Work is underway on a mixed use project, on the East Side near Canisius College. This is an exciting project for many reasons, including the people behind the project – Developer Karl Frizlen, along with Jason Yots (Preservation Studios). Once complete, the former 40,000 square foot manufacturing building-turned-warehouse at 170 Florida Street will feature 34 apartments, as well as a headquarters for Preservation Studios. The preservation firm will occupy 2000 square feet of the building.

It’s great to see this project underway, as it bodes well for the East Side of the city. Recently, as the West Side of the city has been harder and harder to tap into, developers and realtors have been looking eastward. There are endless opportunities to shore up neighborhoods, many of which need minor infill. Other city blocks are completely barren of housing, which should be looked at as further opportunity.

East Side commercial streets are starting to show signs of promise. A number of grassroots and neighborhood organizations are gaining ground. And everyone is waiting to hear whether the Central Terminal will be chosen for the new Amtrak Station. Even without the Central Terminal project, the East Side is the next logical step for investors looking to take part in the city’s renaissance. It will start in key pockets, close to Main Street, near the Medical Campus and Larkinville, and will hug the commercial streets – Main, Bailey, Fillmore and Jefferson. There are logical moves to be made when it comes to investing on the East Side.

This recent $6 million project by Frizlen, Yots and Wilson is a no brainer. There is plenty of residential density surrounding the project, and relatively strong neighborhood block clubs, not to mention the close proximity of Canisius College. It made even more sense that a team familiar with historic preservation projects and tax credits is tackling this fascinating project. I can’t wait to see this property upon completion.