converted into residential?
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bufflow
urbansoul----no truth to Statler sale. i work in statler and things are status quo. Buf News had a story a couple weeks ago about potential buyers, but long time blg. manager here said it was complete bull.....too bad for the few of us still stuck over here.
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dpbflo
love this building.. every time i drive by i imagine what could be done with it. Im glad its getting some attention.
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Hospitable
You can't replace charachter.... we've demolished soo much charachter
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al-alo
i think this may be one of the most unique blgs being proposed for a conversion. i like it.
im sure you are all satisfied now that it has my endorsement.
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chrishawley
Am I the only one amazed that there are folks in this town, like "bhorvath," who really can't see how many dozens of historic properties - including in and around the Cobblestone District - are being revamped? And that so much of Buffalo's economic revival is being fueled by the redevelopment of historic and often delapidated character buildings?
Does these people really stay inside all day, or are they truly so unperceptive?
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PaulBuffalo
Some folks would prefer to have shovel-ready development sites than actual development.
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buffaloweiner
Well, for the most part this city doesnt care about its historic residential adn commercial buildings thats why Buffalo is 60% empty.
Old Buffalo which contains the most intact neighborhoods and historic buildings are now pretty much limited to the area between Niagara Street and Michigan.
New Buffalo which has been mostly demolished and thus new development will go largely unobstructed is between michigan and I-190. This is where Buffalos most modern and contemporary buildings I predict will find their home.
The cobblestone which to me extends all the way down to the end of Katherine Street, the inner harbor (aka Kelly Island) and the outer harbor are going to be one of the most highly eclectic mixed use areas of Buffalo. The Grain silos arent going away, General Mills is not going away, etc so this area is going to be a very eclectic mix of new infill residential, commercial (office, retail), and industrial.
The most tragic thing that Buffalo could do would be to continue to ignore its remaining historical buildings and let them continue to be demolished. Buffalo is 60% empty. The key is to encourage preservation in OLD BUFFALO while encouraging new construction in NEW BUFFALO.
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Hospitable
Well said buffaloweiner.. it the combination of old and new that make districts vibrant
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crisa
..."And then it hit me like a ton of bricks"... I get it now! Revitalize Buffalo; bring back old phrases!!!
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crisa
..."thanks for the warning!"...
If it ain't fixed, don't broker it!
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sonyactivision
Whatever becomes of this diamond in the rough, I hope the advertising signage on its sides will be preserved. As a tribute to Buffalo's great industrial past.
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bhorvath
we'll drink a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang saine
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Jared
out with the old in with the new, ripp it down ...god..
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MJWorthington
in with what new? 50% of DT is shovel ready and still waiting for the new while old buildings have become "new" again.
Lets keep bashing these type of developments while constantly waiting for "the new". Sounds like a great plan.
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MichaelB
The entire third rear portion of the building has collapsed in on iteself. It is also in the middle of nowhere in terms of interst AT THE MOMENT.
It may be an interesting building, but not the best prospect for a project of the caliber some of you are speaking.
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xosder
An interesting follow up would be to answer why the roof and entire rear two bays full height were allowed to collapse while the building was in the hands of a "historic preservation consultant" ? They are apparently held to less of a standard than the rest of us.
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crisa
Preserving a structure for historic reasons used to mean that dedicated preservationists took possession and saw to it that there was no further deterioration.
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crisa
Hmmmm. I didn't click for the above comment to send, so, I don't know why it did?!
Except for people today preserving structures that are thousand of years old such as Stonehinge and the Roman Coliseum, for structures that are only maybe 200 years old, preserving a structure for historic reasons USED TO pretty much mean that dedicated preservationists took possession in the
FIRST STAGE of a STILL-STANDING but STRUCTURALLY SOUND property and then move to the
SECOND STAGE by seeing to it that falling-down ROTTING DETERIORATION did not happen. Or, if there was some deterioration, it was QUICKLY REPAIRED and then PRESERVED sao that it could NOT LEAD TO MASSIVE DETERIORATION.
And "preservation" used to mean keeping the structure in repair as what it was originally intended to be, not wishful thinking of changing it to something entirely else!
That is what PRESERVING is suppose to be all about. That is what PRESERVING actually is; not letting an important structure actully deteriorate!!!
But this is the tooo longg ignore NE where most old things are in the
THIRD STAGE: DEMOLISHABLE!! AS in getting rid of old things to make way for the new...
Someone here keeps referring to "old Buffalo", "new Buffalo". What we have now is the old and what is slowly approaching is the new, but the money that will replace what we now know as Buffalo is only just checking old Buffalo out.
Buffalo, NY is not in the same catagory as cities that already grew. Buffalo is 'landlocked' for a purpose, and the purpose is not us!
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MJWorthington
?
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