BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The long-awaited mixed-use complex at the corner of Elmwood and Bidwell appears to be approaching a final push toward completion.
Douglas Development, the company spearheading the project to redevelop several historic buildings into a mix of apartments and retail, told me that work is expected to resume in the next 30 days. Completion is expected before the end of the year.
Mary, a resident of the Elmwood Village for 45 years, said the project can't move forward quickly enough.
“I walk by this every day...I’m like, let’s go," said Mary. "We are always so happy that the facade is being kept, but it’s just so ugly. When is this thing going to be done?”
"It always takes longer. It always costs more," said Douglas Jemal, founder of Douglas Development, in a recent interview.
The project, which was initially proposed in the summer of 2021, has since encountered numerous construction challenges and delays.
Among the challenges are the unexpected structural issues discovered upon starting construction.
“When we got into it, everything was rotten; there was no salvaging it," Jemal explained. "So we had to reinforce the storefronts, which was a huge expense, and put in a concrete building.”
The project has also had multiple redesigns before receiving final approval from the city in December 2024.
"This will be a high-quality project in a fabulous neighborhood," said Paul Millstein, Vice President of Douglas Development Corporation. “We will absolutely have this back in production in the next 30 days. We will have it online by the end of the year, the hard part is done."
A notable shift in the project's plans includes the withdrawal of Community Beer Works as the anchor tenant, a decision confirmed by the business’s Director of Operations, Chris Groves.
In a statement to 7 News, Groves said in part, "CBW has decided to concentrate its resources on optimizing at the Chandler Street facility and its existing locations."
Despite the change, Millstein noted a growing interest from various potential retailers.
“We’re getting requests from several types of retailers, anything from restaurants to breweries to wine bars to a coffee bar to high-end salons and spa-type uses," he said.
Millstein said future tenants will be confirmed as construction nears completion.
"At the end of the day, it'll be the right product and that's what matters," said Millstein.
Here is the full statement from Chris Groves from Community Beer Works
"We are no longer part of the Elmwood/Bidwell project and haven't been for over a year. CBW has decided to concentrate its resources on optimizing operations at the Chandler Street facility and its existing locations. Our focus aims to ensure the continued production of high-quality Community Beer Works (CBW), Thin Man, and Smoldered Society beers and to support the company's growth objectives. As for plans for the future, we are laying them right now and aren't ready to share details just yet. Stay tuned!"
