For longer than most people can remember, the commercial facade of 436 Amherst Street has been boarded up, leaving everything to the imagination. But now, there is action! Out of the blue there is an incredible reveal that shows this long eclipsed gem in its intended glory.
Not only is the commercial storefront looking prideful, the refurbished brick walls and sharp new windows bookending the building are a sight for sore eyes.
The truth of the matter is that most people probably never even noticed the scale of the 5,186 square foot structure, as it has been obscured for so long.
That’s not the case any longer. Moving forward, this building will be an integral mixed use component, which will help to bolster the economic success story of Black Rock. Not to mention helping to tell the historic tales of Amherst Street, which is chock full of rehabs and preservation successes.
The building was the former home of Spolka Clothes. It was purchased in 2010 by Mark Kubiniec, owner of Joe’s Service Center and active member of the Grant/Amherst Business Association. The building is now owned by Jackal Holdings.
“CFR Contracting is the general contractor performing this spectacular work as designed by eco_Logic Architecture,” Kubiniec told me. “Brad Wales Architect designed the residential phase. Design of the work has been inspired by the memory of Dave McMahon, general contractor.”
The iron-spotted brick material on the Amherst Street building apparently came from leftover building materials that were initially used for the interior work of Assumption Church on Amherst Street. Now, new life is being infused into this Black Rock beauty, which is great to see after all of these years.
This “Black Rock Revival” is thanks to a Buffalo Main Street Initiative grant project by Neighborworks Community Partners and Grant Amherst Business Association.
Currently, the 1300 square foot storefront is for lease, listed by Colby Development.
You can read up on the building’s history, and past developments here.
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^Chronological facade images
