Upper Niagara Street is Hot

Upper Niagara Street has seen a number of new projects both large and small in the past few years.  They, along with streetscape upgrades now out to bid by the City, promise big improvements to the street.  The neighborhood is transforming from a predominantly industrial past to a mixed-use future and has attracted a few of the bigger names in local development circles including Ciminelli Real Estate and Ellicott Development.  Here’s a look at what is happening.

1. Monarch 716 – 100 Forest Avenue.  Near but not on Niagara Street, DHD Ventures built this 176-unit apartment complex geared to college students.  The project includes nine buildings and housing for 600 students.
2. The Crescendo – 1502 Niagara Street.  Angelo Natale teamed up with Bobby Corrao, Frank Parisi and Carl Savarino to redevelop the seven-story Bison Storage building into 41 rental units apartments and restaurant Roost.
3. 1485 Niagara Street.  The team behind the development of The Crescendo project is redeveloping the four-story former Aldrich & Ray Manufacturing Company building into apartments and commercial space.
4. 1469 Niagara Street.  This building was purchased by Bezel LLC in June 2016 after a previous owner started rehab work to turn it into seven apartments and commercial space.  The building remains vacant.
5. River Front Auto Sales – 1379 Niagara Street. Façade improvements to an existing business/building.
6. The Mentholatum – 1360 Niagara Street.  Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation’s $19 million project includes 49 apartments and a small amount of commercial space in the former home of Mentholatum Co. and Garrett Leather.
7. Vacant Land.  Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation has said that vacant land south of The Mentholatum could be developed at a future date.
8. Campus WheelWorks – 1330 Niagara Street.  Future second location for the popular Elmwood Avenue bike shop.
9. 1294-1300 Niagara Street.  Ellicott Development purchased these properties in October 2016.  The purchase included the two-story, 42,351 sq.ft. building that is home to Northwest Community Health Center plus parking lots on the east side of Niagara Street at 1295 Niagara and 140 Gelston Street.
10. 1287 Niagara Street.  Ellicott Development Purchased this four-story apartment building in July 2017.
11. 1250 Niagara Street.  Resurgence Brewing Company anchors this multiple tenant building owned by Bill Breeser.  Many credit Bill and Resurgence for putting this stretch of Niagara Street on the radar screen of developers.
12. 1225 Niagara Street.  This stunning renovation by Bill Breeser has 1,500 sq.ft of commercial space on the ground floor and three upper floor apartments.
13. Rich Products.  This global company has anchored Niagara Street for decades.  Its headquarters building opened in 1980 and the Rich Renaissance/Atrium building across the street opened in 1989.
14. 1095 Niagara Street.  Ellicott Development purchased this vacant .94-acre parcel in May 2017.  For the foreseeable future, it will be used for parking for its nearby properties.
15. 1088 Niagara Street.  This 11,000 sq.ft. new building was constructed by Ellicott Development and contains a Tim Hortons and additional retail space on the ground floor and three apartments on the second floor.
16. 1050 Niagara Street.  Ellicott Development is transforming the former Niagara Lithograph Company building into 45,000 sq.ft. of office space anchored by Kaleida Health’s Niagara Street Pediatrics along with eight apartments overlooking the Niagara River.
17. 990 Niagara Street.  Newest proposed project consisting of 95 apartments and 3,800 sq.ft. of commercial space.
18. 960 Busti Avenue.  The former Multiform Desiccants building was converted into commercial space and 20 luxury apartments with Peace Bridge and Buffalo River views by Ellicott Development.