Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. is turning to the past to name its newest downtown project. The redeveloped Educational Opportunity Center building at 465 Washington Street will be named ‘The Sinclair’ after the building’s first occupant, Sinclair, Rooney & Co. Forty-five apartments plus ground floor commercial space are planned for the six-story building.
Constructed in 1909 for Sinclair, Rooney & Co., a local millinery, the building was established as the company’s headquarters and production center. Washington Street in Buffalo was bustling with the influx of light industrial activity at the turn of the century – specifically, hat manufacturers – and Sinclair, Rooney quickly became a leader in that industry. The icon in the logo represents a hat pin, which is a long pin, typically with an ornamental head, that holds a woman’s hat in position by securing it to her hair. The icon was actually used by Sinclair, Rooney in its print advertisements.
The 86,254 sq.ft. redevelopment is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2016 at a cost of approximately $10 million. Ciminelli purchased the building in 2014 for $2.3 million from an affiliate of the University at Buffalo Foundation.
The Sinclair will house 45 apartments as well as approximately 14,000 square feet of first floor and lower level commercial space. Floors two through six will house the market rate apartments, ranging from 600-1600 square feet. There will be five studio units, 30 one bedroom/one bath units, and 10 two bedroom/two bath units.
The units will have generous kitchens, closets, and high level finishes.
Chaintreuil | Jensen | Stark Architects (CJS) designed the project. Preservation Studios is working on obtaining historic preservation tax credits. Construction is currently underway.
Get Connected: Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation, 716.631.8000