The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency is seeking a buyer for 667 Main Street in the Theater District. The complex fronts both Main and Washington streets. Hostel Buffalo-Niagara occupies the Main Street portion and the rear portion is only used for storage. Artvoice had eyed the Washington Street side as a new office in the past but never proceeded with its plans.
From the City’s Request for Proposals:
Possible end uses could include commercial, retail, residential and/or a mixed-use development. This package serves to introduce prospective developers to the development opportunities presented by the availability of 667 Main Street.
Designed by famed architect E.B. Green, 667 Main Street, hereinafter referred to as the “Property”, was constructed by the Glenny family as a mercantile and light manufacturing complex. It’s best known as the home of Norban’s Self-Service Department Store, which operated in the building from 1938 to 1988. Rainbow Shops utilized a portion of the retail space through 1990.
The portion of the building with a mailing address of 667 Main Street, fronts on Main Street and is a 12,000 sq.ft., three-story, masonry mixed use building with a first floor retail/commercial, including 2 storefronts, passenger elevator, stairwell, seven upper rooms and one apartment. The second floor has two large rooms and one large apartment. The third floor has a total of five rooms.
There is a full basement that is half finished and the other half unfinished being used for miscellaneous storage and mechanicals. The building was constructed circa-1900 and was last renovated in the 1990’s. This section of the Property is currently being leased by the Agency to the Niagara Frontier Council of Hostelling International USA.
The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency has a current lease, dated July 3, 2001, with the Niagara Frontier Council of American Youth Hostels, Inc. The term of the lease is five years with three renewal options of five years each. The Hostel is currently in the third renewal option period which will expire on July 1, 2021. The Hostel pays the Agency, as rent, 50 percent of the “net cash flow” of the Hostel facility.
The portion of the building with a mailing address of 664 Main Street, fronts on Washington Street and is a part three-story and part one-story brick and wood frame, former mixed-use warehouse and industrial building containing 6,960 sq.ft., constructed circa 1900. This portion of the Property has been vacant for several years.
Proposals are due March 15, 2017.