Author: Tim Scanlon

Spring is only a few months away, which means green-thumbed Buffalonians will soon be itching to get back into the garden. We hear that shopping locally for garden items alleviates cabin fever, so here’s some planter inspiration to fill the winter void. 1. Terra cotta rim planter. $20 from EQ3 – Burlington ON 2. Perpetual face vase. $115 from Mimo decor – 1251 Hertel Ave 3. Macrame DIY. $30 from Hyatt’s.* – 1941 Elmwood Ave 4. Head vase. Urban Roots – 428 Rhode Island St 5. Artisan crafted ceramic. $70 from RO* – 732 Elmwood Ave 6. Blue-toned Ceramic. $8…

Is there a market for new townhomes in the city? Yes, for at least five of them. Skyline Centro’s townhouse project is sold out, weeks from completion. The five units are being built on a former parking lot located at 197 W. Utica Street, across from the former Children’s Hospital campus that will be redeveloped for a mix of uses. The three-story townhouses are each approximately 2,000 sq.ft. and feature a two-car garage and rooftop terrace. Prices started in the low $400’s. Each has three bedrooms, one the first floor, two on the third floor with an optional four-bedroom layout…

The bar for modern residential in the Elmwood Village has risen a bit as Ellicott Development’s newest project – 905 Elmwood – has begun welcoming its first tenants. The prime Elmwood location, formerly the site of a corner gas station, is just about complete in its transformation into a four story, 44,000 sq. ft. mixed-use complex. The development has both a sizeable restaurant and retail space and is topped by 21 high-end apartments. Residential units are between one and three bedrooms and come in twelve different layouts ranging in size from 1,000 to 1,600 sq. ft.. Floor to ceiling windows…

The site of the future Lofts at University Heights has been active as of late as construction crews begin to transform the former Buffalo Public School 63/Campus North into a 44-unit mixed-income apartment complex. Official groundbreaking will take place on Monday, November 21, 2016 at 1pm. The 73,000-square-foot property at 120 Minnesota Avenue is prominently integrated into the center of the neighborhood, with large frontages on Minnesota, Lisbon, and Cordova Avenues. It is within walking distance to UB South Campus and a short walk to Main Street businesses and the Lasalle metro station. The building has been vacant since the…

The slab foundation is in for a North Buffalo apartment complex. “Bell Tower Lofts” at the corner of Colvin and Tacoma avenues will feature 26 apartments when it is completed next year. The new building with two wings will surround the remaining steeple of the North Park Baptist Church that was demolished in 2013. The demolition contractor, Sam DeFranks, purchased the property and is developing the residential project. Plans call for 15 one-bedroom apartments with 820 to 921 sq.ft. of living space and 10 two-bedroom units ranging from 852 to 1,143 sq.ft. There will also be a two-story, three-bedroom unit…

Chason Affinity’s proposed redevelopment of 1095-1121 Elmwood Avenue is coming more into focus with additional project renderings. The proposal includes a five-story building with upper-floor setbacks, balconies, and patios.  It will contain 57 condominiums, enclosed parking on two levels, and three 2,500 sq. ft. retail spaces at the Elmwood/Forest corner. The complex is broken into two distinct sections along Elmwood – the northern portion containing first floor retail with the southern portion all residential – bridged with a recessed glass section. Based on neighbor feedback, project architect Carmina Wood Morris will be making design changes to the section of the building that fronts the corner of Elmwood and Forest…

A residential project in the heart of Hertel Avenue is proceeding. Iskalo Development is heading the conversion of the former St. Margaret’s School at 1391 Hertel Avenue into 23 upscale 1 and 2 bedroom apartments spread over three floors. Fronting the building will be 2,000 square feet of first floor commercial space. The current street set-back will become either a patio or plaza space, depending on tenant. Work on the interior of the building commenced several months ago and construction will be ramping up shortly with completion targeted for the spring of 2017. Iskalo will be giving the building a…

Lower Main Street’s newest residents have begun moving into The Glenny located at 251 Main Street near Swan Street. Paul Kolkmeyer’s Priam Enterprises converted the former Stanton Building into a mix of 36 apartments and two-story loft units and ground floor commercial space that will be occupied by e-cafe. The ornate circa-1873 building is the only five-story building in Buffalo with a cast iron façade. While the original plan was to construct all one bedroom units, the logistics of the building’s floor plates were more conducive to the current mix of one and two bedroom plans. The model unit – a…

An impressive apartment on the second floor of The Sinclair opened for viewing in early February, giving a peek at what it will be like to live in the former Educational Opportunity Center at 465 Washington Street. The 1,609 sq. ft. 2 bed, 2 bath unit features a large entry hall, spacious master suite, high-end finishes, and a light-filled corner great room. In all, the development by Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation will house 45 apartments on floors two through six, ranging from $850/month for a 590 sq. ft. studio, to $2,250/month for the 1609 sq. ft. 2 bed, 2 bath…

After a few façade modifications, Canterbury Woods at Gates Circle was approved by the Buffalo Planning Board on Monday night. Responding to vocal concerns from neighbors that the design did not fit into the context of the historic landscape, developer Episcopal Church Home & Affiliates changed the flat metal panel cladding on the top three floors of the façade to a grey terra cotta tile finish. The changes, which also included additional brick and an altered window pattern, added about $250,000 to the cost of the 58-unit, $41,000,000 development. Previous design Current design Also approved Monday was TM Montante Development’s…