The Midway building that once housed Manny’s Supper Club is now on the market. 471 Delaware Avenue is a phenomenal real estate opportunity for someone with creative vision. The sub-first floor still bears a resemblance to the former supper club that, legend has it, once catered to the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin. It’s a cozy dining area, with a horseshoe bar in front with limited seating, and an upper level seating area that is just as captivating. The kitchen in the back is still there too, as is the period tile flooring (building circa 1895). Of course the place has been sitting vacant for years, which means that a new owner would have to redo everything, but it is cool to see what the joint used to look like and imagine members of the Rat Pack sitting around drinking and smoking. Rumor has it that a photo exists somewhere, with the star-studded crew seated at the bar.
The upper floors were once a residence, and while there are some clues as to what it once looked like, it’s a bit of a vanilla box. That means that the opportunities are endless. There is a magnificent openness that calls for an owner who understands the capabilities of the space. All of the original winding staircases are intact and look great. There are other notable architectural elements found throughout, but at the same time there’s a lot missing. Walking upwards through the vaulting space allows the imagination to run wild.
If there were not a number of first rate hotel rooms coming on the market, I would say that this place would be a smashing boutique hotel, with a restaurant on the bottom floor. It would also make a sensational bed and breakfast, especially considering that there is a giant boarded up central leaded glass skylight that is just screaming to be restored. A series of rooms sprout out from the wooden staircase as if beans on a beanstalk – each one positioned to take in external and internal natural light sources. There are no central floors… simply offshoot rooms that can be accessed by the stairs. It’s a very unusual layout as it exists today (as opposed to when it was built in 1895 – original owner was Dr. Ernest Wende).
Boasting four storeys and 5872 square feet, the building is a bit of an enigma in the way that it has been partially dismantled yet somehow frozen in time. Incredibly, most of the four fireplaces are all intact, there are rooms with coffered ceilings, moldings, original wood floors… even the servant’s residence on the fourth floor has a spectacular banister that extends all the way to the roof. The short rise, long run stairs are also noteworthy.
The building was last purchased in 2008 by an attorney partnership. Unfortunately, the attorney amongst the group who had the vision to convert the space into something spectacular passed away. Since that time, the other partners have been using it mainly for storage. The property comes with the parking lot on the corner (once a Midway building that burned down). The lot extends to Virginia Place, where a garage is also part of the purchase price of $600K. Hopefully, a new visionary will see the benefit of building on the corner, instead of leaving the limited parking. Either that, or create a spectacular patio for the restaurant space – talk about a prime location.
There are not many opportunities to own a Brooklyn-style brownstone in Buffalo. There’s nothing like the Midway. What makes this particular building so fascinating is that the central portion of the four floors is wide open, without many limitations to consider. While this might be unfortunate in a historic context, what’s done is done, and that means that architectural opportunities abound.
The exterior of the building needs some work, but for the most park it looks to be in good shape. The moldings, terra cotta paneling, foliated pilasters, wood paneled door, the dentils and the balustraded balconet all remain. There’s enough here to take this Escher-esque interior and do something super dramatic, whether it’s a B&B, an awesome single residence, or an attention-getting office space.
Hopefully the right person comes along. It’s certainly the right time in Buffalo to do something over the top with this primo property.
Get connected: Jeff Moyer | jmoyer@gurneyrealestate.com | 716-818-9042 | $600K