Plans for new 18-story skyscraper in Buffalo

About 350 cars can fit in the parking lot at 201 Ellicott Street. One Buffalo developer thinks a lot more can go into the city block in downtown.

Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation looks jam a lot into the space.

Starting from the ground up the mixed use development would include:

An underground parking garage that would fit 800 cars. 

A green space, the size of a hockey rink, with plans of using the neighboring building as a movie screen.

Street level includes 44,000 square feet for retail, including a grocery store. Topps officials say it will be a concept store know as, Orchard Fresh.

“That's desperately needed downtown, right now,” said Michael Tunkey with Cannon Design.

Moving up the building, there would be two structures. One would be a four-story apartment building.
The other is above the grocery store and would have three levels of office space, topped with 12 more stories for apartments and condos. The location would have 200 apartments of varying size and price.

In total, the tallest building will stretch 18 stories into the sky 

Developers are calling this project a bridge that will connect neighborhoods and a magnet that will attract new people downtown.

“People will live here, work here, play here, and we're really excited about the energy that it's going to bring to this site,” said Denise Juron-Borgese of Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation.

“I think there is enough people in the area to make it work,” said Dennis Penman, the executive vice president of Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation.

The plan isn't set in stone. The developers are encouraging public input. The best way to do that is to go to 201ellicott.com.