Developer Joe Caruba is running into opposition over his plans for an Old First Ward site. Before submitting an application to the City, “residents and friends” of the Old First Ward, led by Julie Lundquist, have started a petition opposing the potential residential project next to Mutual Riverfront Park and across the Buffalo River from Silo City.
Carubba has been working with Elev8 Architecture on plans for a residential project at South and Hamburg streets. A massing plan on the Elev8 website shows four buildings with 138 residential units and 3,090 sq.ft. of restaurant space along the river.
As of this morning, 107 people are opposed to it. Details from the “Keep the Old First Ward Green” petition on change.org:
We, the residents and friends of Buffalo’s historic Old First Ward, vehemently oppose JC Properties’ plan to build 95 units of housing in four large buildings, proposed for the corner of Hamburg Street and South Street. The largest of the buildings would loom over the waterfront, directly across the street from Mutual Riverfront Park.
The units would bring an unprecedented increase in traffic to an area that is already busy with kayakers and local residents, on a corner that is much too narrow for this huge development. It would develop large scale residences in an area that is a high risk flood zone. The development would prevent the enjoyment of local and non-local residents from enjoying recreational activities (kayaking and fishing), and irrevocably impair residents’ and visitors’ view of the Buffalo River and its historic grain elevators.
Additionally, it would bring a sudden and massive influx of shorter-term residents and the extra activity that comes with them, potentially compromising the safety of the Ward’s longstanding close-knit community.
We ask that the project be rejected unless JC Properties is ready to shift their proposal to a less intrusive plan that is acceptable to those who stand to be negatively impacted by it.
Keep the Old First Ward green indeed.