'Canal Side' unveiled

This morning, the ECHDC unveiled their most updated/refined concepts for ‘Canal Side’ and it look very promising. Sadly this will take a bit of time to be seen in concrete form but we should start seeing it moving along besides the Aud demolition starting in 2010.

Here are some new aspects of the project that stood out to me…

Benderson Development, which is responsible for all the privately funded sites within Canal Side, said it has refocused its tenant targets from primarily retail users to a broader mix that emphasizes restaurants, bars, entertainment, office and residential.

‘There will be a great mix of recognizable national and local retailers and restaurants’

Bass Pro also plans to bring an entertainment venue to the Aud site. The retailer will open either an Islamorada Fish Co. restaurant or a Fish Bowl, a concept that combines dining and bowling.

there will likely be at least two more “junior anchor” retailers in the 50,000-to-75,000-square-foot range, plus a couple of high-profile restaurant chains. The developer declined to name names but said his firm has a continuing dialogue with several potential tenants.

‘There’s a core group of folks who have maintained their interest over the past 18 months, and once the Aud comes down and this all becomes more tangible, we’ll be in a position to lock them in’

What stands out the most about the project is the new canals that will surround the district. The water is what will make this project work to the degree the planners expect it to. I’m actually a bit glad to see a more modest retail presence on the sight. I’m no economist but the retail sector of the Buffalo area feels quite saturated, add that to a consistently shrinking population and unstable national retail market and you have yourself a risky situation.

The project will be residential-heavy, which is fantastic. Once the new infrastructure of this site is laid out I think there will be few places in the region as interesting to live in as this site. Canals, public green space, museums, light rail, HSBC arena, the central business district…this has the makings of a dynamic place.

And the best part about this project…the money is already in place.

Jordan Levy said during the press conference something I’ve been saying for a long time. This site is a draw during warm seasons for the water, a draw in the winter because of the arena, it is at the edge of the CBD, it has Marine Drive and Waterfront Village, it has a diverse transportation infrastructure. All of these elements will make this project work. It will transform the image of downtown Buffalo single handedly.

Work can’t move at a fast enough pace.

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