Buffalo Rising Online

May 17th, 9:45am By West Coast Perspective

The lease is signed. Law firm Damon & Morey LLP has finalized the lease for 51,000 square feet at Two Hundred Delaware. Damon & Morey, the third largest law firm in Buffalo, will occupy the 11th and 12th floors of the building starting on May 1, 2009. Well into construction, Two Hundred Delaware will be a central feature of contemporary architecture in the heart of the Central Business District. The project by UniQuest is located at the intersection of West Huron and Delaware, the site of the former Dulski federal office building.

“After a thoughtful and exhaustive search, we are happy to reaffirm our commitment to downtown Buffalo,” said Peter S. Marlette, Managing Partner of Damon & Morey. “This move is an important next step forward in our firm’s growth. This location will be a beautiful new home for the 200-plus members of the Damon & Morey family.”

“It’s a privilege to have Damon & Morey as the first announced offices in this building. We started this project with the premise that exceptional firms would seek exceptional space,” said Michael Montante, Vice President of Uniland. “We are pleased that they so quickly proved us right.”

“Our firm, soon to be located in the ‘new’ heart of downtown, will continue to be surrounded by commerce, government, arts and entertainment,” said Marlette. “We strongly believe the increased interaction and efficiency the new space will provide will greatly contribute to our firm’s continuing success. We are proud to be part of this exciting new dimension of the Buffalo landscape.”

Damon & Morey is currently located at 298 Main Street, where it has been based for 19 years.

Slated for occupancy in the Spring 2009, the completely renovated 400,000 square feet, 15-story building will be the District’s first major mixed-use project – featuring hospitality, Class A office and residential space.

•Floors 1 - 7 will offer a 150 room Embassy Suite Hotel. The hotel will feature a pool, fitness center and conferencing areas. An independent restaurant on the first floor will open onto an expansive outdoor patio fronting Delaware Avenue.

•Floors 8 - 12 will offer Class A office space with open floor plates.

•Condominiums on floors 13 - 15 will bring 37 owner-occupied residences to downtown. Prices are anticipated to start at $350,000.

“More than 6,500 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel and heavy metal and 10 tons of aluminum have already been recycled in the reuse of this building,” said Montante. “We’re seeking LEED certification for the building’s core and shell to ensure the long-term quality of life for the building.” Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification is a vigorous international standard for green building.

Founded in 1917, Damon & Morey LLP is a full-service law firm calling on the knowledge and experience of eighty-seven attorneys in six departments and twenty-six practice areas. Employing nearly two hundred people in Western New York, the firm currently maintains four offices - Buffalo (firm headquarters), Clarence, Batavia and Rochester.

Project developer UniQuest is a partnership between Uniland Development Company and Acquest Development Company. The companies most recently paired successfully on the adjacent Niagara Center at S. Elmwood and W. Huron Streets.

Uniland Development Company owns and operates more than 1.5 million square feet of property in the City of Buffalo and 6 million square feet of commercial real estate in Western New York. Comprehensive services include planning and design, construction management, leasing and sales, site selection, and property management.

Acquest Development offers comprehensive services in the areas of: acquisition, due diligence, site planning, rezoning, construction, financing, property management, and leasing.

UniQuest will be showing off Two Hundred Delaware during the downtown housing tour, June 28th from 1 until 5 pm.

Get connected: Uniland Development, 716.834.5000