Buffalo Development News

[Numminen27]

The Donovan building already looks better!! It's nice to see work being done again at Canalside. Now, just waiting for construction on the canals to start.

[homestar]

Eight projects in Erie County get $2 million for Greenway
Bird Island Pier awarded $750,000 for rebuilding

April 26, 2012, 12:00 AM

The Buffalo and Erie County Greenway Fund Standing Committee on Wednesday awarded more than $2 million to eight projects designed to enhance the Niagara River Greenway in Erie County.

The committee awarded $750,000 to the Bird Island Pier Reconstruction Project, which aims to reopen the recreational walkway that extends south from the platform below the Peace Bridge to a platform at the mouth of the Niagara River. That portion of the pier has been closed to the public since August 2010 because of the loss of structural support for sections of the concrete walkway.

The City of Tonawanda will receive $250,000 for the stabilization of the city’s shoreline along the Niawanda Park River Walk Trail that runs parallel to the Niagara River along Niagara Street.

The committee awarded $220,350 to the Olmsted Parks Conservancy for continued improvements to Riverside Park and $435,000 to the conservancy for upgrades to Front Park. Both parks are in Buffalo.

The committee awarded $15,000 for improvements along the Seaway Trail on the shores of Lake Erie and the Niagara River.

The Valley Community Association will receive $104,000 for improvements planned at Riverfest Park in Buffalo, while the Town of Grand Island will get $164,000 for updates at Scenic Woods Park.

...

full - http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle828677.ece

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by fubo

Who knows, without the stadium the population might have increased by even more.

Quite possibly

[bayviews]

An update of planned development in the Fruit Belt:

Fruit Belt townhouse plan gains ground; Council OKs transfer of city-owned parcels in plan for low- and moderate-income units

Aaron Besecker. Buffalo News. Buffalo, N.Y.: Apr 11, 2012. pg. B.1
Copyright Buffalo News Apr 11, 2012

A proposal to build 49 townhouse units in the city's Fruit Belt neighborhood received a significant boost Tuesday as the Common Council approved transfer of 50 city-owned parcels for the project.

St. John Community Development Corp., an arm of St. John Baptist Church on Goodell Street, wants to construct 17 buildings of two, three and four units that would be rented to low- and moderate-income individuals and families.

Pastor Michael Chapman said the units, to be constructed in the neighborhood adjoining the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, will be open to anyone in the community.

"You can't have a world-class medical campus without a world-class community," Chapman told members of the Council's Community Development Committee, "and so this is our effort to build up the community, as the Medical Campus develops also."

Lawmakers, who voted 8-0 Tuesday to approve the transfer, will still have to approve a final price for the land at a later date.

The fair-market value of the 50 parcels -- on Maple, Carlton, Mulberry, Locust, Lemon, Rose, Peach and Grape streets -- is $80,500, according to a memo to the Council from Brendan R. Mehaffy, executive director of the Office of Strategic Planning.

The project, which Chapman said will create 150 jobs, is receiving about $11 million in tax breaks through the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

Construction could begin as soon as August and be completed in 12 to 18 months, said Chapman, whose church has previously built 28 townhouse units, a charter school and a hospice facility.

The project is being supported by Mayor Byron W. Brown and the Office of Strategic Planning. Potential tenants, who are subject to screening, will have to contact Rental Assistance Corp. of Buffalo or Belmont Housing Services of Western New York. Most of the buildings will be constructed on sites where several lots are combined.

Sixty percent of the workforce building the federally subsidized housing will be African-American males, Chapman said.

About 70 people attended Tuesday's committee meeting in City Hall; three residents of the neighborhood spoke against the project.

Harvil Hill of Mulberry Street said he was concerned about an increase in the number of tenant-occupied homes on his street. He said more owner-occupied housing is needed.

Denise L. Wiggins, of Maple Street, who said she has lived in the Fruit Belt her whole life, asked who would be responsible for upkeep of the properties -- tenants or the church?

Chapman said the church pays a management company more than $100,000 a year to care for its properties.

Amid the airing of concerns from the three neighbors, Chapman offered some of them a spot on a committee that screens potential tenants.

Ellicott Council Member Darius G. Pridgen said his office would send out fliers in the neighborhood soliciting a volunteer representative from each street.

Lawmakers held the special session Tuesday in order to act on the transfer. The action could not wait until next Tuesday's scheduled meeting because St. John Community Development Corp. had to meet a deadline for a funding application, city officials said.

Last October, the church unveiled plans to build a $1.5-million, two-story market at High and Mulberry streets.

In other Council matters Tuesday, Pat Freeman, sports director at WUFO 1080-AM radio, gave a presentation calling for the construction of a domed football stadium in downtown Buffalo, rather than making renovations to the current Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park.

Freeman was invited to the session by Majority Leader Demone A. Smith.

[JSmith]

A detailed article about the reverse musical chairs (extra chairs left over!) that WNY developers keep perpetuating:

"Building vacancies create a form of blight"
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article833082.ece

[fubo]

Originally Posted by JSmith

A detailed article about the reverse musical chairs (extra chairs left over!) that WNY developers keep perpetuating:

"Building vacancies create a form of blight"
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article833082.ece

Sounds like a miniature version of what is happening in Buffalo with the Medical Campus. Musical chairs leaving huge behemoths behind in fragile neighborhoods. Deaconnes, Millard Fillmore and next Children's.

[Urbanica]

Originally Posted by fubo

Sounds like a miniature version of what is happening in Buffalo with the Medical Campus. Musical chairs leaving huge behemoths behind in fragile neighborhoods. Deaconnes, Millard Fillmore and next Children's.

Would you really consider Gates Circle and Allentown/Elmwood "fragile" areas?

[fubo]

Originally Posted by Urbanica

Would you really consider Gates Circle and Allentown/Elmwood "fragile" areas?

Yes, Gates is only a couple of blocks from a fairly rough area of Main Street. A friend of mine was mugged not too long ago only a block from the Record Theatre on East Delevan. That deserted stretch of Main is only about 4-5 blocks from Gates.

Children's is around the corner from plenty of section 8 apartments hardly a sign of a upper crust neighborhood.

So yes, compared to places such as Clarence and Lancaster the area around those three facilities are indeed fragile and could go either way, especially with large vacant structures in their midst.

Fragile is fragile I am not saying that they are ghetto like the east side but they are indeed fragile.

[bayviews]

Originally Posted by fubo

Fragile is fragile I am not saying that they are ghetto like the east side but they are indeed fragile.

Fragile? Can’t be all that bad. Ghetto’s tough!

My biggest complaint with that part of Main: There’s been way too much torn down there.

There’s way too much suburban-style drive-thru, parking & vacant stuff around the Cold Springs part of Main. Even with the subway

Vacant apartments? Don’t tear them down. Fix them up & fill them up.

Transit-Oriented Development. That's my vision for the Medical Corrider!

[fubo]

Originally Posted by bayviews

Fragile? Can’t be all that bad. !

To me fragile means a neighborhood that is ok for now, holding it's own, but certainly a neghborhood that can not handle much in the way of stress or it could very well tip into serious decline. Large vacant decaying hospital buildings that were formerly filled with employees and visitors could indeed provide that tipping point. Hopefully all three will quickly find reuses that will help to stabilize those affected neighborhoods. If not, what good does propping up the medical corridor do if it only causes decline elsewhere. Buffalo needs more than zero sum games at this point in its history.

[fubo]

Talk with HSBC CEO leaves Schumer optimistic on 3,000 downtown workers
Strong presence seen continuing after sale

http://www.buffalonews.com/business/...icle837470.ece

[fubo]

Looks Like Work Has Started On The Aud Site In Canalside.

http://www.earthcam.com/client/erie/

[ExWNY'er]

Has anyone responded to the Webster block RFP yet? I know there were several interested parties.

[fubo]

They are due back to the City on May 25th. I would think most would wait until the last day or two before submitting. Wonder if HSBC will bid or be a part of a bid - my guess is yes.

[ExWNY'er]

I heard a rumor that someone wanted to put up a 20 story mixed use building on the Webster block. That would be great.

[Fortunate4now]

Originally Posted by ExWNY'er

I heard a rumor that someone wanted to put up a 20 story mixed use building on the Webster block. That would be great.

indeed. I would love to see another couple Avants.

[ExWNY'er]

Is a great model and was successful. I think they could replicate it at .

[fubo]

Originally Posted by ExWNY'er

I heard a rumor that someone wanted to put up a 20 story mixed use building on the Webster block. That would be great.

I don't think they have an actual submission yet, but I did hear the Mayor in an interview say they were expecting proposals to be in the $50 million range for the Webster Block.

[homestar]

Buffalo Cakery set for ex-Sweet Tooth spot at Allen and Elmwood

The Buffalo Cakery will offer custom cakes, Lake Effect ice cream and more from the former Sweet Tooth spot at 94 Elmwood Ave., said owner Justina Adams.

The shop doesn't have all its city licences yet, but she hopes to open by June 5, she said. Adams, from Angola, formerly ran the ice cream stand at Tubby's, she said. Then she moved to North Carolina, where she ran a successful custom cake business from her home for three years. She returned with husband Brian looking for a place to set up shop.

The place will have a variety of specialty cakes and other baked goods and desserts by the slice. There will be coffee. Plus Buffalo Cakery will be scooping up Lake Effect, the pride of Lockport, as its house ice cream, the first store to do so..

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/hungryf...-elmwood-.html

[fubo]

BUFFALO, NY - HSBC Bank, USA has agreed to have PHH Mortgage Corporation manage HSBC's retail mortgage processing and servicing operations.

HSBC sent out a press release Monday morning with the announcement.

There are approximately 1,000 HSBC employees at the Depew facility. 680 service the mortgage business. Of those 680, 200 will be laid off, 400 will have the option to transfer to PHH Mortgage.

Of the 200 employees laid off today will have the option of applying to 104 job openings within PHH company. They will be considered first.

The agreement does not include those customers who are part of the First Niagara branch sale. All mortgage loans held by branches involved in the transaction will transfer to First Niagara, which has its own mortgage processing and servicing arrangements.

PHH Mortgage will provide HSBC with mortgage originations processing services as well as sub-servicing of the bank's prime mortgage loan portfolio and serviced for others portfolio.


HSBC says the agreement will allow HSBC to continue to offer mortgages through its branch network, and its in-house loan officer sales force will maintain its focus on originating mortgages for HSBC customers, including Premier clients. They say the servicing of existing customers will not be affected, and PHH Mortgage and HSBC are working closely together to ensure seamless service throughout the transition.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the HSBC mortgage team for the significant contribution they have made over the years," said Irene Dorner, President and CEO, HSBC USA. "This agreement is a continuation of HSBC's strategy to reposition our U.S. business and ensures we manage our mortgage activities most efficiently. We look forward to this new relationship with PHH Mortgage and the outstanding support they will provide."

The transfer of these operations to PHH Mortgage is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2013.




HSBC Bank has agreed to transfer its retail mortgage servicing and processing operations to PHH Mortgage Corp. in a deal that will have an impact on the bank's Depew mortgage processing center.

About 400 workers from HSBC's retail mortgage servicing business will have the chance to transfer to PHH, which said today it plans to maintain operations in the area.Under the deal, PHH will handle HSBC's mortgage originations processing services. It also will service HSBC's prime mortgage loan portfolio and loans that it services for other lenders.

PHH, which is based in Mt. Laurel, N.J., isn't paying HSBC to acquire the mortgage servicing operations, nor will any assets be transfered to PHH. Instead, HSBC will pay fees to PHH for servicing the loans. At the end of March, HSBC had $15.5 billion in prime mortgage loans in its own portfolio and serviced $36.6 billion in loans for other lenders.

The agreement takes effect immediately, and the conversion of the HSBC servicing operations is expected to be completed by March 2013, PHH said.