Buffalo Rising Online

please don't ever mention the 'Church' of Scientology on BRO again...

Great Project and great news - a nice boutique hotel would fit in well in this part of town...however 15.4 million dollar price tag seems pretty high for this project.....

The sooner there are more hotel choices downtown the better...if there is a shabbier hotel under the Hyatt flag than the one downtown, I will eat my hat. I hate directing visitors from out of town there because it is such an embarassment, and i hate having them stay out by the airport.

whatever it takes, just get them done

The Hyatt is being renovated. Finally.

actually, just the lobby level is renovated at the Hyatt, the rest from the wintergarden up is still a shit hole

Maby it's now time to think of developing over those endless surface parking lots all along Huron St. not much of a view from either this new Boutique hotel or the West end of the Hyatt for guests. I also hope, Croce doesn't get away with demolishing more structures in this area for exclusive parking for this guests. That would be F**&&# up with all the large lots across the street.

I have been wondering how long before this structure would come back to life. Seems like an overlooked but prominent corner. I guess it was just a matter of time.

This place will look much, much better when the first floor is re-done and that sheet metal cap comes off the top.

What is missing from this streetscape though? Trees and maybe some decorative period style lighting. Those two things would make a world of difference.

It is a stunning building and will make a glam little hotel. When was the exterior 1st floor basterdized though? anyone know?

awesome!....please let this project happen.

What development spinoff did the incentives given to the Hyatt years ago actually create?

That being asked, I wish this project the best of luck.

This project is exciting. Its a very visable corner and an nice looking building.

One thing about Croce is that he knows how to put life back into buildings and often he does it with an exclaimation point.

This looks like his biggest project yet though so it'll be interesting to see how it works out. I think downtown can def. use a classy, what I'm guessing is going to be a high-end hotel. Move over mansion?

Right on, MEC !! "Church" indeed ! The Scientologists do not believe in God (according to their own statement). They are, in fact, a cult and a dangerous one at that. How they are permitted to call themselves a church and receive tax exempt status totally escapes my understanding. I applaud Germany for making them illegal.

Bini- you are right- Scientology was across the street- it was a brick, four-story building that was demo'd for the ramp expansion. There was an insurance company that occuped 204 Franklin I believe, could have been North Americare before they relocated to Amherst.

The building next to it has potential too.

Ya know what.. the scientologists put a crap load of money beautifully renovating their current space. They add people, lights and eyes onto a corner that was long dark and unerving. I live literally around that corner for years and walked by on my way to Ulrich's and the BNMC often.

Sure they might not fit the standard and I also feel they are all a little crazy but I can also tell you that Virginia and Main is hands down MUCH safer with them there and that building restored.... I bet that was one of the reasons something like the Wine Place decided to move in there and the Main Menu restaurant exanded its menu and hours since they opened up too.

And yes they were NOT in this building but where the ramp was expanded.

Can someone define "boutique hotel"? I guess I am somewhat of hillbilly and I'm not sure how a boutique hotel differs from, for example, the Hyatt.

Cash auctions has listed 400 rooms of Hyatt hotel furniture on it's inventory page. Would imagine this confirms that something is being done with the rooms.

This is a good definition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boutique_hotel.

We have many of them out here in San Francisco.

I can absolutely see a small hotel going here. Personally, I think one of the great pieces in any city's urban fabric are these 'boutique' hotels, or hotels that sit among residential or commercial buildings and blend right into the scene. NYC is obviously a great example. EIther way, light it up at night, plant some trees, do some landscaping and open it up. Buy that parking lot, or some adjacent buildings, build a 3 story complex, first floor retail and have valet parking for it. While you're at it Mark, put a nice bistro in there, too. But seriously, all of those things would contribute to the hotel and the corner. It's small project like this that keep values up, and bring blocks back to life.

This is a good definition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boutique_hotel.

We have many of them out here in San Francisco.

A boutique hotel is generally "defined" as any hotel less then 76 rooms (recently as large as 99 rooms) They have a tendency to be higher end independent hotels and have higher profit margins than your average corporate property because they have no corporate wide standards that they must abide by.

As far as their significance in the hotel world, its a part of that combination of consumer variety thats adds to the vitality of environments.

You wouldn't find a convention booking a boutique hotel like you would at the Hyatt, but you tend to find more higher end, luxury minded groups and travelers at these smaller properties. Because they quite simply tend to be much better than your average chain hotel.

I agree that there is a definite market for this. The Mansion has been a big success, but that is almost more of an upscale bed and breakfast. Buffalo is the only city of it's size that I know of that does not have anything like this. The Hampton Inn on Chippewa could have been a good location for a boutique.

You mean to say that this building is being saved ? You mean progress has been thwarted again? When will you people learn that the path to salvation for Buffalo is to have more parking and more shovel ready sites?

new bar going into the old area 42 also, hopefully this helps the rest of the block leading into chippewa at the very least

Don't worry, Steel. There's enough progress on the other three corners to go around. This small setback shouldn't discourage you too much.

hopefully they won't follow the Hampton Inn's lead and knock down the adjacent building for a parking lot.

I've been wondering for a long time what was going on with this building. Great project if it happens. I love the Hertz building (the red brick one immediately west of this one) I really hope we see some apartments or condo's in that beauty soon. I think its just used for storage now.

I would love to see Huron Street become a new "must be" street like Chippewa. But with more elegant bistros and some boutiques. The space is there, let's BUILD on those damn LOTS up and down this street.

its agreat building but why did they tear down the white terra cotta building on huron between fraklin & pearl?

I also like the brick hertz building, hopefully its next!

I would luv to see the Hurtz building renovated for lofts or condos.

$15.4 million? Must be the same people who did the Erie Canal Terminus rewater joke of a tourist destination... That's real high, but with 6mill in free money, why not? And no people, high end nightclub will not work in buffalo espec near chippew, its a bunch of broke asses looking for cheap drinks and to get laid...

my thetan level is just fine thank-you very much

a high end night club? in buffalo?

I still say that the future of Chippewa street will be the cobblestone district surrounding the Casino whenever its built.

There are possibilities for the Hyatt and the Liberty to go partially residential after the Dulski and the Statler which is going to open up more demand to replace those buildings with more downtown office space.

I still look at the projects...the Dulski (Avant), the Court Street Tower, the Statler, the Federal Courthouse, the ERA Cap Headquarters, the Delaware M&T, etc...this says that this area is rapidly developing into a government and office district.

Sorry but I just see the future of Chippewa Street as a more mature lower key part of the theater district....and the younger crowd finding a new 24 hour district of which my focus is still around ECC downtown campus which is just northwest of the casino.

GREAT GREAT building. I'd just love to see new sidewalks, greenery and the building lit in a 'soft glow' at night.

Elias, I think its days are very numbered, unfortunate as that may be. How does everyone feel about the Scientologists renovating their current address, you have to give them credit for that, right? They can't be all that bad, Jimmy Griffin was a Scientologist.

I believe Croce owns the Hertz as well so I am sure he has some plans for it. Let's hope it isn't for one of his parking lots. Maybe if this hotel does well he could expand it into the neighboring building.

scientology scientology scientology

another good idea? we need more hotel rooms???! where did they get that figure from.. I think we need more tax breaks for business so some decent companies move here.... we are headed for some serious hard times here in the great city of buffalo.. tax tax tax and for what? the only people downtown as of lately are people going to unemployment or welfare!!