Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Real estate developer Douglas Jemal is moving forward with his Elmwood Bidwell project located at 976 Elmwood Ave. The Buffalo Planning Board gave the development team's revised plan final approval Monday afternoon.
After community input and slight revising, the board saw the vision of the project and voted unanimously in favor, as long as the outreach efforts to the community continue.
"Any development within any community is great for the city," said Buffalo Planning Board Chairman James Morrell. "Making sure that you maintain that level of activity on the street, making that street to be able to continue to be a walkable community, I think is important. This is a great project, and the developer has done a lot within the community. But being able to take this project and move it forward, I think is just wonderful for that community."
This revised plan for this project still includes six commercial storefronts and the same amount of apartments, just slightly smaller and the building will be a little less taller than originally intended, 58 feet. "The developer has stepped back the fifth floor," said Morrell.
One main concern the public has was the lack of parking in the area. However, the development team is looking at taking a different approach to addressing lack of parking.
"The applicant did provide assurances that there was available parking, the TDM (Transportation Demand Management) report shows other strategies like providing bike lockers and bike storage facilities and extra bike shares.
For the first three months for the tenant, they will provide a bikeshare membership, and also access to bus service, to provide those individuals that the monthly pass. I think that's important, especially when you have development that has no parking that's associated with the development," said Morrell.
From preserving the facade of the historical Elmwood properties to assessing the property and determining what is feasible. Morrell believes Douglas Development have taken the necessary steps to move forward with the project and the building will fit nicely with the history of the Elmwood Village.
"What we need to do is make sure that what's been developed, works well with what's there and make sure individuals voices are heard. It's extremely important, and the developer understands that," said Morrell.
Going forward, the developers have to adhere to historical building preservation rules and continue to update the community and keep dialogue open.
"It's also important that the residents in that community understand the limitations of the developer. The developer doesn't have a loads of money to be able to just go in and do whatever is requested. There's certain guidelines that they have to follow, historic preservation issues and stuff like that. So they need to make sure that these things are in place, and then the project can move forward. So it's a give and take on both sides," said Morrell.
