Article via Buffalo Business First
by James Fink
In a sign that construction is about to begin on a proposed Elmwood Village project that will bring a restaurant and new apartments, Ellicott Development has closed on parcels its to construct the building.
Ellicott Development paid $1.2 million for the vacant Elmwood Delavan Food Mart property at 905 Elmwood Ave. and two adjoining West Delavan Avenue properties, according to documents filed in the Erie County Clerk’s Office.
With the properties now under its control, Ellicott Development will start prepping the properties for construction of the four-story building planned for the corner of Elmwood and Delavan avenues. The project carries a $10 million development price tag.
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The L-shaped building, designed by Kideney Architects, will be anchored by a 5,000-square-foot restaurant run by Henry Gorino and Chuck Mauro, as well as 21 apartments. Some additional street-level retail, roughly 1,500 square feet, is also planned.
The project is one of two Ellicott Development has in that immediate area. The company has plans to turn the former School 56 on West Delavan into a mixed-use project anchored by 33 apartments. That project was approved on July 28 by the Buffalo Planning Board.
Plans call for the Elmwood-West Delavan building to be tenant-ready next year.
The apartments will range in size from 850 square feet to 1,800 square feet and will be marketed to a more upscale residential base.
Gorino said the restaurant will include an outdoor patio overlooking Elmwood Avenue and a second floor patio, also overlooking Elmwood, that will be used for private parties. The restaurant, the fourth operated by the Gorino/Mauro tandem, will have a menu modeled after their Rocco’s operation on Transit Road in Clarence. Rocco’s features wood-oven cooked specialty pizzas and such side dishes as caesar salads.
Gorino said he hopes to employ as many as 85 workers at the still-to-be-named restaurant, many from the immediate Elmwood Avenue and West Side neighborhoods. Between their four restaurants, Gorino and Mauro will have more than 250 employees.
