The partners looking to redevelop a historic downtown Buffalo building have the preliminary support of Buffalo's Planning Board. But before the board can vote to approve the project at its next meeting, developers must await completion of a required environmental impact study.
Krog Corporation, working in partnership with Hart Hotels, is looking to turn the former windshield wiper factory into a mixed-use building that would include hotel rooms, apartments and commercial space. Nearly 140 hotels would be available while the building would also feature anywhere from 130 to 150 apartments. Located on the south edge of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, planners hope the apartments will be desired by staff and students from that campus.
"We think that's the prime market," said Paul Neureuter, president of Krog Corporation, about the apartments. "They vary in size from just under 1,000 square feet to 15- or 16-hundred square feet."
Neureuter, speaking to reporters after Tuesday morning's Buffalo Planning Board meeting, said commercial interests have been found for the development but that it was too early to publicly identify them.
Project leaders have said in the past they plan to respect the Trico Building's historic significance. The former factory is noted for architecture which utilized natural daylight to illuminate operations inside.
The Buffalo Planning Board expressed its interest in the development but moved to table it until completion of the environmental impact study. The board next meets on September 8.
