BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A former North Buffalo bowling alley could soon be replaced by a five-story mixed-use development featuring 229 apartment units and commercial space.
The proposed project would transform the former Voelker’s Lanes site, a longtime neighborhood gathering place that closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and was demolished last year after officials determined the building was unsafe.
Connor Kenney, co-managing partner of SAA Canopy Group, said the project has received final site plan approval from the Buffalo Planning Board. The development team is now advancing the design and working to finalize financing, he said.
Plans call for a five-story building with 229 apartment units and commercial space on the first floor. Kenney said the development would also include affordable housing and a public art display on the building’s Elmwood Avenue facade.
The project is planned for one of the busiest areas in the city, Kenney said, adding that the new building is intended to make a significant change to the prominent corner.
Developers say the project is designed to maintain a connection to the history of the former bowling alley while adding housing and commercial activity to North Buffalo.
The apartments are expected to include modern finishes and amenities, including stainless steel appliances, in-unit washers and dryers, ceramic tile and other updated features, Kenney said.
For nearby resident Frank Winiarski, the redevelopment would bring a new chapter to a site he has known for decades.
WATCH: Former Voelker’s Lanes site could see new housing development in North Buffalo
Winiarski, who has lived in Buffalo his entire life and now lives three blocks from the property, said the development could benefit both residents and nearby businesses.
“It would be perfect, actually, because I grew up here,” Winiarski said. “The area could use it. It would be good for the whole area with the stores and that.”
North District Common Council member Joseph Golombek said the additional housing density would be a positive addition to the neighborhood.
“We need the density. We need that space in the city of Buffalo,” Golombek said. “I think that will be a good addition for that corner for years to come.”
Winiarski said he believes apartments would fit well in a neighborhood he sees as continuing to grow.
Developers said construction could begin next year, pending the completion of financing and remaining project preparations.
