Hotel, more coming to Erie Basin Marina

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - In his 2013 State of the City address, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown talked about the revitalization of the city's waterfront, including a new $75 million project from developer Carl Paladino.

The Buffalo Sabres edged out Paladino in the bid to develop the Webster Block. But the city liked Paladino's plan enough to steer him toward another spot. Ellicott Development now plans to build a $75 million complex right next to Templeton landing, overlooking Erie Basin Marina.

The complex will be 14-stories high and include 32 apartments, and an upscale hotel with a pool, a gym and an outdoor greenroof.

"Where they could have outside banquets and take advantage of the beautiful views and beautiful presence of that area," Paladino said.

Paladino has two other projects in Buffalo right now, including one at the Greystone Building on Johnson Park off Delaware. Forty-two new apartments are under construction there.

"We're starting to build walls and I would expect that by late summer we'll be finished with The Greystone," Paladino said.

But one project that is on hold for now is 50 Court Street, where Paladino had planned to build an office building until the recession hit.

Paladino explained, "The office space market in Buffalo doesn't really exist."

But on the waterfront project, he is including new office space, and expects to have no problem filling it.

"The big advantage to it is that it was one 76,000-foot floor plate," Paladino said.

And it will have an upfront view of Lake Erie.

Paladino says after he receives approval from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, he hopes to break ground in about a year and finish the project about a year and a half later.