When Rocco Termini purchased his first property on Ellicott Street in 2002 he envisioned creating a new downtown neighborhood east of the Theater District. As wholesale florists and other service businesses moved out, the small-scale buildings lining Ellicott and Oak Streets between Genesee and Tupper Street were ripe for redevelopment. It was a calculated gamble since at that time the appetite for downtown living was a relative unknown. First Amherstis Elk Terminal Lofts had opened earlier that year in the Cobblestone District to an overwhelming response. Terminiis leap of faith has paid off.
Ellicott Lofts opened in April 2003 at 489 Ellicott Street bringing 38 units to the former Frontier Water & Steam warehouse and were quickly leased. Twenty-three of the lofts are two-story units with 21-foot ceilings and a mezzanine level. 5,000 sq.ft. of commercial space was also created, leased by Alternative Information Systems, a computer support services firm.
Ellicott Lofts was an adaptive reuse. Though built in 1890, the Frontier building was nondescript. An adjacent single-level building was torn down and replaced with a new two-story building. The new and the old have been given a unified brick exterior and are separated by a narrow courtyard. Units are 1,100 to 1,350 sq.ft. and rent for $795 to $1300.
Termini purchased the adjoining Wehle Electric complex in 2004 to develop Ellicott Commons. The first phase involved demolishing much of the Wehle property, renovating the historic three-story Lang Meats building at 461 Ellicott, and constructing a new building that was sympathetic in design to its older neighbor. These two buildings totaling 32,000 sq.ft. of space contain retail and office tenants including Washington Market and Copy Fax Technologies on the ground floor.
Two other projects have followed: The Oak School Lofts, 29 units in the former Buffalo Alternative School at 266 Oak Street, and eISi Lofts, 24 apartments in the former Kastings Flower Warehouse at 362 Oak Street that is currently under construction. Next up for the developer in the neighborhood is a second phase of Ellicott Commons which will bring approximately 30 more residences in a new building connecting Washington Market and Ellicott Lofts.
Encouraged by the success of his projects in the area, Termini can foresee renovations on other buildings on the block south towards Genesee Street. His schematic design shown above incorporates the historic warehouses but adds residential amenities such as balconies to create an edgy, industrial feel. Future expansion is uncertain however. Termini and Buffalo officials have been frustrated that some property owners have set high price tags on their properties, effectively letting their buildings sit vacant for years. The City has bought into Terminiis vision by creating a redevelopment plan for the neighborhood, the first step in designating it an urban renewal area. This designation could open the way to City acquisition of property for eventual development by Termini or others.
Termini is building a new base of residential occupancy, adding new life to a sleepy, somewhat gritty section of downtown, and helping to support the publicis investment in the Theater District. The market has been proven and there is opportunity to expand the residential enclave. The Genesee Block next to Oak School Lofts remains dormant and surface parking lots throughout the neighborhood which take away from the rhythm of the city are ripe for infill construction. Development of the vacant lot across from eISi Lofts, owned by Uniland Development at the entrance to the Kensington Expressway, can help connect downtown to the east side. M&T Bankis surface parking lots behind the Market Arcade are possibly the most suitable sites downtown for new residential development. As development spreads, Terminiis vision for a functioning, vital, mixed-use downtown neighborhood is being realized.
Coming Soon: Joan Fedyszynis interview with a couple living at Ellicott Lofts.