Home > About BNE > Press Room > 2009 Archive > December > Taking stock of history

Taking stock of history

Region’s wealth of vintage buildings create development opportunities

 Friday, December 25, 2009

by James Fink

 Jake Schneider looked at the Alling & Cory building in downtown Buffalo and thought, “Why not?”

The six-story, nearly century-old Eagle Street building was sitting vacant, even though it’s on a busy thoroughfare and one block away from the Erie Community College city campus.

There had been talk of renovating the building, but nothing materialized until Schneider, a Buffalo architect and developer, came along.

He is investing $16 million to transform the one-time paper warehouse into a 95-unit complex for student. The building, now called 136 Lofts after its street address, is expected to welcome residents this fall.

Schneider’s project is the latest in a series of development projects in Buffalo and elsewhere that have brought older, often historic buildings back to life. In urban planning terms, it’s called adaptive reuse. In more practical terms, it’s resurrecting the past.

The trend took hold earlier in the decade, but it has gained momentum through incentives offered by New York and the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, combined with federal tax credit programs that aid re-use projects.

Many projects are downtown where there is a stock of late 1800s-early 1900s structures. Buffalo’s wave of historic restoration and adaptive re-use projects is gaining national attention. These projects contributed to booking conventions here by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2011 and by the Society of Architectural Historians in 2014. This fall, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy held its annual meeting in the Queen City.

Beyond Buffalo’s central business district, the Kissling Interests is renovating a former Remington Rand warehouse in the City of Tonawanda into a loft-style apartment complex. Developer Carl Paladino has turned the United Office Building in Niagara Falls into a boutique hotel and apartment complex.

The Amherst Industrial Development Agency has made adaptive re-use of existing buildings a top development priority.

“People are recognizing the unique character of these buildings and they want to be part of it,” Schneider said.

While the list of adaptive re-use projects along the Main Street spine of downtown Buffalo is deep, Schneider’s marks the first time developers have looked to the Elm-Oak corridor as a residential option. Many feel his project will spur movement along the Elm-Oak corridor and areas east of Oak Street.

“Call it a sign that the region is attaining some of the density levels in the center city,” said Tom Kucharski, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise president and CEO.

Schneider has tackled renovations on Delaware Avenue, the Allentown District and, more recently, Ellicott Street where he transformed a warehouse into a 30-apartment complex with 8,000 square feet of office space. The fully leased, $8 million Warehouse Lofts project opened two years ago.

“Obviously, there has been a reawakening of the urban lifestyle,” Schneider said. “While it was embraced in other cities, for the longest time, the thought of living in downtown Buffalo was something of a foreign concept. Now, it’s become the chic thing to do.”

Various studies, including those from the American Institute of Architects, private consultants and the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning, found a strong market for downtown Buffalo residential options – both rentals and condos. The catch is to make the projects financially viable for developers.

Initiatives like those offered by the ECIDA and Empire State Development Corp. have begun to address those concerns. In some cases, foundations, such as the Wendt Foundation, have stepped into the financial picture to underwrite development of historic but ailing properties.

“What’s happening now is probably a reflection of what’s happening in other cities,” said Michael Schmand, Buffalo Place Inc. executive director. “We didn’t re-invent the wheel in Buffalo when it comes to adaptive re-use, but we created a market where people want to invest and live in downtown. There’s a new vitality in downtown that wasn’t here before.”

Downtown attracts an assortment of age groups from late 20s to older, working professionals to retirees.

“Frankly, I think adaptive re-use (of older properties) is a good thing,” said Phil Ackerman, ECIDA chairman.

Since the agency approved the policy last December, it approved incentives for a number of projects that are bringing older buildings – many vacant and in derelict condition – back to life.

“We want people to use the adaptive re-use program,” said Erie County Executive Chris Collins, who is on the ECIDA board of directors. “I would like to see dozens on these every single (IDA) meeting.”