Sporting a new look in an old school

One of the city’s newest affordable housing projects is now open.

A Rochester-area nonprofit agency specializing in helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has completed the conversion of an East Side public school into 46 affordable apartments, including eight reserved for people with disabilities, with access to on-site support services.

Webster-based CDS Life Transitions and CDS Monarch spent $19 million to convert the vacant former School 78 at 321 Olympic Ave. in Olympic Avenue apartments.

The project – which also includes space for community programs and services, as well as offices for CDS and WNY Independent Living – includes 43 one- and three-bedroom units aimed at households earning 60 percent or less of the area median income. region.

“CDS Monarch saw that there was a great need in the Buffalo community for affordable multi-family housing and supportive housing, and we decided to fill that need,” said Andrew Sewnauth, CEO of CDS Life Transitions and executive director of CDS Monarch.

Built in 1927 at 321 Olympic Ave., off Kensington Expressway, the 81,563-square-foot building most recently housed a Montessori school program before it closed. It is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The city selected CDS as the designated developer for the project, which was initially approved in December 2018 with completion expected in 2020, but was repeatedly delayed due to financing issues.

Historic preservation work included restoration of brick and stone masonry, repair of historic windows, a decorative metal railing and interior plaster, and removal of dropped ceilings that hid the historic floor height. The auditorium has been transformed into a community center where local nonprofit organizations can provide services to low-income residents and community members.

It also includes a playground, community garden, community room and exercise room to make the neighborhood more family friendly.

The project was funded by $9.6 million in low-income housing tax credits, $2.75 million in federal and state historic tax credits, a $2.4 million investment from housing trust funds from New York Homes and Community Renewal, $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Federal Housing Trust Fund, $500,000 from the state’s Better Buffalo Fund and $46,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

“Affordable housing is a critical need in Erie County, and the completion of the Olympic Avenue Apartments is great news as they add much-needed living space for low-income households and people with disabilities,” said Mark C. Poloncarz, Erie County Executive.

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Two local school districts in Erie and Niagara counties are launching major renovation and modernization projects.

The Hamburg Central School District is launching improvements at its Armor, Boston and Charlotte elementary schools as well as Hamburg High School as part of its building improvement efforts. Work will focus on upgrading mechanical systems, finishing interior walls, modernizing classrooms and improving auditoriums, with new seating, new flooring and fresh paint.

Meanwhile, the Niagara Wheatfield Central School District will begin renovating Niagara Wheatfield High School, Edward Town Middle School, Colonial Village Elementary School and the district’s bus garage, starting in early June. The project includes interior hallway and stairway improvements, ADA ramps, interior foundations, concrete and base work, ceiling and structural reinforcement, and reconfiguration of interior spaces.

Both projects are managed by Concept Construction Corp.

In an effort to advance its plans for the Northland corridor, the Buffalo Urban Development Corp. last week approved a contract of up to $6.46 million with Frey Electric Construction Co. to purchase and install new electrical equipment at a former substation.

Upgrading the aging facility at 644 Northland Ave. is a key part of the third phase of redevelopment of the former industrial area on Buffalo’s east side, which is now home to the Northland Workforce Training Center, Buffalo Manufacturing Works and several light industrial or advanced manufacturing companies .

The improvements are necessary to ensure Northland tenants will have enough electricity to power their operations.

Frey beat out a competing offer from Eaton Corp. The contract would be paid for with grants from the Empire State Development Corp. and the Federal Economic Development Agency.

The project originally called for the installation of a community solar array and battery storage system as well as a substation to create a microgrid for the neighborhood and provide capacity for growth future. But BUDC officials said National Grid told them that “current standards” would not allow that combination and that projected costs exceeded what BUDC had anticipated, so officials withdrew their plans for it. moment.

WNY Metro Roberts Realty, an independent real estate agency owned by Jim Roberts, is expanding into Niagara County for the first time with a new office in Lockport.

The brokerage, which already has 10 offices in Western New York, will open its new location on the first floor of Suite 38 at Lockview Plaza on Main Street this summer. This follows the summer 2023 opening of an office in Warsaw, Wyoming County, which marked the company’s first office outside of Erie County.

Metro Roberts, which ranks among the five largest local brokerages, has 370 licensed real estate agents.

A new look arrives at the Anciennes Editions bookstore.

Two local community colleges have new presidents.

A Brookings report predicts High increase for Buffalo Niagara manufacturers.

Senior Vice President of Marketing Strategy and Public Relations Leaves Her Position at 43 North.

Rainbow Air advances in Niagara Falls helicopter tourism facility.

West Seneca urges Pyramid to sell Seneca Shopping Center site.

Buffalo remains essential to HSBC’s day-to-day operations, said HSBC president and CEO HSBC North America Investments.

National Grid research a big increase in residential electricity rates.

The Hauptman-Woodward Research Institute is merger with UB.

HSBC declares itself to be Buffalo Niagara grouping of offices is complete.

Shake Shack is I come to Amherst.

Schumer worried about Canadian immigration policy heavy traffic on the bridge.

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. 43Winner North Bounce Imaging has a chance to work more with the Ministry of Defense.

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

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

4. Do personal seat licenses retain their value? Here’s what happened in other NFL markets.

5. How does a SUNY school stands for his efforts to encourage students who had dropped out of college to return to the classroom.

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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