Ellicott Development is apparently in line to acquire School #56 located at 722 W. Delavan Avenue. The Buffalo Common Council Community Development Committee is being asked to weigh in on the sale today when it meets at 1 PM.
The selection of Ellicott Development was news to another bidder (who asked to remain anonymous) for the property who found out about the selection “accidentally”. Once the developer learned that the Ellicott proposal was on the Community Development Committee agenda, an inquiry was made to City Hall to request that the proposal be made public. A response was made that inferred that the decision had already been made (or so it seemed/sounded).
It is unknown what uses Ellicott Development is proposing for the site, although it is thought that the property would also be used for parking for customers at another one of its developments (corner of Elmwood and Delavan). Also unknown is the number of proposals received for the site.
According to the RFP put out in early June:
Depending on the number of proposals received, the City may request more detailed information by selecting some proposals for further consideration in a short list of finalists and/or for presentation in the community.
The former school is a three-story structure, zoned R-2, with 55,480 square feet of space. Proposals were due July 18. The school is about three blocks east of Ellicott’s planned infill project at 905 Elmwood Avenue (see here).