Construction will soon be underway on The Iron Works, a live music club planned for Illinois Street. The club and building is owned by a partnership that includes Trettel, developer Sam Savarino and Savarino’s partners in Lagerhaus 95, Ed Plata and Dan Mania. Building permits were pulled on Tuesday. The goal is to have the club up and running for at least half of the summer season.
The two-story property at 49 Illinois Street behind First Niagara Center will feature live music at least five nights a week and host local and national acts. The club will also be open on First Niagara Center and Canal Side event dates. A limited food menu is planned. The name pays homage to the building’s previous industrial uses.
Local developer Roger Trettel purchased the brick structure, located between the arena and the mixed-use Cobblestone Lofts project on Mississippi Street, in April 2008. Trettel’s original plan called for office space in the building. As the neighborhood has begun to develop into a waterfront leisure and entertainment district, the concept of a music-oriented venue seemed to make more sense.
“I like how the project has evolved over time,” says Trettel. ‘This will be a heck of a lot more fun than using it for my offices as originally intended.”
Food and beverage management at the new club will be handled by the management staff at Lagerhaus 95.
Inside, a portion of the building’s second floor will be removed to allow patrons to view the stage. The interior will be flexible allowing for smaller events up to concerts holding up to 800. The venue will add to the entertainment options in the Cobblestone District that includes Lagerhaus 95, Cobblestone Bar, Elements Bar and Grill and Helium Comedy Club.
Minimal changes are planned to the exterior of the building. A new front entrance is planned and a side entrance and canopy will be added. The new entrance will be removed when weather permits allowing the club to be open to Illinois Street.
The development team is having preliminary discussion with the City and others to put a mural on the exterior of the building. Behind Iron Works, Savarino Cos. commissioned a mural for the lobby of 26 Mississippi Street by Matthew Grote was this week (above). It is of the Edward M. Cotter Fireboat. At the same time, the lobby of 95 Perry Street is having a show of Matthew’s recent work (below). The Grote show is the most recent of many art shows 95 Perry Street has hosted over the past year. Savarino is aiming to have at least four different art shows a year in the multi-use building.