Buffalo Development News

[Jimi C]

Originally Posted by AndrewJM3D

Bass pro is a text book example of a big box suburban store. This won't encourage any small retail to set up near it, only other big box stores. How long until the Golden Arches follow and set up shop there after B P?

Clearly the words of somebody who has not tried the new angus burger.

[GTS]

There was an article in today's Toronto Star (star.com) about Pittsburgh's revitalization since a lot of their former steel mill jobs have gone. It is called a sort of regional green revolution and has had success in bringing this city back to life without killing the environment.

The reason that I am on this Buffalo thread is that I like Buffalo and hope they have their own success- such as Pittsburgh is enjoying. Buffalo has so much potential- some of the plans for the waterfront I have seen will really add a lot to your city.

I will harp on this again- I think more investment in your public transit system will attract more business' to set up shop in Buffalo as well as not killing the environment as much as the private automobile. A good public transit system also helps real estate increase in value which means more taxes for your municipality. I think Buffalo too is on the brink of great changes.

[ECoastTransplant]

Bass Pro story in yesterday's Sacramento Bee:

http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2193379.html

The 120,000-square-foot Manteca store draws as many as 7,000 visitors on a Saturday or Sunday and several thousand on weekdays.

You can walk out with a $2 piece of fudge or a $60,000 bass boat. Your choice.

In less than 40 years, the Springfield, Mo.-based company has transformed a fishing-tackle cubbyhole tucked inside a liquor store into a shopping experience akin to Disneyland for the outward bound.

[JSmith]

So when will the Bass Pro contract be announced? I heard they would be starting foundation work soon; any updates on that?

What's happening with the Donovan building? Last I heard it was going to be reskinned and built out to the sidewalk - is that still the plan?

Any news on 50 Court Street, now that Paladino's extension deadline has passed?

Work has begun on the Global Vascular Institute on the medical campus, and on UB's new pharmacy school building on south campus.

Canisius High School is just wrapping up their two additions. The new academic wing still looks a little goofy to me (trying to ape the style of the historic building), but it does look better than I expected with the "fake stone" textured panels applied.

City Honors school is moving along with their new gym and pool building. A few blocks away the Wiley sports complex on the site of the old War Memorial Stadium is finally getting its renovations underway.

[steel]

Originally Posted by ECoastTransplant

Bass Pro story in yesterday's Sacramento Bee:

http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/2193379.html

The 120,000-square-foot Manteca store draws as many as 7,000 visitors on a Saturday or Sunday and several thousand on weekdays.

You can walk out with a $2 piece of fudge or a $60,000 bass boat. Your choice.

In less than 40 years, the Springfield, Mo.-based company has transformed a fishing-tackle cubbyhole tucked inside a liquor store into a shopping experience akin to Disneyland for the outward bound.

multiply that 7000 figure by 10 and you have yourself a Fox News event.

[GTS]

I was listening to NPR Radio WNED this afternoon and they mentioned they have landed the funding for the bridge that is going to replace the Peace Bridge. I am not too familiar with Buffalo, but know it a bit, and the news report said that the alignment will be somewhere around Main St. I only caught the tail end of the news report but it did mention that the funding is coming from the Federal Stimulus Dollars and some of the funds should start to arrive by February.

I think this is great but I wish the LRT would get some funding in Buffalo as well.

[JSmith]

GTS, I think what you heard was about a new bridge to connect to the Outer Harbor. In theory it might be the first step to removing the Skyway (not the Peace Bridge).

I think the biggest obstacle to LRT expansion is that the NFTA just doesn't seem interested in putting together a proposal or request for funding. Ridership is already really high and growing; I'm sure expanding it to UB North or to the airport would be very successful.

[homestar]

those of you who are more knowledgeable of bridge engineering.... do you think it would be possible or realistic for a lift bridge at the foot of main street to somehow also incorporate a metro rail extension to the outer harbor?

It sounds unlikely, but just curious since the metro is right there...

[GTS]

Thanks JSmith, I only caught the tail end of the news about the Stimulus funding for Buffalo-I wasn't sure of the details.

[NYC007]

Originally Posted by GTS

I was listening to NPR Radio WNED this afternoon and they mentioned they have landed the funding for the bridge that is going to replace the Peace Bridge.

I think this is what you heard about...

Stimulus funds sought for harbor lift bridge
By Mark Sommer
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregio...ry/802325.html
September 21, 2009, 6:58 AM

Local political leaders are applying for $90 million in federal economic-stimulus funds to build a lift bridge connecting downtown to the waterfront.

The bridge over the Buffalo River would be what Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, calls the next step in the “seamless progression” of revitalizing the waterfront and presenting the transportation alternative needed to eventually tear down the Skyway.

If the funding is approved, work on the bridge — one of two or three that Higgins believes will ultimately be needed — would begin months after the November 2010 completion of the 3.3-mile project converting Fuhrmann Boulevard into an Olmsted-like parkway with easy access to the waterfront.

“The parkway and this bridge will fundamentally change the Buffalo waterfront environment, from inaccessible land to land that is highly accessible with aesthetically pleasing routes,” Higgins said.

“It’s part of a strategic vision and plan to show that as we’re building the parkway today, we’re planning for the next step so we see a seamless progression toward a comprehensive change of the Buffalo waterfront environment.”

The application, with the support of Mayor Byron W. Brown and Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp., was made to the U. S. Department of Transportation.

Higgins said that the bridge would have to be under contract by 2011 to qualify for the funds but that the timetable is achievable.

The congressman said his preference is for the bridge to be at Main Street or Erie Street, two of the possible sites under review by the harbor development agency.

Higgins also praised the progress of Erie Canal Harbor, where he attended a concert by the group Great Big Sea earlier this month, and pointed to the planned unearthing of four historic cobblestone streets within the next year as another sign of the good things to come.

msommer@buffnews.com

[steel]

Because Olmsted always hoped his parkways would be built in tandem with a raised super highway!

[ECoastTransplant]

Official start of the conversion of the Curtiss Bldg. at Franklin/Huron starts Tuesday afternoon.

[homestar]

awesome.. All those first floor windows are really going to change that corner!
What is the estimated completion date?

Are they adding a new partial floor to the roof?

[ECoastTransplant]

Originally Posted by homestar

awesome.. All those first floor windows are really going to change that corner!
What is the estimated completion date?

Are they adding a new partial floor to the roof?

Not sure about the completion date- I'm guessing middle of next year. The addition on the right is being built on the site of the Continental- there will be a drop-off area on the ground floor and banquet facilities on top. It will be engineered to support additional floors to double the size of the hotel in the future. Looks like a new floor on top- I also heard rumors of a potential helipad.

Mark has some great ideas for the property- it is going to be amazing.

[homestar]

The Cloister changes hands - Owner to redevelop historic landmark

The former Cloister Restaurant and site of the former home of Mark Twain in Buffalo has been acquired by the younger brother of downtown developer and restaurateur Mark Croce.

Scott Croce paid $460,000 through his Delvir LLC entity to buy the historic landmark property at 468 Delaware Ave. from 468 Delaware LLC, an entity controlled by developer Anthony Trusso.

Croce now wants to develop the parcel into a mixed-use property, expanding the current structure significantly into an office or medical building, while adding some higher-end residential townhouses in addition to the carriage house.

[...]

He's planning a 12,000-square-foot, three-story office building on the Delaware Avenue side, plus three townhouses on the Virginia Street side and the 2,000 square-foot carriage house in back, extending more toward the property line than currently.

Depending on the need for parking, Croce said, the main building might be scaled back by one floor to 8,000 square feet, but there "will probably" be underground parking as well.

Croce is co-owner, with his older brother, Mark, of Laughlin's restaurant on Franklin Street. "I love the city of Buffalo," Croce said. "I come from the same mind-set [as Mark]. Everything we do, we do for the love of the city."

He has hired Matt Moscati of TRM Architects for the project's concept design and envisions an avant-garde design for the new building, in a way that "complements" the carriage house. The nonhistoric portions of the existing structure will be demolished, but Croce also wants to peel off the remnants of the Cloister's exterior from the carriage house, exposing its historic appearance again. He said he doesn't yet have a full cost estimate.

"Matt's aware of the historic importance of the site, as I am," Croce said. "It's going to be an incredible corner. We're going to do some incredible things there."

Once the plans are complete, Croce will go to the Historic Preservation Board and "do what we have to do to get all the permits." He's hoping that "we'll have everything in place to start putting shovels in the ground" by spring 2010.


Full: http://www.buffalonews.com/145/story/804129.html

[steel]

All great news! I am glad the Continental site will have infill instead of just a driveway, Is that hotel funded?

[JSmith]

Niagara County Legislature complains that Empire State Development let 300 jobs go to Buffalo

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/804425.html

“This is all about new jobs that should have stayed in Niagara County. We care that 300 of the best-paying jobs at First Niagara Bank are going to Buffalo,” [Niagara County Legislator] Kimble said. “The cookie that Empire State Development gave First Niagara was baked with our tax dollars, so the joke is on us.”

Come on, you guys got Yahoo!, throw us a bone. Besides it sure sounded to me like First Niagara wanted to be in (near) downtown Buffalo.

[JSmith]

So the Continental is being replaced by a "porte cochere" with usable space on the second floor? Looking at the rendering, it still looks like a big driveway (with three lanes crossing the sidewalk) but better than a parking lot I guess.

I wonder if they will keep and reuse the Henry Hudson decoration for something.

I would love to see something done with the old livery next door.

[ECoastTransplant]

Some hotel facts:

PROJECT: $19 million rehabilitation by Buffalo Development Corporation of the Historic Curtiss Building into an upscale boutique hotel, day spa, restaurant and banquet facility
SIZE: 110,000sq.ft. currently occupied by the circa 1912 Curtiss Building and obsolete “Continental” building located at 212 Franklin Street
JOBS: Construction jobs for 12 months and a minimum of 80 new permanent management and hospitality related service jobs
OPENING: Late fall, 2010

[steel]

They better start construction this week then.