There’s a quiet transformation taking place at the Craven Dickinson Seed Company Building located at 567 Exchange Street, corner of Hamburg Street. The four-story, 60,000 square foot building is evolving into a vibrant artist and commercial hub in the Exchange Street corridor. This emerging area has also been tagged with a catchy new moniker: ‘The Larkin District,’ due to the number of buildings along Seneca and Exchange Streets which once housed catalog firm Larkin Co. operations.
The property is owned by Chris Jacobs’ 567 Exchange Street, LLC. One year ago it was relatively vacant except for a retail furniture store that sells a mix of new and antique furniture called the Stock Exchange and a few other tenants utilizing some space for storage. Original plans were to turn the building into an indoor furniture-antique ‘mall’ similar to Kelly’s Antique World & Marketplace in Clarence, but in the city.
When the furniture idea never gained traction, the developer started to advertise in the classifieds as studio/retail/artist space. Since then, they have leased an entire floor as studio space and added a wholesale florist on the first floor. From photographers and architects, to musicians and furniture makers, there has been a real need for very affordable, raw studio space, similar to the Tri-Main Center. Floors are wide open with exposed beams, original floors and windows on the north and south sides of the building. Renters may to do whatever they want to their space such as painting, refinishing the floor, or adding lighting. Tenants are free to make it ‘theirs.’ On-site parking for 150 cars is available.
Two blocks away, CityView Properties is not stopping with the completion of the 600,000 sq.ft. Larkin at Exchange building that is nearly fully leased.
The development firm is planning retail space at the northwest corner of Exchange and Smith Streets, a former moving company warehouse, where work will be underway shortly. Long-term, the company intends to create additional office and retail space in the area. They are also planning retail and residential development along Seneca and Swan Streets. Yes, you read correctly, residential! The goal according to the developer is to make the neighborhood “very cool, very hip, very happening and easily identified as The Larkin District.”
Get Connected: 567 Exchange: 856-0810. CityView Development: 856-8400
Photo Credit: CitySky Photography by Nate Farnsworth