Buffalo Milk Company

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1909

2013-ish

August 2017
Photo credit: Bryan Lohr, Chris Schmidt, John Straubinger

Location

885 Niagara Street, Buffalo NY 14213

Owner

Niagara Gateway LLC

Physical Description

  • 40,000 sq. ft. brick complex of connected warehouse/commercial buildings, with frontage on Niagara, Massachusetts and small frontage on Prospect. Up to three stories in height.

Current Condition

  • Undergoing rehabilitation.

History

  • 1903 - Designed by Sidney Woodruff, architect of the original Pierce-Arrow showroom on Main St, for the Buffalo Milk Company, a Medina sandstone and Roman brick structure in the neo-classical style. via previous owner Bryan Lohr in Buffalo Rising, 2/2012
  • 1905-1906 - Construction of the the Buffalo Milk Company building. Soon after, it merged with the Queen City Dairy (the photo was in a book published in 1909 where it is called Queen City Dairy)." via previous owner Bryan Lohr in Buffalo Rising, 2/2012

Recent Events and Actions Taken

  • Developer Regan Development plans to convert the complex into apartments and first floor retail space. Per their Planning Board application, they plan to retain only the Niagara Street façade and replace the building behind it.
  • October 2013 - Preservation Board submission - "DEMOLITION: Proposal to demolish the majority of the property including the Prospect Street 3 story portion, the single story connector, and the interior of the 3 story mass fronting Niagara Street. (Manuel Rivera to appear @ 10/17/2013 02:45 PM 901 City Hall)"
  • October 17, 2013 - "Approved with the exception of the demolition of the Prospect tower, which will be tabled until the next board meeting on 10/31/13."
  • October 22, 2014 - Regan Development to appear before the City Zoning Board of Appeals: "885 NIAGARA ST.-- MATT MEYER to convert a warehouse to an apartment building with parking. (198903) R2 district. Section 511-28 &96 REQUIRED USE AND PARKING IN THE DISTRICT REQUESTING EXTENSION."
  • October 5, 2015 - Business First - "HHL Architects, representing Regan Development, will be presenting a slightly revised renovation plan for the former Buffalo Milk Co. building at 885 Niagara St. to the city planning board during its Oct. 6 meeting. The planning board had previously approved Regan’s proposal to invest $8 million on the project. The three-story, 77,000-square-foot building would be converted into a complex with 53 apartments that target low-to-moderate income residents."
  • Most of the property was not demolished and the final project doesn't include façadism as previously proposed.
  • Two commercial units intended for retail and services will be built on the first floor.
  • Eight residential units will be targeted for homeless refugees.
  • Rents will be targeted at $495 for 1 bedroom and $612 for 2 bedroom apartments with tenants paying for their own utilities.
  • Regan Development is working with NYSHCR, First Sterling Financial and the Community Preservation Corporation as financing partners for the $8 million redevelopment.
  • A $1.81 million loan was awarded to the project by New York State through the Better Buffalo Fund initiative last year
Details from Chris Schmidt at Buffalo Rising

Other Pertinent Facts

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Added 2013-10-08 • Last changed 2017-08-21