Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest for the trees. The same can be said with the numerous development projects in the downtown area. Start connecting the dots and you see some interesting clusters of development. Residential projects spreading towards the east side of downtown, and development along Main Street north of the Theater District for instance. One other area of downtown seeing a significant amount of development is the West Village/Delaware Avenue area.
Whatis happening (or Not!) near the West Village? If you havenit been paying attention, hereis the rundown:
- 285 Delaware Avenue. Five story office building planned by Uniland Development.
- Club 31. A 1940’s-style supper club in the former Buddies.
- Dulski Federal Office Building. Potential redevelopment site.
- Federal Courthouse. $100 million, 10-story elliptical building on Niagara Square.
- Greystone Hotel. Residential rehab project may start in 2007.
- Immaculate Conception Church. Potential apartment and condo conversion.
- New Era Cap Co. Headquarters. Renovating the former Federal Reserve Building.
- Niagara Center. Eight story, 290,000 office building at 130 South Elmwood.
- Pleu Building. Recently expanded to house Lawley Insurance Group.
- Roanoke Building. New addition to house expanding AIDS Community Services.
- Shoreline Apts. $13 million acquisition and renovation project on Niagara Street.
- Statler Towers. A sale may be imminent. Potential residential conversion.
- The Church. Performance space in the Asbury Delaware Methodist Church.
- Watkins Building. AIDS Community Services is purchasing the six-unit building.
There are two projects that do not appear to be progressing:
- Lake Hotel. The boarded-up building at 201 W. Huron Street was purchased by China America Group at a City auction in January 2005. Plans were announced for converting the building into offices and short-term stay apartments. Work has yet to begin and neighbors are beginning to lose patience over the condition of the property.
- Corn Exchange. Plan were announced in November 2004 to expand the Corn Exchange Building at 100 S. Elmwood and create a Ramada Plaza Hotel. Savarino Construction was teaming with property owner David Knollis South Elmwood Realty. While Savarinois plans for a boutique hotel in the Elmwood Village are moving forward, the Corn Exchange renovation appears to be in limbo.
Remaking the urban landscape of downtown Buffalo is underway, sometimes painstakingly slow. But if you look closely, the momentum is undeniable.
Photo Credit: Matt Shaver.