While many of Buffalo’s warehouse buildings have found new life as residences, a potential buyer of a near-downtown property has a different use in mind: self-storage. The property at 459-467 Broadway is currently under contract for sale by Drescher Paper Box Inc. to 459 Broadway LLC. The potential buyer needs a variance to allow for self-storage uses on the building’s first floor. Two-hundred climate controlled self-storage units are planned.
From the project application:
The plan is to convert the structure to a climate controlled self-storage facility together with development of retail presence facing Broadway to include sales of moving and packing supplies, office supplies and mailbox services intended to serve both residential and commercial customers.
The changes will, in the applicants view, be highly desirable for the character of the neighborhood and will become a contributing factor to the continued revitalization of this stretch of Broadway, in particular due to the addition of a retail element to the property. The plan is to convert at least one of the exiting truck entrances facing Broadway to accessible retail entry with a large open window concept.
The ground floor section is made up of over 25,000 square feet of space currently being used for warehouse and inventory storage and for manufacturing.
The Zoning Board of Appeals will consider the project at its Wednesday meeting.