Buffalo opens proposals for redevelopment of 2 St. Louis Place
Buffalo is seeking proposals to sell and redevelop 2 St. Louis Place, a five-unit building in the Allentown Historic District, with submissions due by 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11.
The city issued the request for proposals on July 8, seeking a qualified developer or development team with a plan for a mix of market-rate and workforce housing. No buyer, sale or final housing plan has been approved.
What Buffalo is offering
The property consists of five residential units in a three-story Italianate brick structure built in 1900. The city’s solicitation identifies it as a contributing structure within the Allentown Historic District.
The property is designated N-2R under Buffalo’s Green Code Unified Development Ordinance. The RFP says the building is eligible for the Commercial Historic Tax Credit, which can provide up to a 50% credit on qualified rehabilitation expenses. The city also says determining eligibility for incentive programs is the responsibility of the developer or development team.
The requested project objective is a combination of market-rate and workforce housing. The RFP does not guarantee a particular number of units, affordability level or tenant mix.
How to submit a proposal
Applicants must provide six bound copies of the proposal and an electronic file or flash drive. Submissions must be received by registered mail or hand-delivered and registered at Buffalo City Hall by 4 p.m. on Aug. 11.
The proposal must include a development approach, proposed purchase price, development costs, financing information and preliminary design materials. The city also requests a project schedule, three references from previously completed projects and documentation such as financing commitments when available.
Each proposal must include a $100 nonrefundable filing fee payable to the City of Buffalo by cashier’s check or money order. Prospective purchasers also must not owe the city money or have property violations in Buffalo.
A proposal would not complete the sale
Submitting a proposal — or being selected as the preferred developer — would not by itself transfer the property or authorize construction.
After the city selects an acceptable proposal, an appraisal establishing the sale price must be completed by an appraiser from the city’s approved list. The appraisal and sale price would then be subject to review and approval by the Buffalo Appraisal Review Board and the Buffalo Common Council.
The contract of sale also would require Common Council approval. The RFP says the city may reject any or all proposals or stop the selection process if it determines that doing so is in Buffalo’s interest. A deed would include a reverter clause intended to require completion of the approved project within the prescribed timeframe.
Historic review and property-condition questions
Because the property is in the Allentown Historic District, any proposed exterior modifications would require review and approval by the Buffalo Preservation Board and would have to comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and guidelines.
The solicitation says the property would be conveyed “as is, where is and with all faults.” The city disclaims warranties concerning the building’s physical condition, environmental conditions, utilities, title, zoning status and the purchaser’s ability to obtain approvals or permits.
A future purchaser would be responsible for investigating the property’s suitability and environmental conditions and for obtaining required approvals, permits and inspections. Those issues would be addressed after the proposal and selection process rather than automatically resolved by submitting an application.
What residents should watch next
The immediate deadline is 4 p.m. Aug. 11. Later public developments could include the city’s selection decision, appraisal review, Common Council action and Preservation Board review if exterior work is proposed.
Until those steps occur, the future developer, final housing mix, financing, construction schedule and response to the property’s condition remain unresolved.
Sources
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