Larkin Development Group, wrapping up renovations to the Schaefer Building at 740 Seneca Street, purchased a warehouse building one block away last Friday for $180,000. This building won’t be renovated however. Larkin will be demolishing the property to prepare it for future development. The developer has been purchasing properties surrounding its pioneering Larkin at Exchange property, around three dozen to date, and is planning new office, retail and residential projects in the budding neighborhood.
“We have exercised our option(closed yesterday afternoon) to purchase the former Good Door Store building and site at 797 Seneca Street, from the estate of Lloyd Hogan,” said Larkin Development Group principal Howard Zemsky. “That acquisition, along with previous acquisitions of several smaller parcels that are immediately contiguous to 797 Seneca, has resulted in us assembling ninety percent of the block that is bordered by Hydraulic, Carroll, Seneca and Griffin streets. The assembled land/building is immediately east of our [Larkin at Exchange] building and parking ramp.”
Larkin intends to demolish the non-descript building and remediate the three-acre site. The Buffalo Preservation Board has already signed-off on the planned demoliton. Empire Building Diagnostics and AFI Environmental Corp. are handling the demolition and remediation work that will start in a couple of weeks and be completed this fall.
“We are actively pursuing opportunities for development on the site, and are optimistic,” said Zemsky. “We intend the block to contain commercial, residential and retail. We will have more details in the future as plans are finalized. At a minimum, the demolition and remediation will remove a blighted property from the Larkin District and lay the foundation for significant further development.”
Get Connected: Larkin Development Group, 716.362.2677