BY NICKI MAYO
Buffalo based developer Rocco Termani offers a sneak peek into some of the latest upscale apartments available downtown. Nicki Mayo has details on the historic preservation project geared at improving the Queen City’s economic future.
“This is a brand new apartment. This building was built in 1895,” said developer Rocco Termini. The Buffalo based business man is revamping the historic AM&A warehouse into upscale apartments. The new loft units at Washington and Eagle Street will feature something old and something new.
“If they want the same old thing they can live in the suburbs and live in a vanilla box. What we offer you here is something totally different,” said Termani.
The original wood floors and rustic brick walls are complimented by large bathrooms, stainless steel appliances and skylights. The downtown lofts will range from $795 to $1150 a month. There will be 12 two-bedroom units (1050 – $1150 a month) and 36 one-bedroom units ($795 – $895 a month).
Termini says he wants to bring 48 upscale apartments to this building by April 2010. He says the goal of the AM&A retail and residential renovation is to bring more Buffalonians back to downtown. Termani says he also wants to attract transplanted residents working in the nearby medical corridor.
“These are people who are coming in from other cities. Who are accustomed to living in urban areas. They want to live downtown and they want to live close to where they’re working,” said Termani.
Area businesses are hoping to see a ripple effect from the new apartments.
“We see a lot of traffic from the businesses. There are a lot of lunch crowds and library traffic,” said The 2nd Cup owner Wil Tyler. “It helps us to bring people into our establishment who aren’t aware that we’re here,” Tyler added.
The downtown real estate expansions are also helping nearby eateries like The 2nd Cup café at Broadway Avenue and Ellicott Street.
“We have the business community along with the new lofts and developments that’s coming downtown. There’s going to be a lot of people down here. There already are a lot of people downtown,” Tyler said.
This is The 2nd Cup’s second location and first year downtown. It hosts community events, like this Buffalo State toy drive to also attract more people downtown, just like the new AM&A apartments.
“We’ve got a real mix going on here and what we’re trying to do is create a critical mass on this block. So that people can live, work and play here,” said Termani.
“If they want the same old thing they can live in the suburbs and live in a vanilla box. What we offer you here is something totally different,” said Termani.
The original wood floors and rustic brick walls are complimented by large bathrooms, stainless steel appliances and skylights. The downtown lofts will range from $795 to $1150 a month. There will be 12 two-bedroom units (1050 – $1150 a month) and 36 one-bedroom units ($795 – $895 a month).
Termini says he wants to bring 48 upscale apartments to this building by April 2010. He says the goal of the AM&A retail and residential renovation is to bring more Buffalonians back to downtown. Termani says he also wants to attract transplanted residents working in the nearby medical corridor.
“These are people who are coming in from other cities. Who are accustomed to living in urban areas. They want to live downtown and they want to live close to where they’re working,” said Termani.
Area businesses are hoping to see a ripple effect from the new apartments.
“We see a lot of traffic from the businesses. There are a lot of lunch crowds and library traffic,” said The 2nd Cup owner Wil Tyler. “It helps us to bring people into our establishment who aren’t aware that we’re here,” Tyler added.
The downtown real estate expansions are also helping nearby eateries like The 2nd Cup café at Broadway Avenue and Ellicott Street.
“We have the business community along with the new lofts and developments that’s coming downtown. There’s going to be a lot of people down here. There already are a lot of people downtown,” Tyler said.
This is The 2nd Cup’s second location and first year downtown. It hosts community events, like this Buffalo State toy drive to also attract more people downtown, just like the new AM&A apartments.
“We’ve got a real mix going on here and what we’re trying to do is create a critical mass on this block. So that people can live, work and play here,” said Termani.
