Remington Lofts on the Canal
Published:Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 9:06am
By: Mark Byrnes
WNY Media.net
I stepped a bit out of my traditional environment and over into Niagara County to get a sneak peek at another Kissling project; the Remington Lofts on the Canal. Its a high-end work/live project on a big scale. Eighty-one units of work/live lofts, indoor parking, a high end yoga and fitness studio, restaurant, hair salon and cosmotology school, rooftop garden, and commercial space all along the Erie Canal.
Most apartment projects in the region either struggle to land 1st floor tenants or don’t even design their projects to have 1st floor retail but in the case of this project, three large commercial spaces are created and already spoken for. Leon’s Studio One; A hair salon/beauty school will take up one space while the other will be occupied by “15 Mile”: A restaurant ran by executive chef, Scott Rossi who has been executive chef at Park Central Hotel, the Millennium at U.N. Plaza and the Roosevelt Hotel-some of Manhattan’s best restaurants. The restaurant will have a brick oven in clear view for diners and an outdoor patio facing the water. Mark Drost, owner/operator of Evolation Yoga will run the Yoga studio and fitness facility.
Walking on the roof provided a great panorama of the area and a nice reminder of not only its proximity to water but to Canada as well as downtown Buffalo and even closer-UB’s North Campus area. As the region attempts to emphasize its proximity for Canadian businesses, spaces like these are sure to be a good place for a smaller Canadian firm that isn’t ready to commit or isn’t big enough to afford CBD office prices yet but need the high-end image. For local small startups its a great benefit to Niagara County since spaces like these are typically only available in Buffalo.
Residents who want to start a business and run it out of their apartment may be eligible to receive incentives from the small business development center through Niagara County. You won’t feel embarrassed inviting clients to your home office because it will be just as good as a typical downtown office space with great views and a convenient place for a power lunch downstairs. Resident amenities include dry cleaning, food service, on top of 24-hour maintenance and security. Residents will also get special discounts on things like auto repairs as Kissling has partnered up with nearby businesses to provide discounted services for its tenants.
Besides the amenities and financial incentives, the spaces themselves have the great charm you can only get from an old industrial building. Some very large industrial equipment on the 1st floor, large supporting fluted columns throughout the interior, 14 foot floor to ceiling windows from its time as a daylight factory, and restored radiators.
This is a one of a kind project for this area. Buffalo is typically the local city that gets the benefit of seeing its industrial-era buildings receive new life but now downtown Tonawanda will get a huge shot in the arm along its waterfront as a sprawling and long neglected industrial property will no longer be a hindrance but a great asset to
everyone who experiences the waterfront.
everyone who experiences the waterfront.
15 Mile should be open by Spring/ Early Summer 2010 and the first round of residents should be moving in around the same time. For more information contact The Kissling Interests at 716.853.2787 x 106