Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Developers and more solidified plans for the North Aud block at Canalside have just been approved, pushing the long-awaited project forward in motion.
The Erie County Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) approved Monday morning, renderings and developers for the North Aud portion of Canalside and details of the Gateway Building, the first of five buildings to come.
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The plan envisions transformation of the nearly 2-acre vacant parcel for a mix of commercial, retail and residential uses in several buildings that would reflect portions of the original 19th century street grid while also adapting and incorporating 21st century infrastructure and amenities.
In regards to housing specifically, 367 apartments split 50/50 with market rate and low income, according to Steven Ranalli, ECHDC President.
"We're in the final chapter of completing the Aud block that we've been working on for a decade or so. Ever since we took the Aud down, there were plans for it, those plans went away and we've worked really hard to come back with something that's much more neighborhood-like, and this project is going to get us there."
Ranalli digs deeper into specifics into connecting all the Canalside projects, "Several buildings will be located on the North Aud block, all sitting on top of two levels of structured parking.
The developer has been able to incorporate the historic streets so people will know those bridges over the canal today. And they sort of lead to nowhere, they will lead right up through the North block reconnecting to the street grid in the downtown area. And then sitting on top of all that will be five buildings for mixed use development, really active ground floor, retail spaces, restaurants activating the space and then residential up above."
The "Canalside Gateway Building," is a multi-story, state-funded structure that will allow the ECHDC to manage site operations from a location within Canalside.
This building will serve other purposes as well. According to a release from Gov. Hochul's office, the building is a "three-story masonry and steel frame structure at the northeast corner of the Commercial Slip, with direct access from the canal towpath level. The interior space will include public restrooms, an ADA-accessible route from street level to the towpath, commercial space and a security office. The top two floors will house ECHDC office space and conference rooms. The building's exterior will include site lighting for the canal and perimeter pedestrian paths."
Construction for this $14.25 million dollar project is slated for this May and will be estimated to complete in February of 2025.
The contractors at the helm of these North Aud projects will be Pennrose NY Developer LLC with GSD Urban Solutions LLC d/b/a MSquared (MSquared) and the Westminster Economic Development Initiative, Inc. (WEDI), all New York City based, who have histories in the affordable housing development sector.
In fact, Pennrose focuses on creating affordable housing and is currently working with the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority on the Commodore Perry Revitalization efforts, less than one mile away from the Site, according to the approved plans.
Pennrose, MSquared and WEDI will have an operating budget for the North Aud projects of about $160 million, according to Ranalli.
In terms of timeline for the project excluding the Gateway Building. Ranalli estimates, "We're hoping to get have the developer get out there in early 2025 to break ground. We still have some of the final agreements to get in place. With this action here today, that'll help us move forward. Affordable housing, the developer will obviously be working with the state on some tax credits and things like that in 2024, while they advance the design of the project and go through our whole design approval process, so break ground in 2025 and actually should be phasing openings in starting in 2027."
"Canalside has become a destination location and catalyst for renewal of Buffalo's historic waterfront, and redeveloping the North Aud Block will continue to write the Buffalo comeback story," Governor Hochul said. "As we work to transform the Buffalo waterfront, this vacant parcel, the last of the state-owned parcels at Canalside, will boost the economy and create new spaces where residents and visitors will want to live, work and play."
