BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The future of the former AM&A's building in downtown Buffalo is back in the spotlight after a foreclosure lawsuit was recently filed in Erie County Supreme Court.
Lender BP3 Capital LLC claims the building's owners, 377 Main Street Realty Inc., failed to repay a $1 million commercial loan and is seeking foreclosure and sale of the property.
The building on Washington Street has sat vacant for more than two decades and has long been considered an eyesore in the heart of downtown Buffalo — a stark contrast to its former status as a crown jewel of Main Street's golden age.
WATCH: Foreclosure lawsuit adds new layer to long legal battle over former AM&A's building in Buffalo
Jeff Boyer, a shift lead at Public Espresso inside the nearby Hotel Lafayette, said he is well acquainted with the building that sits only steps from where he works.
"If one wants to call it an eyesore, they could. It's just kind of sitting there being quiet, just ghostly almost," Boyer said.
Stephen Hunt, a managing member of Brisbane Realty Associates LLC, owns the Brisbane Building next door to the former AM&A's, which is currently undergoing redevelopment. He said the vacant structure reflects broader challenges in the area.
"It kind of symbolizes the market conditions that exist," Hunt said.
Hunt acknowledged that while possibilities exist for the building, resolving the legal disputes between competing ownership claimants will not happen quickly.
"I think there's things that can be done with it, but it's gonna probably take a long time for the legalities between the competing owners to settle this," Hunt said.
Fillmore District Council Member Mitch Nowakowski said the new foreclosure lawsuit only adds to what he describes as a complicated legal dispute over ownership — one that has already produced significant financial consequences for the city.
In September 2024, the Buffalo Common Council approved a nearly $700,000 lien for emergency repairs to the property. According to Nowakowski, the building also owes outstanding tax bills to both the city and Erie County.
Nowakowski said the ownership question must be resolved before the city can take meaningful action.
"I'm left with vacancy and abandonment and out-of-town landlords from Queens fighting about who owns it. It's absolutely ridiculous," Nowakowski said.
He said the matter now rests with the court.
"We're relying on ultimately Judge Licata to come down and render a decision to make this dispute settled and to hold one person accountable for the future of the building," Nowakowski said.
Once ownership is established, Nowakowski said the city will have a clearer path forward — including the possibility of municipal foreclosure if financial obligations go unmet.
"Once an owner is identified, then whoever is the prevailing winner that owns it, they could pay their bills or what they owe in the structure, but if they don't come up with that significant amount of money, the city can move towards foreclosure," Nowakowski said.
We reached out to the plaintiff's attorney in the foreclosure lawsuit, but have not heard back. We also requested more information on next steps from the mayor's office and will update this story as soon as we learn more.
