It’s not often that we post about buildings that are “For Lease.” It takes a unique scenario to warrant a “push fo occupancy,” but if there was ever a building that fits the bill, it’s the historic George K. Birge House, Birge Mansion, or Circle House.
Back in 2006, David Steele wrote about the turbulent times of the Birge House, which, at one point, appeared to be heading for the wrecking ball.
Thankfully, today it’s a completely different story. The Birge Mansion now sits proud as ever on Symphony Circle. That said, CBRE Buffalo is looking for a new tenant, after a law firm recently vacated the first and second floors of the building.
I spoke to leasing agent Lida Eberz, who told me that there have been a number of inquiries, to lease and purchase the building, although the owner – Symphony Management – is not looking to sell at this time. Symphony Management occupies the third floor of the building – their offices overlook the second floor venue/office setting.
Lida and I talked about the potential of the 2700 square foot space, especially the second floor, which would make for a sensational social venue, partially due to the history of the building.
“[It’s] just one of countless Buffalo architectural treasures,” said Burchfield Penney Arts Center docent Marsha McGill. “The Birge Mansion holds additional importance to our cultural history. Namely as it relates to Buffalo’s visual arts history. In 1921 Charles Burchfield came to Buffalo to work as an assistant to the head designer. At the time, M.H.Birge & Sons Company was the premier artistic wallpaper company in the country with clients worldwide. Burchfield had a storied career at Birge until his departure in 1929 to devote himself full-time to his art. His patterns have stood the test of time and are still selling, both online and in brick and mortar venues. The museum store, at The Burchfield Penney Arts Center has several samples on display at all times. We have Mr. Birge to thank for bringing Charlie (our pet name for Burchfield) to Buffalo, thereby forever impacting our cultural heritage.”
When I first saw that the first and second floors of the mansion were available, I couldn’t help but think that there was an opportunity to utilize the space for something that would be available to the public.
Aside from the grand venue space, there are also remarkable corporate offices and conference rooms, which could be incorporated into a clever undertaking. Hopefully there are some creative thinkers out there who have been looking for a space of this nature, to capitalize on the architectural legacy, the history of the building, and its sensational setting, with a veranda overlooking the Olmsted roundabout and Kleinhans Music Hall.
Chances are that the building will once again be used for corporate offices. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to beat the bushes, to see if there’s some interesting public-oriented concept that has been in need of the perfect home.
Get connected: See CBRE Brochure