Sold: 85 and 91 Genesee Street
CityView Properties now controls all of the Genesee Block, sans Eddie Brady’s tavern. Genesee Gateway LLC purchased 85 and 91 Genesee Street from Triangle Development yesterday for $25,000. The vacant properties are located at the corner of Genesee and Ellicott streets. 91 Genesee is three-stories. Only the ground floor façade remains at 85 Genesee, formerly a four-story building that collapsed during a 2002 wind storm while being gutted.
CityView Properties' Genesee Gateway development at the other end of the block, 99-125 Genesee Street, is expected to be underway soon. The $12 million project will see the long-vacant buildings turned into a mix of retail and office space. CityView is teaming with the Wendt Foundation to revitalize the properties.
Updated rendering of the Genesee Gateway development. Flynn Battaglia Architects.
Genesee Gateway will feature 50,000 sq.ft. of renovated space plus 10,000 sq.ft. of new construction, primarily in a new four-story structure to be built mid-block on a vacant parcel. A landscaped rooftop terrace for tenants may be added.
Flynn Battaglia Architects, PC has prepared the restoration plan. The firm has overseen a number of local preservation and reuse projects including restoration work at the Guaranty Building, Babeville, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The development team has been working for some time to incorporate the 85 and 91 Genesee Street properties into their plans for the block. The timing of renovation work, and what uses are anticipated, has not been announced.
Get connected: CityView Properties, 716.856.8400 x109
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stephenjames716
please, please, please let this project happen.
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mmiller
If anyone can get it done, it's CityView!
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cdubmoo
Are there any plans for some residential units also? I love that this plan is starting to progress and think it would benefit from a few residential spaces.
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sbrof
Well now that all the pieces are in place hopefully we can see some construction crews on site.. what a project this is going to be for downtown... This is one of only two mostly complete blocks of period architecture remaining in all of downtown. (note, everything else has already been demolished, what have we really saved?) To see it starting to come back to life is just fantastic.
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Biniszkiewicz
Break open a good bottle and enjoy a celebratory drink: this project is getting done regardless of market demand prior to construction (typically a developer requires a significant percentage of any project to be leased prior to construction; not so in this case). The project is more a matter of community minded action on the part of Wendt and City View than it is a business proposition.
This block has long cast a dark shadow on downtown's health disproportionate to the size of the real estate involved. Hopefully the block will similarly exert a disproportionately positive impact on downtown when complete around the close of 2009.
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flyguy
Is it just me or does this area seem cut off from downtown by wide swaths of roadway and traffic? Seems the project would be greatly enhanced by focusing on some pedestrian crosswalks with significant crossing areas and signage. Peharps even using brick pavers embedded in the roadway to clearly identify the crossing? Seems like many people who would park downtown would have to walk across Genessee Street to access the site. Seems the market probably exists to support the project but theres a physical barrier in accessing it. Maybe i'm wrong in this.
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Spaulding97
This is huge, can't wait for this to begin.
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STEEL
Can we give Eddie Brady's a big hand of applause for sticking it out on this block and proving that it was worth while saving!
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crisa
OR:
As of yesterday, what actually happened contractually was that for a steal of $25, 000, it will be well worth the wait for more valuabe greatlakeside land to become available...
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sonyactivision
Seeing a revival of Genesee is something I wonder if would ever live to see and yet here are the first of many steps towards just that. Kudos all around!
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vgs
right on flyguy, I hope some traffic calming measures are taken to make this more of neighborhood.
This could be the single most important developement in a very very long time
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BuffFan08
right on vgs, this project is very significant for the fact it's pushing development further to east side of the downtown district. I'm sure if this gets done you will see alot of those in the medical corridor using it along w/ others. Also of note, roswell park is using some of hsbc's lots for parking due to increased parking needs. i'm sure if this development becomes reality, you will see instant gratification by all of those who will be eyeballing its progress each day, which will result in rented apartments/lofts/condos, eat in potential restaurants, etc
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sweeper
This is huge. That whole corridor from the end of the 33 to the heart of downtown needs a facelift, if only to provide outsiders something to look at on their trip in from the airport. Imagine being a prospective buisnessman coming in for the first time, and as soon as you get off the highway, you're greeted with that block of Genesee in its current state?
Not to mention being a nice morale boost for the residents of Buffalo. I've been to many shows at the Icon (both in its first and most recent incarnation) and thought it was a shame that block was such a dump. I think I read something about the other side being considered for some development also, and if that's the case, I can't wait for it to happen!
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GDF81
I think its critical to get this done, that area needs a face lift bad. Anything, I mean anything would be better then what currently stands there, its a perfect location because of how close it is to the 33 on ramp, tons of people drive by it or sit at the lights over there. I have sat there many times just staring at what could be some really nice business space (esp retail).
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buffaloweiner
Ok, here is my impression...
The 4th floor widows peak roofline....is only at the corner building and I think that it should extend with different window details all the way across the adjacent 3 story buildings up to the 4story brick.
Actually this is sandwiched along Genessee, Ellicott and Oak which in my raises three issues for Buffalonians.
1) arent there empty lots along Ellicott section of this city block? Will those be developed also?
2) This creates added pressure in my opinion to get rid of the Hyatt Atrium and reopen Genessee across Main to Pearl.
3) This also raises the longterm question whether Elm/Oak Arteriole is in the best interests of downtown now that Ellicott has caught the eyes of developers. Should the Elm/Oak Arteriole be downgraded from an arteriole to just a normal part of the street grid and while upgrading the Jefferson/Hamburg corridor between the Kensington/I-190.
Last thought, this section of Genessee being redeveloped puts increasing focus on the Broadway and Division sections (ie the Library and the Hotel Lafayette). A restoration of the original public library on the triangle fronting Lafayette Square would restore the original intent of this public space while the 1960s modern structure would remain in the rear.
It also raises the profile of redeveloping the Lafayette right up there with the redevelopment of the Statler.
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Joshua
This will be a really nice addition to what is already going on downtown. It will be pleasant to have another "section" of downtown get re-developed. Hopefully this will attract some more living space development. Eddie Brady's will get increased business from not only the construction workers but from the new tenants. Keep more good things coming!
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kooksapalooza
when is this dev project suppoused to begin/conclude construction?
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Tesla
The Hotel Lafayette NEEDS to be redone, and turned into a hotel.
It could be Buffalo's Hotel Chelsea.
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urbansoul
Now if we can only convince the city to pay some attention to the little median in the middle of the intersection. Something that would cost so little to maintain, yet would make such an impression. Look at the one of similar size on Franklin behin the Rath building. It is overflowing with flowers and greenery..........and gives quite a different impression opposed the the concrete, grey median on Ellicott at Genesee.
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urbansoul
Now if we can only convince the city to pay some attention to the little median in the middle of the intersection. Something that would cost so little to maintain, yet would make such an impression. Look at the one of similar size on Franklin behin the Rath building. It is overflowing with flowers and greenery..........and gives quite a different impression opposed the the concrete, grey median on Ellicott at Genesee.
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grace
{deleted- trolling}
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kooksapalooza
grace...seriously...you're pathetic...is it that hard to find somebody to entertain you at night? they have phone numbers you can call if you are this pathetic for attention...that or go play chicken with traffic...either way...stop cluttering up meaningful discussions with whatever crap your disilusioned mind vomits up to get you off
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georged
Who in the hell would want to live in that section of downtown????
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Andrew
This is great! I couldn’t imagine them pulling off the rest of the project with this falling apart structure on the corner.
This project in general. Is’s great for John Q Suburbaner who works down town and gets there via the 33. Good for perception. I only wish there would be some residential…
Georged, i'd live there in a heart beat!!!!
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BuffaloDave
Poor georged. He suffers from a common ailment called lack-of-vision-itis. He can't see what others may or may not like and therefore thinks there is no market for this becasue he, the self involved person that he is ,can't see beyond what his likes and dislikes are. Georged a pioneer you are not - I'll bet you live in Charlotte.
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Dan
They should put an Ikea in there.
:D
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Tesla
hahaha.
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vgs
There is no residential compenent to this project georged, so don't worry about it. And judging by where people have moved (Elk Terminal, Granite) I'm pretty sure it would sell anyway.
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sbrof
walking distance to the washingtong market, the market arcade, chippewa strip, spot coffee, a florist, a sushi bar, a tanning salon, a hair salon, every bank \ ATM you could want.. without starting up your car.. I would be there in a second.
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Joshua
I totally agree about the Chippewa/Genesee/Ellicott intersection. I think to mitigate the traffic issue, there should be a traffic circle or rotary at this intersection. There is defintely enough room to install one here, plus the city could get rid of the traffic lights.
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vgs
...and a grassy tree-lined median creating a parkway feel down to the intersection with Washington. This wide swath of roadway has to get a little more pedestrian friendly.
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orlanmon
Great news of course that this block will finally have the possibility of being developed, can't wait to see the final product. I am very interested to see how much money and resources the Wendt Foundation will contribute to this project. It's also very refreshing to see this foundation's going back to investing funds to develope this city and region as opposed to lining some lawyer's pockets...
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Colin
If you imagine that the casino lawsuit was about "lining some lawyer's pockets," you're nuts. If you imagine that the Genesee deal will get done without "lining some lawyer's pockets," you're nutser.
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orlanmon
Sure they always have their hands in the pot, Wow what a revelation but thanks for pointing it out for me. If the NIGC did their jobs the Wendt Foundation woundn't have never had to spend the 2 M for the dream team of lawyers. Casino Gambling was illegal given the way the property was aquired by the Senecas, NIGC should of know that right from the start; it's what they do for a living.. It's completely pathetic that lawyers had to be summoned to fight a legal battle that should of never occured in the first place, that is if everyone did their homework; but this is WNY. Thus instead of 2 M going to the arts/culture, schools, historical site restoration we have 2 M going to line the pockets of laywers.. total BS and par for the course in WNY.
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gaustad
this project has a 50/50 of getting done
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