From traffic congestion and safety, to neighborhood preservation issues, members of the public aired their feelings Tuesday to the Buffalo Planning Board over the ongoing project to convert the former Millard Fillmore Gates hospital complex into a mixed-use site.
With the Planning Board returning from an August recess, the agenda was full and the public hearing on the Gates Circle project alone lasted more than an hour. It was made clear to all in attendance that a vote on rezoning the site was not imminent.
Developer TM Montante, which is looking to convert the former hospital campus into a mixed-use site that includes residential and retail components, is asking the city to rezone the area. Many of the public speakers expressed their concern for a blanket commercial rezoning of the area, something they suggested was inappropriate for what is otherwise a residential part of the city.
"We're planning to do a mixed-use development at Gates that works with the Green Code vision of the site," said Chris Campos, president of TM Montante Development, which is converting the former hospital campus into a mix of residential and retail properties. "For us, the zoning that we're currently looking to do is the zoning we feel is appropriate for the development we're looking to do on site."
Developers are currently proceeding with the environmental impact phase of the project and are in the process of demolishing the former hospital facilities. The latter includes implosion of the former tower some time within the next few weeks but a date was not announced at the Planning Board meeting.
Officials for the project also spoke to quell rumors that a large-sized "big box" retail store is part of the redevelopment plan. Attorney Marc Romanowski dismissed those claims and said such a store was never part of the plan.
The Planning Board is expected to vote on the project's environmenal plan this fall. Public comments, meanwhile, will be accepted until September 19.
