'Very unfortunate': City of Buffalo takes next step in acquiring Buffalo Grand Hotel

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It's been four months since the City of Buffalo took the first step in taking over the Buffalo Grand Hotel downtown, and leaders are now planning to file an abandonment proceeding in court.

"It's very unfortunate that it continues to fall into further disrepair," said Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon. "That's why it's important we move on this now before it reaches a point that we can't come back from."

The building has had many challenges over the years, sitting vacant since 2022.

WATCH: City of Buffalo takes next step in acquiring Buffalo Grand Hotel

At a press conference on Thursday, Scanlon went through a laundry list of code and housing violations at the building and said this year alone, there have been 66 calls to 911 about the hotel.

"There have been no permits filed, no serious action taken place on the part of the owner," said Scanlon. "It's a public safety drain on our police resources. There's a clear pattern of neglect."

On the same day of the press conference, there was a fire outside the building.

WKBW Staff

Scanlon says the owner owes around $357,000 in unpaid taxes and bills.

What's the next step?
City attorneys will file a notice of intent to commence an abandonment proceeding in the next two weeks.

That move gives the owner 45 days before the city moves to the New York State Supreme Court and files a petition to be heard.

There would then be 15 days' notice after that petition is filed.

"We're gonna do what we can to expedite that as much as possible," said Robert E. Quinn, Acting Corporation Counsel.

What is the owner saying?
I spoke to Harry Stinson on the phone and he says they are working on getting the financing and that they're very close.

"It is unfortunate that these repeated threats keep resetting the lenders," said Stinson. "This process continues to be counterproductive."

He says his objective is still to get the hotel open.

"We have never abandoned the building, we will never abandon the building," said Stinson.

In July, Stinson's legal team told 7 News he had secured a lender, a hotel operator, and a construction manager for the property.

“We need action, not just talk; we have seen that in the past,” Scanlon said in July.