BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — About a half dozen businesses along a highly visible block of Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo will soon be forced to leave.
Ciminelli Real Estate tells 7 Eyewitness News it is ending leases early for tenants on Elmwood between Bidwell Parkway and Potomac. The development company says it is planning interior renovations of the properties on that block.
"Renovation work would be extensive and would be disruptive to any existing tenants. As such, we are exercising the lease provision for early termination so that work there can proceed when plans are complete," said Anne Duggan, vice president of marketing and public relations.
Duggan says no exterior demolition will take place. Ciminelli will begin notifying tenants "within the next few days," she said.
The businesses affected include Rin Thai Bistro, Red Door Real Estate, Fuse Salon, Gutter Pop Comics and All Image Graphics.
Dave Hone of All Image said he had heard he and neighboring businesses would be evicted soon but still hasn't received official word.
"Apparently we needed to vacate our premises by January first," Horne said. "Nobody notified me, nobody sent a certified letter."
Hone said he spent last winter remodeling his small business, and has a two-year lease.
"We were considering extending it beyond that," he said. "We just moved up to Buffalo this last year, and we're just opening our first location here."
A separate development project, which did involve the demolition of three properties, is underway a block north on Elmwood. Whitesand Family LP has begun work on a mixed-use project next to the longtime home of Bullfeathers.
