Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Say goodbye to Electric Avenue, and welcome to Downtown Buffalo the "Canal House."
The development tandem of businessman and investor Frank DiMaria Jr. and real estate investor Michael Silbak from Secured Key Buyers are spending more than $2.5 million to transform the circa-1897, four-story building at the corner of E. Mohawk and Ellicott Street into the "Canal House."
Canal House will be anchored by 15 apartments, a street-level bar/restaurant and commercial space.
"The second I walked in there, I knew I had to take this on," Silbak said.
Architect Nick Karl is handling the design work.
Floors 2-4 will house four one-bedroom apartments and one studio apartment.
For DiMaria, Canal House is a development companion to his redevelopment of the neighboring Mohawk Place music venue. It is also one of several new projects either planned or under development along Ellicott Street.
"We already have people interested in the bar," Silbak said.
The Canal House is a nod to when the building housed people who worked on later Erie Canal phases.
"It was a natural name," Silbak said.
Some demolition work has started, with full construction to start this spring.
Silbak said the Canal House should be tenant-ready by next summer.