Eckhardt Lofts opens at Broadway-Fillmore

The former Eckardt’s department store is coming back to life, but instead of buying clothes or household goods, visitors will soon be shopping for apartments.

Cedarland Development Group is nearing completion of its $13.5 million redevelopment of the former store at 950 Broadway into Eckhardt Lofts, with 28 affordable apartments. The company accepted lease applications until Tuesday and held its lottery to award the apartments on Wednesday.

Located on the corner of Broadway and Fillmore Avenue, the long-vacant but prominent three-story structure features a rounded Art Moderne facade of granite, terra cotta and stainless steel, and sits at the heart of what had been a thriving commercial district. .

It underwent a year-long rehabilitation and renovation that began in May 2023, following several years of planning, municipal approvals and financing, and more than 10 years of ownership by Cedarland.

The upper two floors contain 10 studios, 12 one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments.

The 50,000 square foot building will also house the Eckhardt Academy, a free Head Start early childhood education program operated by the Community Action Organization of Western New York, which will occupy the entire first floor of the building, totaling 12,000 square feet squares of space. Commercial space. The workers finalize the last details and the CAO finalizes the preparations before moving in. The nursery school will welcome more than 55 families, for children aged two to four years old.

Built in 1940, the building served as a department store until 1957, but was later converted to offices, including for the state Department of Labor. It has been vacant for 18 years and was underutilized before that.

The project is a key part of the revitalization of the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, alongside projects such as Playter Gardens housing, Broadway Market and the Central Terminal redevelopment project. Cedarland says it is also working on other affordable housing development projects in the city, particularly on the East Side, and is looking for a service provider to partner with.

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Four years after a long-vacant lakeside restaurant in Silver Creek was destroyed in an arson attack, the new Hideaway Bay Resort is open as a high-end “glamping” and entertainment destination.

Adventure Sports Development, a Silver Creek-based recreational space developer owned by Kevin Cullen, has partnered with Tundo Construction & Design of Blasdell to redevelop the 3.6-acre site at 42 Lake Ave. in the village, after acquiring the remains of the Hideaway. Chautauqua County Land Bank Bay Restaurant.

The four-season resort offers kayaking, paddleboarding and kitesurfing, as well as walking trails. In-house fishing guides and educational birding events are also available. Boat tours on Lake Erie were also offered in the future.

Accommodations include 10 furnished waterfront chalets of 360 square feet each. There is also a two-story, 4,080-square-foot building with an upscale farm-to-table restaurant and bar called Drift, open to the public, as well as banquet rental space for events.

The resort will be owned by 42 Lake Erie LLC, which includes Cullen, his wife Christian, and Gene and Mathew Tundo. The Cullens also have an affiliated business, SUP Erie Adventures, which will manage recreational programming. SUP Erie already offers water sports such as paddleboarding, kayaking and kitesurfing at Sunset Bay and Mickey Rats.

The $2 million project benefited from a low-interest loan of $491,210 through the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency and a state loan of $434,000 $, as well as $121,000 in sales and mortgage tax breaks and a payment in lieu of taxes agreement over 15 years. of the CCIDA. Work began in June 2023.

Staub Precision Machine, a Hamburg contract manufacturer of high-volume components, has begun construction of a 60,000 square foot manufacturing facility that will allow the company to consolidate production lines, streamline manufacturing and consolidate its manufacturing work under one roof.

The new building is the first of two strategic phases to advance Staub’s capabilities and support its growth. It will house a variety of new milling, turning and finishing equipment needed to perform work for customers in the aerospace, medical, technology and communications industries.

It will also include a temperature-controlled quality zone with a centralized cooling system, a new “uninterrupted power source” to avoid downtime due to power outages, and a dedicated logistics zone whose layout will better manage inventory.

Located on the company’s existing campus at 3 Staub Drive, it will span 10 acres, adjacent to two other Staub buildings. Construction began earlier this year and is expected to be completed in mid-to-late 2025. During construction, production continues at the company’s other facilities.

A Canadian developer plans to transform the former Howard Johnson Hotel in Niagara Falls into a music room.

Details of cases filed with the court financial problems of the woman accused of a kite check scheme that cost Five Start Bank $18 million.

Renovation of historic Niagara Falls hotel is get back on track.

Buyers are feel the consequences of the Tops Markets warehouse strike.

New Era Cap Co. signed an Olympic-sized deal.

Evaluation of Station Twelve retail project stalled was cut.

Warehouse workers in the most striking markets are go back to work.

Workers at the Tops Markets warehouse on Genesee Street rejected another contract offer.

New Era Co. Cap makes a big deal.

Even in the hot real estate market, some sellers are pull too high.

Scrapyard project in Buffalo has neighbors Rebell.

Labatt United States is abandon your offices in the cobbled neighborhood.

South Buffalo cannabis facility gets a new operator.

ACV Auctions CEO touts the value of a support system for startups.

A new look arrives at the Anciennes Editions bookstore.

Two local community colleges have new presidents.

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. A closer look at the Rails on the main apartment project.

2. The Buffalo Niagara region people’s problem is getting worse − and it’s bad for business.

3. 43Winner North Bounce Imaging has a chance to work more with the Ministry of Defense.

4. Where is all the steel for the new Buffalo Bills stadium? derived from?

5. ‘It’s terrible’: Family Dollar closings will wipe out six East Side stores.

The Buffalo Next team gives you insight into the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to [email protected] or contact Buffalo Next editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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