BUFFALO, N.Y. — Developers and neighbors are still trying to work out concerns over the Elmwood Crossing project which involves the former Women and Children's Hospital property on Bryant Street in Buffalo.
Buffalo Common Council is reviewing the planning and what those nearby residents are seeking.
You can see that work is underway on portions of the Elmwood Crossing project that is basically reusing the old 8-acre hospital complex site on Bryant and other streets near Elmwood.
And the newer buildings known as The Pardee and Edu-Kids are open for business.
But as everyone knows it's taking a long time for other structures - especially the old hospital buildings. Niagara District Councilman David Rivera says, "Because of delays, because of COVID, because of the market, because of the grocers who couldn't go in that location. But people are frustrated because they have to live in the shadows of those buildings. They live there."
Indeed the original grocery store idea has been dropped as potential merchants pulled out. Now there is a revised idea for more residential townhouses and apartments. But it must be done under a PUD or Planned Unit Development agreement for large-scale projects.
Residents claim that the process, which must be okayed by the city council as well, has some concerning holes for them at this point. That is even though it was already passed by the city planning.
Anne Murphy said, "They are not working with a specific plan and are actually asking for the flexibility to disregard the rules and regulations set out by the Green Code and Elmwood Village standards."
Ellen Malone told council members, "I'm asking that you table it or reject it and have it rewritten to reflect all of these changes that are sort of being negotiated."
Members of the co-development team of Ellicott Development and Sinatra Real Estate say they are willing to provide those specific answers in order to go forward.
Vice President of Development Matt Connors of Sinatra Real Estate said, "We've had to make changes in plans but the overall program summary of it really remains the same. We're saving 90 percent of the entire campus essentially and we're just adding more residential density to an already thriving Elmwood Village area."
Another community meeting for neighbors and the developers hosted by Councilman Rivera is set for next Wednesday evening July 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Frank Sedita School on Vermont Street.