Douglas Development Corporation has proposed more changes for the base of the Seneca One complex. Screen walls to help buffer winds coming off of Lake Erie, murals along Exchange Street and Washington Street, enclosure of staircases along Exchange Street, and a pedestrian bridge over Main Street south of the tower are proposed. The Planning Board will look at the newest proposed additions on Monday.
From the project application:
This Application addresses an amendment to the Phase 4 Site Plan to reflect on-going evolution of Developer’s plan for the Site, which includes construction of a Screen Wall, a revision to the exterior finish of the Southeastern Addition, and enclosure of the stairs to the south of the building (the” Amended Plans”). The Amended Plans will continue the improvements underway on the southeastern corner of the Plaza, establishing the impression of a neighborhood or campus instead of reading as one monolithic building. In addition to the metal panel, murals are proposed to add variety to the facade on the street level on Exchange Street and Washington Street. The Amended Plans will continue to promote pedestrian activity and promote greater overall integration of the Site.
The new facade design uses materials that are more human in scale, and will display a new face at street level for the Moreover, as shown on the amended plans, Developer also proposes a pedestrian footbridge to connect the new southwestern and southeastern plaza additions across Main Street. The proposed pedestrian bridge will have an industrial aesthetic, speaking to the industrial background of the city and echoing the style of the neighboring Canalside neighborhood. The bridge will allow for interior pedestrian access between the two new additions without requiring the user to cross Main Street. Developer will be working with NFTA on design and coordination with the subway which runs under the building.
M&T Bank will be occupying 330,000 square feet of space within the building – the company signed a long-term lease and expects to have 1,000 staffers in the complex next, and is estimating that within three years that number will jump to 1,500.
Douglas Development is aiming to complete the work by November 1.