Project Update: Lofts @ Elk Terminal
The final 18 units at Lofts @ Elk Terminal are complete and occupied bringing the residential portion of the downtown development’s multi-year rehab effort to a close. First Amherst Development held a grand-opening celebration in late June at the Cobblestone District site. The circa-1920, two building former food terminal contains 70 upscale apartments priced from $895.
When initiated in 2002, the market for upscale downtown loft rentals was new and untested. First Amherst took a conservative, phased approach to building-out the development completing roughly 20 units at a time. The visionary notion of chic, downtown Buffalo living has paid off drawing a mix of professionals, baby-boomers and empty-nesters.
New residents were greeted with a carpet of freshly laid bluegrass sod. First Amherst retained Dave Majewski’s Premium Services Inc. to create and install a fully sustainable landscape program on the property. Majewski’s horticulture and landscape design firm was responsible for soil remediation, prep, construction, paving, and planting.
Due to the property's former commercial use, Majewski sent soil samples away for a detailed lab analysis to make proper adjustments. Over 5,000 red worms were brought in from South Carolina to aerate the site's compacted soils. The worms expedite soil purification through their feeding habits and constant activity. A majority of the labor and prep was done manually to avoid further compaction of the soil.
First Amherst's work at Elk Terminal is not entirely finished as a section of the east building along Chicago Street remains vacant. The developer intends to create additional commercial space for lease. Loft-style office space has been extremely popular with start-up and tech firms throughout downtown. “We currently have two commercial tenants and are speaking to several other companies,” according to Kathy Behan, Executive Vice President at First Amherst. Plans announced in 2005 for 48 new-build units at Elk Terminal appear to be on the back burner however.
So what’s next for pioneering First Amherst? No one is saying just yet. Last year the developer purchased a vacant mansion at 23 North Street and floated plans for 35-40 residential units on the site. First Amherst has also talked about potentially building a residential project on the former Vernor Building lot in the 700 block of Main.
Get Connected: First Amherst Development, 716.839.1400; Premium Services Inc., 716.432.2960
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queenseyes
What's the second commercial business? IBC Digital and...
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BuffaloSoldier
Yet even more evidence of how the city is progressing step by step. In just a matter of a decade, we should see a pretty stable and economically attractive crictical mass at several nodes of downtown. This will go a long way in redefining Buffalo's image.
What's amazing is not just the number of suburbanites that are taking notice of their center city's revival but, instead, the number of visitors from other regions of the country whose envy of us is very self gratifying. Although, large chunks of America are economically successful, only a certain number are redeveloping their industrial past the way we are. Kudos Buffalo, you deserve it.
Now let our eyes drift next door to the Coffee Rich warehouse/elevator...
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pegger
I did the vitual tour of Elk Terminal and liked very much what I saw. It's bold, ambitious, and innovative to be sure. After an aerial tour (courtesy of Mappoint.com I can safely say that it is not for me. However, I applaud the developer, the community, and the residents (current and future) for thir pioneering spirit. It could be the start of something big.
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Sal
Color me confused. When I toured this place years ago with a friend, some of the bedrooms in the back on the first floor had no window. It was the main reason my friend rented elsewhere downtown. I asked city inspectors at the time if that was legal (due to fire regulations and the air/light issue) and they said no.Have windows been cut into the back of the building or are those windowless rooms not being marketed as a bedroom? I understand air comes from the HVAC and light comes from a glass door, but what about the required 4 square foot (or so) under the BOCA codes for a window exit?
It's a great project and nice to see the expansion.
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