A look at the week ahead

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of New York on Tuesday will release Buffalo bankruptcy filing figures for September.

The state Department of Labor will hold a job fair from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Buffalo Police C-District Station, at 693 E. Ferry St. More than a dozen employers are registered to participate. Attendees are asked to bring copies of their resume and wear professional attire.

Jacob Stiller's Forward Development is seeking six variances from the Buffalo Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday for his proposed six-story mixed-use construction project at 1707 Hertel Ave., at the southwest corner of Starin Avenue.

Stiller, who is also a Century 21 Northeast real estate agent, plans to buy the property from S&R Holdings 1707 LLC, demolish the Deep South Taco restaurant at the 0.36-acre site, and replace it with a 58,000-square-foot building, which will include 52,346 square feet of residential space, 7,197 square feet of commercial space and 24,600 square feet of underground parking across two levels.

Designed by Line 42 Architecture of East Aurora, the project will feature 52 one- and two-bedroom apartments on the upper floor, with the commercial space on the ground level. The building's sixth floor will include a rooftop deck area, along with a second-floor roof deck garden area above the commercial space. It also will have 10,000 square feet of green roof to mitigate stormwater.

However, at six stories and 65 feet in height, it is twice what is allowed by the Green Code, at three stories and 44 feet. So, he is asking for a variance, citing the location's "urban context" at two 100-foot-wide streets while noting a precedent from John Daly's 68.5-foot building at 1585 Hertel. He also said the height will allow for more units to make the project "more economically feasible."

Additional variances involve building coverage, setbacks and the step-back from the façade for the upper floors.

Also on Wednesday, but in Tonawanda, that town's Planning Board is still evaluating a proposal for two warehouse buildings totaling 19,440 square feet of space at 2042 Military Road, including an 8,640-square-foot building and a 10,800-square-foot building, with a maximum of 14 storage spaces between them.

It is also still considering a cannabis store at 440 Niagara Falls Blvd.; a National Fuel Gas Co. solar array at 2121-2141 Military Road; an 8,933-square-foot office and warehouse building with eight units of flex space at 817 Sheridan Drive; vehicle storage lots at 1520 Military and 100 Sawyer Ave.; conversion of an auto repair property at 3685 Delaware Ave. to retail; a 4,800-square-foot truck repair facility for John's Towing at 1121-1137 Sheridan; and a mixed-use project at 2939-2949 Elmwood Ave.

In Clarence, the town Planning Board on Wednesday will provide conceptual review of a proposed mixed-use project by Visone Co. Site Development, with multifamily housing and commercial space, at 8560-8574 Main St. That's the Harris Hill Square and an adjacent vacant and grassy lot.

Additionally, Dynabrade Inc. is proposing to construct a 90,000-square-foot light manufacturing and office building at 9035 Sheridan Drive. And Mattina Development wants to build a commercial plaza at the southeast corner of County Road and James Ryan Parkway. Those also will be reviewed in Clarence on Oct. 2, along with a detached garage structure that the Getzoni Agency wants to locate in the rear yard of 8427 Main.

To the south, the Hamburg Planning Board will hold public hearings on Wednesday for Buffalo Multi-Fit's proposed 3,000-square-foot addition to a building at 4110 St. Francis Drive, and for draft environmental impact statements related to a proposed subdivision by Parker Road Developers on the west side of Parker Road, south of Big Tree Road, and by Glen Wetzl to rezone property east and south of 4255 McKinley Parkway.

The panel is also reviewing a site plan application by ARR Holdings to construct five two-story, 12-unit multifamily apartment buildings at Southwestern Boulevard and Howard Drive.

Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy – from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com. 

THE LATEST

A battery storage facility is being proposed for a brownfield site in the Town of Tonawanda.

A grant to hold a conference about Jefferson Avenue development got approved, weeks after Mayor Byron Brown objected to it.

Former 43 North winner ShearShare and its co-founders have accumulated about $635,000 in unpaid and defaulted debt to M&T Bank.

Soft spots are starting to emerge in the Buffalo Niagara job market.

West Herr CEO Scott Bieler received the Buffalo Niagara Partnership's second annual Industry Leader Award.

The Buffalo Niagara Partnership has chosen the Cobblestone District for its new offices.

Plans for Western New York's tech hub are taking shape.

Rising costs push Zephyr to seek more aid for South Buffalo pot facility.

Upstate Niagara gets tax breaks for its big West Seneca expansion.

The pro soccer stadium search is down to two potential sites.

A big housing development on Chautauqua Lake is getting some pushback.

A brownfield loan could jump-start a stalled Jamestown affordable housing project.

How the local unemployment rate dropped, even though fewer people have jobs.

A Lackawanna warehouse project has been scrapped.

A Buffalo-based startup just raised $75 million from investors.

The owner of a former Model T showroom in Buffalo is expanding his delayed renovation project.

Neighbors aren't happy with a senior citizen housing project in Angola.

ICYMI

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. Local colleges – especially smaller ones – are having to get creative to keep their classes full.

2. Some neighbors of the new Buffalo Bills stadium hoped to make big money by selling their property. They're mostly still waiting.

3. Five challenges facing legal cannabis dispensaries.

4. A look at developer Douglas Jemal's downtown Buffalo empire.

5. Canadian trade is a big deal for the Buffalo Niagara region – and there are efforts afoot to make it even bigger.

The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the region’s economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.

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