Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - If you ask the Central Park neighborhood residents whose homes abut a proposed new residential-anchored project on Main Street, they will say it is too large for the site.
But if you ask the development team of the nearly $20 million project, the new building is perfect for that site.
Thus, there is a stand off pitting the Central Park Homeowners Association and the DePaul Group.
At issue: DePaul's plans to demolish a three-story, vacant and obsolete building with a four story apartment building. The new building - at 65,520-square-feet - is about 24% larger than the existing structure but will only have 80 apartments, not 85 units that were in the building.
DePaul's clients, who has a number of health and mental health issues, will be the sole tenants of the proposed Joseph Hodge Apartments.
James Pitts, Central Park Homeowners Association president - and former Buffalo Common Council president, the issue comes down to the size and scope of the new building.
"It is not a question of the residents," Pitts said. "No one has a problem with that. What we do want is a smaller building that is more suitable for the property."
Mark Fuller said DePaul is committed to developing a building on the site and not leaving an abandoned structure on a busy stretch of Main Street.
"I promised the city I would never leave an empty building, especially one on Main Street," Fuller said.
The project will begin its review on Nov. 3 at the Buffalo Planning Board.