Buffalo Development News

[ExWNY'er]

Originally Posted by Buffalomatt1027

Your "it takes money to make money" idea:

even though im not a fan of Pegula / His plan: I think a guy with his pockets / love for the city of Buffalo. Pegula is the guy we need / needed here. He can build his arena / hotel / what ever else its going to be and have no problems doing it!

Yes he will make additionial money off of people / his plan ..... but atleast his plan would be built, create jobs, and we wouldnt just have a parking lot in front of the arena.

I agree. I'd like to see what kind of impact he can have on Buffalo in the long term. I think this could just be the beginning of some very interesting projects.

[ECoastTransplant]

Originally Posted by JSmith

I heard a rumor that the NFTA has taken back the land that was to be Colvin Estates Phase 2 and that only two lots have been sold out so far. Sounds like that project is not working out as well as planned?

Not true- three are sold (contracts) and 9 more lots "held" with deposits taken while the builder meets with the potential buyer to make selections and cost out the house (or buyer gets current house sold). Two other lots contain models. 12 of 24 are sold/held.

The land is privately owned, so the NFTA could only "take back" thru eminent domain.

[ECoastTransplant]

I should have some details on another residential project soon- will be a new build along the waterfront.

[JSmith]

Originally Posted by ECoastTransplant

Not true- three are sold (contracts) and 9 more lots "held" with deposits taken while the builder meets with the potential buyer to make selections and cost out the house (or buyer gets current house sold). Two other lots contain models. 12 of 24 are sold/held.

The land is privately owned, so the NFTA could only "take back" thru eminent domain.

Yeah, it was a rumor from a somewhat unreliable source. The statement was that out of 24 lots, two model homes were built, one house under construction, and two lots sold. Sounds like that is not the case.

I thought possibly the land was purchased from the NFTA with an "option to sell it back if it doesn't work out".

[sin|ill]

Originally Posted by ECoastTransplant

I should have some details on another residential project soon- will be a new build along the waterfront.

great news! what section/area?!

[Fortunate4now]

Originally Posted by ECoastTransplant

I should have some details on another residential project soon- will be a new build along the waterfront.

pasquale at waterfront place II?

[rockin'.baltimorean]

webster block design (the more recent one) looks nice!!!!

[ECoastTransplant]

Originally Posted by JSmith

Yeah, it was a rumor from a somewhat unreliable source. The statement was that out of 24 lots, two model homes were built, one house under construction, and two lots sold. Sounds like that is not the case.

I thought possibly the land was purchased from the NFTA with an "option to sell it back if it doesn't work out".

I think only one other home besides the models is underway. Should be a flurry of homes in the fall though.

The new waterfront project is along the Buffalo River. Stay tuned.

[rockin'.baltimorean]

very ambitious design.......

[fubo]

Only in Buffalo would people prefer a soon to be empty Blockbuster than a modern coffee shop.Next will come the lawsuits as the City of Buffalo strives to maintain it's 60 year streak of uninterupted decline.



A proposal for a bakery/cafe to take over space now occupied by a movie rental business in the Elmwood Village came under fire Tuesday morning in a public hearing before the Buffalo Planning Board.

Panera Bread has submitted plans to convert the Blockbuster at 765 Elmwood Ave. But Planning Board action on the related applications was tabled until the September meeting, because an outdoor permit request sign hadn't been posted, as required.

That Blockbuster store is among three in the area still in business, operating under bankruptcy protection. Blockbuster hasn't announced plans to close or relocate the Elmwood store, even as its landlord, Benchmark Group, negotiates a lease with Panera.

Notices about the proposal and its potential negative impacts were distributed at the store, urging people to contact their Common Council representative and attend Tuesday's hearing.

"There is no change to the footprint of the building," Andrew Terragnoli, a civil engineer working on the proposal, said Tuesday. The main entrance would be off the parking lot, which would be repaved and striped. There also would be a series of telescoping glass doors along Elmwood Avenue to access a future sidewalk dining area.

Additional plans include painting the building's exterior, adding fabric awnings and gooseneck lights, and landscaping.

"While I am not in favor of national chains ... I don't deny their right to be on Elmwood Avenue," said Daniel Sack of Lancaster Avenue. "It is a sign of success of the Elmwood Village, I would say."

Sack said the darkly tinted glass doors depicted on the plans don't meet Elmwood Village design standards for transparent glazing. And he was critical about the lack of additional detail. "I would encourage them to come up with a much better design," Sack said.

A woman who said she was a longtime resident of Elmwood Village objected on other grounds.

"One of the main reasons is Panera is a huge, huge chain," she said. She said she also objects because Panera would displace Blockbuster.

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle978053.ece

[JSmith]

Sounds like most of the people just want the zoning code enforced on the renovated building. The door should face Elmwood (not the parking lot), the door and window glass should be clear, etc.

The anonymous woman who objects to a "huge, huge chain" displacing another huge, huge chain is pretty funny, though. (Although I actually do agree with her that it's a bit of a negative that yet another coffee and sandwich shop will replace a shop that provides an otherwise unavailable service on Elmwood Avenue. But that's not a reason to try to block the permit.)

[fubo]

Originally Posted by JSmith

(Although I actually do agree with her that it's a bit of a negative that yet another coffee and sandwich shop will replace a shop that provides an otherwise unavailable service on Elmwood Avenue. But that's not a reason to try to block the permit.)

Does anyone even rent DVD's anymore? Blockbuster is a Dinosaur and that store will be gone in less than a year Panera or not. They didn't file for bankruptcy because they are thriving.

[JSmith]

Originally Posted by fubo

Does anyone even rent DVD's anymore? Blockbuster is a Dinosaur and that store will be gone in less than a year Panera or not. They didn't file for bankruptcy because they are thriving.

Some people obviously do. Family Video opened a couple of years ago on Hertel and seem to be doing OK. But I agree with you that this is a fading business model. I'm just pointing that a video store being replaced by yet another restaurant represents a step down in terms of business diversity on Elmwood Avenue.

[fubo]

Construction has started on a $130 million redesign of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino that will replace the temporary blue metal building the gambling venue has operated out of since 2007.

Leaders of the Seneca Nation of Indians and executives from the Seneca Gaming Corp. gathered at the construction site this morning to ceremoniously kick off a 15-month project to build a one-story casino with 800 slot machines and 15 table games at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Perry Street.

The latest plan for the site has been scaled back significantly from the 22-story, $333 million casino hotel once imagined for the site, and crews spent the spring and early summer tearing down the steel beams from the scrapped project to make way for the new construction.

"This is not just any casino, and it is not the one that was originally envisioned for the site," Seneca President Robert Odawi Porter said. "This casino will have very close ties to its neighbors and will reflect a design that they had significant input into."

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle979037.ece

[u_u]

Originally Posted by fubo

Does anyone even rent DVD's anymore? Blockbuster is a Dinosaur and that store will be gone in less than a year Panera or not. They didn't file for bankruptcy because they are thriving.

Blockbuster retail, Blockbuster Online, Family Video, Netflix, Redbox... The video rental business is obviously not what it was in the past, but it is a service that people still seek. Blockbuster is one of the last practical businesses on the strip that isnt an overpriced restaurant, clothing, or knick nack shop.

[fubo]

Originally Posted by u_u

Blockbuster retail, Blockbuster Online, Family Video, Netflix, Redbox... The video rental business is obviously not what it was in the past, but it is a service that people still seek. Blockbuster is one of the last practical businesses on the strip that isnt an overpriced restaurant, clothing, or knick nack shop.

no doubt people still watch movies but they seldom rent them at brick and mortar shops. That ship has sailed

[desertpunk]

Originally Posted by fubo

Construction has started on a $130 million redesign of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino that will replace the temporary blue metal building the gambling venue has operated out of since 2007.

Leaders of the Seneca Nation of Indians and executives from the Seneca Gaming Corp. gathered at the construction site this morning to ceremoniously kick off a 15-month project to build a one-story casino with 800 slot machines and 15 table games at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Perry Street.

The latest plan for the site has been scaled back significantly from the 22-story, $333 million casino hotel once imagined for the site, and crews spent the spring and early summer tearing down the steel beams from the scrapped project to make way for the new construction.

"This is not just any casino, and it is not the one that was originally envisioned for the site," Seneca President Robert Odawi Porter said. "This casino will have very close ties to its neighbors and will reflect a design that they had significant input into."

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle979037.ece

[fubo]

A point would be nice.

[Buffalomatt1027]

Originally Posted by fubo

Construction has started on a $130 million redesign of the Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino that will replace the temporary blue metal building the gambling venue has operated out of since 2007.

Leaders of the Seneca Nation of Indians and executives from the Seneca Gaming Corp. gathered at the construction site this morning to ceremoniously kick off a 15-month project to build a one-story casino with 800 slot machines and 15 table games at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Perry Street.

The latest plan for the site has been scaled back significantly from the 22-story, $333 million casino hotel once imagined for the site, and crews spent the spring and early summer tearing down the steel beams from the scrapped project to make way for the new construction.

"This is not just any casino, and it is not the one that was originally envisioned for the site," Seneca President Robert Odawi Porter said. "This casino will have very close ties to its neighbors and will reflect a design that they had significant input into."

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle979037.ece

I like it! The plan still leaves room for a hotel / future improvements! It will be a good form of adult entertainment downtown!

[bayviews]

Originally Posted by fubo

Leaders of the Seneca Nation of Indians and executives from the Seneca Gaming Corp. gathered at the construction site this morning to ceremoniously kick off a 15-month project to build a one-story casino with 800 slot machines and 15 table games at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Perry Street.

The latest plan for the site has been scaled back significantly from the 22-story, $333 million casino hotel once imagined for the site, and crews spent the spring and early summer tearing down the steel beams from the scrapped project to make way for the new construction.

From 22 stories to One story?

Lets say from 22nd place to First place!

Can't beat the roll of the Dice!