Tom Palamuso takes great pride in his home on Granger Place. He has for the last 43 years. “The neighbors have changed often but it's always been a friendly environment,” he said.
Palamuso lives a stone's throw from the corner of Elmwood and Forest Avenues. So, there’s no doubt he will feel the impacts of any development there. And he said the latest proposal is something he can get behind. “They've now come back to use with a project that is far superior to anything we've seen previously.”
Chason Affinity Companies is now proposing a five-story design that includes 57 condos on the upper floors and retail space at the ground level. The top two stories would be built further back from the roadway to give it a three-story feel. It would also include an underground parking garage. “The scale of the project, the detailing of the project, the materials being used all have been improved,” said Palamuso.
Luli Smith also approves of the plan. She thinks something needs to be done to improve that area. “Change is necessary. Those houses have not been taken care of to my mind. It's been mostly unattractive section of Elmwood.”
The developer hasn't submitted its proposal to the city yet. Right now, it's in the process of getting community input from those who would be impacted the most. “The opportunity to have people who live in the neighborhood, shop in the neighborhood, walk everywhere is a great thing for the city and a great thing for the Elmwood Village,” said Elmwood Village Association Board President, Wendy Sanders.
Chason Affinity plans to hold a public hearing on the plan on July 11 at the Buffalo Seminary at 7:00 P.M. From there, the developer will still need approval from the planning board and the zoning board of appeals before this project can move forward.
