Proposals for a second Emerson Hospitality School are not due until February 1 but we know about one site being submitted for consideration. Rocco Termini’s Signature Development and Uniland Development Company are teaming up and proposing the school anchor a $70 million mixed-use project that would be built on Ellicott Street south of E. Tupper Street.

The state-of-the-art culinary and hospitality school and restaurant would occupy a Uniland-owned site at 505 Ellicott Street where an office building has been planned. The development team applied for site plan approval yesterday to ensure the district’s fall 2018 deadline can be met, if they are selected. The proposed school is similar to the successful Emerson School of Hospitality on Chippewa Street and would include classrooms, kitchens, a bakery, offices, a banquet facility and a public restaurant.

The school-restaurant would add dining and event amenities to the pedestrian-friendly and restaurant-infused street for the benefit of the area’s many businesses and visitors. The site would offer ramp parking along Oak Street where Termini had proposed a micro-unit apartment complex and a new office building at the corner of Ellicott and E. Tupper streets that Uniland will construct and manage. Discussions are underway with prospective tenants according to Uniland officials.

Architecture, engineering and interior design firm Carmina Wood Morris has been retained as part of the Uniland-Signature team given its extensive experience designing public schools.

“We have experience meeting deadlines and exceeding client expectations,” said Uniland Vice President Michael Montante. “We look forward to the opportunity to share our proposal with the school district. Our collaboration with Rocco means that we have an even stronger team well-versed in education and hospitality development and management in the city of Buffalo.”

“I am excited to partner with Uniland and its team of experts on the school project,” said Termini. “Combining my site on Oak Street with Uniland’s properties on Ellicott Street literally expands our options to create the best proposal. This location puts the students right on Ellicott with its pedestrian and vehicular traffic from the adjacent residences, offices, restaurants, markets and Theater District destinations plus the Medical Campus two blocks north. I’d say we have all the right ingredients for a successful project.”

Uniland recently completed The Delaware North Building, a 12-story mixed use development combining modern offices, The Westin Buffalo, Patina 250 and Jake’s Cafe which has received several local and regional awards and is currently a finalist for a statewide development award. Uniland has numerous schools, hotels and restaurants in its development, construction and operating portfolios.

Termini’s projects include the restoration of the Hotel @ The Lafayette, the former Webb Lofts, AM&A’s Warehouse Lofts, Oak School Lofts, IS Lofts and Ellicott Lofts south of the project site, and numerous other mixed-use projects and restaurants in the city.

The Board of Education cancelled plans for a second Emerson School in the Trico complex last fall after citing a lack of progress by developer Krog Corp. A new RFP for sites was issued in December.