Savarino's Benlin Update
The project, happening in the Cobblestone district at the old Benlin Distribution Services warehouse, has seen a lot of attention from Buffalo Rising – with good reason.
The Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) plans to be in the fifth floor by May – though they have not officially announced it. Along with ESDC, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation will be housed on the fourth floor and possibly some of the third. In fact, the only spot with some office space still available is on the third floor – the rest is all spoken for.
To see such development taking place where once a derelict building stood is cause for excitement – especially since having such important corporations moving in is not the only thing the building will be used for. Included in its plans our nine residential apartments on the second floor, a restaurant space on the first, two retail locations on the first, and finally, a fitness center for the entire Cobblestone district also located on the first floor.
Though the restaurant has yet to be claimed by any company, Savarino says, “We’ve got a couple of parties who we’ve talked to” and that they’re “always ready and willing” to talk to others about opening there. Savarino envisions one of the retail spaces available as a small deli/coffee shop and as for the other space, who knows? A trendy store? Office supplies? A store that sells fitness supplies to match the fitness center?
Savarino is trying to keep the building interesting by working closely with the Silvestri architect firm who is working, among other things, on the shell of the building but have also helped with the floor plans for tenants. Savarino says they have been really great because they are “working on the fly with us” and deftly manage the hectic construction schedule.
Though right now, Savarino says, “We are putting in all the main lines for plumbing and electricity” the company is also putting on a new roof and taking out the old bricks and putting in new windows. If that wasn’t enough, there is also plans to put some kind of artwork on the roof, “maybe where the old water tank was,” says Savarino. Exciting news, especially the artwork, which Savarino assures will not be a sign.
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Comment Options
Novisiblemeansofsupport
Infomercial.
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Prodigal-Son
Just my two cents - a perfect fit for one of the restaurant locations would be a true Sabres sports bar, decorated with auctioned items from the Aud. The kind of place to hit before the game, or the must-be place to watch the game when the Sabres are on the road.
I wish I had the $$$/know-how/time to do it myself. We have lots of great bars in Buffalo, but this is an unfilled niche, in my opinion.
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JohnMartin
Great news! Government office rental is really helping revive the city! Our tax dollars staff the agencies, pay for tax credits to rehab the buildings, pay for the furniture, and maintain the rent and utilities. This self feeding system of economic revitalization via taxes is really working out in a big way.
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nonono
great idea cow Prod, any restaurateur will tell you playing to a narrow audience with an infrequent gaming schedule spells GOaLD to the food and booze trade! would they be open when the arena is dark, so the wait staff can continue making $2.30 and hour?
i've always thought the city should back a land fill theme restaurant near the city barns...menus printed on discarded user fee notices, man hole cover tables, blue garbage tote pastry carts, ergonomic seating furnished by joel giambra, shooters served out of the confiscated crack vials they sell at the police auction.....
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Novisiblemeansofsupport
The Buffalo Theme Restaurant. I'm lovin' it.
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jstraubinger
What's the occupany rate at the building on Mississippi St, home to Savarino's offices, Think Financial and BRO?
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ChristaSeychew
Don't forget that we already have WJ Morrissey's and Cobblestone on Mississippi. WJ Morrissey's is a Buffalo take on the traditional Irish pub and Cobblestone is only open for hockey games and other HSBC events. It might be a good idea--to keep things well-rounded-- to have a restaurant that is more food and less bar.
And, as far as I know, the building we occupy is full.
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Brenwils25
Wow, nonono is on a rampage today. Detroit has exactly what Prodigal-Son is talking about, Hockeytown Cafe. It is open all year round, and is loaded with Red Wings memorabilia. Great place to go before and after the game. Yes, Detroit has the baseball crowd in the summer to feed it, but the place was a success well before the Tigers were a draw. And need a reminder be put out there, that this is downtown Detroit we are talking about....not exactly a 24 hour city either.
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Emjay
Someone above mentioned a sabres bar. To take it one step further, someone should open a decent sports bar/restaurant. When the Patriots were pushing towards perfection, they played a couple of nights at the same time as a Sabres game. I never realized this until then, but there are virtually no places in the city that have more than two tv's to handle a sports night. I was relegated to Buffalo Wild Wing's (chain) or worse yet, Tully's in Tonawanda (gross chain).
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BuffaloNY
Great idea on the sports bar. i've been saying for years that a sports bar directly across from the arena would be a huge draw. 41+ nights a year it would be packed. there are only two bars good bars within walking distance of the arena. (Pearl St. and W.J Morrisey's) The problem with both those bars on game nights is it takes 15 min to get a beer. a buffalo themed sports bar would be a huge hit. and as the neighborhood grows, it would become a year round draw.
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RonR
Yes it is an infomercial but we all read it so there is a market for it.
In terms of a themed bar, they work year round. San Diego has Seau's a football themed sports bar for a player that plays for New England. Still packed every weekend.
Maybe a Dave and Busters....that would suit the potential family business that spends their summer vacation to come look at a historic ditch. LOL
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MJWorthington
Loving the new windows. This will look great like the Larkin building does, when completed. Itsnice to see the last remaining "intact" block coming together and being perserved.
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chris_h_23
It's nice to see there is some constructive ideas from the people on this side amongst the numerous negative nay-sayers. I think that a family/Sabres oriented sports bar and restaurant would be a good idea as well. I frequent WJ Morrisseys and the keep a pretty good business there even when there is no hockey games and I am sure that it would help the area.
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gaustad
I think a Sabres bar would be a great idea for the area, becuase people around here don't really like to do much else besides eat, drink, and watch the Sabres.
Unfortunately, the Sabres look like they are going to have some losing years ahead of them. The people in this city will jump off the band wagon and not spend money as long as the team is not competitivie.
Therefore, may not be a good time for a sports bar down there.
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Jay
I would love a big screen, beer drinking, hockey pucks and footballs on the wall sports bar downtown. Sorta like a Tully's minus the cheesy chain feel and actually downtown. Is this really too much to ask? Isn't Buffalo a sports town? Is Mark Croce listening?
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SLEEPL8
This building will be for sale in March.
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
BILLS ZUBAS ARE IN STYLE!!! ASK BILLS AND SABRES FANS
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jhill
Gaustad: The way that the team is playing, do you think its still a good idea to continue producing "Tin Foil Stanley Cups" ?
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sbrof
One more piece of the puzzle coming together. The shear amount of people that walk by this building for sabres games is enough of a reason to be happy that it is coming back to life. The impression that this building is going to put off to those many thousands of people who come down for the Sabres Game is huge. Many of whom never come into the city besides for events like this. Changing the image of the city is one of the biggest hurdles we have. We need to remove crime and blight, and the best way to do both is to bring people and life into these old buildings.
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jhill
sbrof: Agreed, Does anyone know what is going on with the buildings adjacent to the parking garage? If my memory serves me right, they had a name like "rabbit town" or something like that.
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wizardofza
1. How many office spaces in our real downtown are being vacated to prop up this project? I'd consider this a win if the new tenants were private entities moving from the suburbs or from outside the region. But I'm afraid that's anything but the case here. Musical chairs anyone??
2. About the proposed sports bar....you guys really think 41 Sabres game nights + a few other events down there will be enough to sustain any regular business? What happens during the summer months? Won't this new bar (if it even happens) just be competing with Morrisey's and the other older bars in the immediate area? Take away the captive audience of scheduled sporting events and this so-called "Cobblestone District" has little appeal all on its own as a unique place to draw people in without having to reply upon aforementioned scheduled events.
Expansion without growth is never a good thing. I have to mirror the "infomercial" sentiment from above.
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
ALL PRODUCTION OF TIN FOIL STANLEY CUPS HAS BEEN CEASED. The sabres need to win before production begins agian...50 workers laid off, Unions cry foul
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Bizzles
please paint the building this time Savarino...
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AtwaterLouse
wizardofza, yes, musical chairs for public bureaucrat offices. Sounds similar to publicly subsidized new houses the city is building, and new apts in ArtSpace. 'Expansion without growth' - that's a perfect description. What's that in latin? Could be a good motto.
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
Wizard and Atwater, so true so true, not a single new company moving from anywhere outside the city into these offices, just a well connected developer who gets the public teet agencies to move in with our tax dollars... and you know theyll get nice new shiny furniture to match their "Loft" office
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RisingDamp666
Are there more state agencies that can liven up this hip little district? A public utilities regulatory agency would be just the perfect touch! We're talkin' GLOBAL BUZZ!
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chris69
ok....but the next question is what is happening with the Fairmont Creme (Richs Creme) Warehouse....
and the bigger question is when are we going to get the announcement for a new 5 story building in the cobblestone district!
lastly, is there every going to be any attention on the ADM and the Great Northern! Would love to see the steel bins replaced with steel columns and the interior used as say a waterfront armory....its big enough for sail boats to be displayed mast and all.
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DCblover
Man, a no-brainer. Put a Lucky Strike bowling lanes there. This town loves to bowl, the place would kill there.
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BROKEEPSBLOCKINGME
Put a glass case with a pair of Black Reeboks, Stonewashed Jeans, a nice 97 Rock T shirt from 83, a Betamax copy of Smokey and The Bandit, a Phil Housley jersey, Joe Ferguson Helmet, and then everyone will see that theyre looking in a mirror and not a glass case... that would kill down there!!
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BetterThanDetroit
Dave Pawlik (formerly of city hall, now he runs Savarino) will find a way to shovel our tax dollars into Sam Savarino's pockets through this vehicle while the new chart topping band "Byron and the Corrupters" receive $2500 checks from Pawlik's cousin, aunt, neighbor, accountant, massage therapist, sister-in-law, high school buddy (who drives a city truck), primary physician, counselor, therapist and 648 other closely-related associates...
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gaustad
JHill - I think Tin Foil stanley cups will be a thing of the past here in Buffalo.
Colin, likes to put on his chicken wing hat and and carry around his Tin Foin Stanley cup.
I think this building is going to be a fine addition to the cobble stone district. I look forward to seeing Byron Brown and his posse at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
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BuffaloSoldier
Great...all government tenants. What progress. -Sarcasm-
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MikeJ
This building would have made amazing condos...but I digress...This development is really inspiring!
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yesyesyesyes
Great idea DC. A Lucky Strike would be an excellent fit and would do very well. It's the right mix of bar, food, and sports that you can either watch or play. They do very well in other cities and, in some, locations that are similar to Cobblestone.
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