One Seneca Tower: To Demolish Or To Sell?

The One Seneca Tower is a historic landmark in the City of Buffalo. But after gracing the skies for over two decades, the building is now nearly empty and up for sale. Some local experts say, selling it, though expensive, is the much safer option.

According to Business First, Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation, one of Buffalo's premiere development companies, says the building should be demolished. But Brian Kulpa, the Mayor of Williamsville and a well-known architect says, that's not a feasible option. 

"The bottom line is we have infrastructure, we have roads that we need to keep open. We have a lot of things surrounding this building that need to be accessible and we can't allow the building to just come down on top of that infrastructure, " he said. 

Demolishing the building, Kulpa says, would require time and strategy. Implosion is out of the question - especially for a building that high in stature and its bustling location.

One thing is clear, whether the building is re-purposed or demolished it will be costly. Experts say, demolishing the building could cost upwards of $35 million dollars. Renovating the skyscraper, would cost an additional $65 million dollars more - which the City says, is not readily available at the moment. 

For now, the building will stand until it is bought or a majority decision can be made.