Buffalo City Planners have approved a more than $20 million plan by a Cincinnati development group to convert a Swan Street warehouse to apartments and commercial space.
The Cincinnati development firm Miller Valentine Group is planning to convert the one-time A&P Warehouse at 545 Swan, on the edge of Buffalo's Larkin District, into 120 apartment units.
Steve Carmina of the architecture firm Carmina, Wood and Morris appeared before city planners Tuesday, answering questions about the project before ultimately winning their approval. Carmina says the apartments will appeal to a wide range of residents.
"It's a mixed income project," notes Carmina, "which means that thru the use of tax credits they can offer rental units to people that are making $30,000 or $60,000 and up and make them more affordable for people that are working within the Larkin Campus."
Carmina says the plan also calls for commercial space, adding the Cincinnati developers have brought some fresh ideas to the table.
"They're really into green markets and the retail side of it," says Carmina, "So we're looking to create an area with in the building that will provide for some of the needs of the tenants which would be produce and sundries and bread and things of that nature so they won't have to leave the building to go shopping in the winter time when we get snowed in."
Carmina expects construction should begin in the spring of next year, with completion slated for 12 months later.
