Plans by WellNow Urgent Care to add a new facility in North Buffalo are proceeding, despite a negative ruling by the city's Preservation Board on requests to demolish two houses and a commercial structure on the proposed site.
WellNow is seeking to construct a single-story, 3,500-square-foot medical clinic with a 35-space parking lot at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Amherst Street.
But the project has not been without controversy, particularly from neighbors.
As part of the project, the companies want to demolish four structures and associated garages on the property at 1595-1599 Elmwood and 709-711 Amherst. The buildings include two commercial storefronts – including a squat gray building that housed a used bookstore, Bucks4Books – and two multifamily residential structures.
New urgent-care facility proposed for Elmwood-Amherst intersection
They are also rezoning and combining the parcels into one 0.46-acre property. The developers say they need the two extra properties on Amherst because the primary Elmwood site doesn't have enough room for parking.
The Zoning Board of Appeals initially rejected requests by the developers for three of four variances from the Green Code, nearly killing the project in early 2019. The panel cited the "undesirable change to the character and physical conditions of the neighborhood that the proposed variances would produce."
So the developers came back a second time just two months later, asking for just one variance, pleading their case more strongly, and eventually winning their argument. Another variance request, for signage, was denied by the Zoning Board last June because the board said other signage options are available to the developers.
Developer makes second attempt for WellNow urgent-care on Elmwood
However, the Preservation Board last week weighed in on the demolitions, which were opposed by neighbors, according to board member Catherine Schweitzer, who said she lives in that area. In a nonbinding vote, the board rejected three of the four applications submitted by Hannah Demolition on behalf of WellNow.
Board Chair Gwen Howard noted that the two houses "appear to be in perfectly lovely condition," while board member John Laping said he was "not sold on the need for these buildings to come down."
"I feel differently about the buildings on Elmwood, but these are well-constructed, in good shape buildings, and I see no reason to offer approval," Laping said of the Amherst houses.
Architect and board member Anthony James was even stronger. "It would be a mistake to bring these down," he said, noting that the houses are "part of a complete row from Lincoln Parkway to Elmwood."
"To start encroaching into this residential neighborhood seems highly inappropriate," he said.
James called the one-story brick commercial building at 1599 Elmwood "a classic... which would also be a shame to lose."
"It's just a typical example of the owner not caring for the building because they want to tear it down," he said. "These buildings were all occupied until very recently. So any damage should be fairly easily repairable."
A new WellNow Urgent Care clinic is planned for this intersection. (Google)
The decision does not block the demolitions or the larger project, however, as the properties are not landmarked and the vote is advisory. The project does not require Planning Board approval under the Green Code, but only administrative approval from the city's planning department, which it received.
WellNow and Caliber are working on obtaining the final approvals before they can begin construction, and officials hope to open before year-end, said spokesman Michael Puglia.
In other action, the Preservation Board gave its backing to a request by James Swiezy's Greenleaf Development to tear down a former Wilson Farms and 7-Eleven store at 256 Forest Ave. that had suffered a devastating fire.
The building had been leased out to a new venture, called Forest Beverage, that had operated for four years after the larger convenience store chains had left, but the blaze destroyed the interior. It's part of a larger three-acre area that Greenleaf owns, including some houses, but the company doesn't have new plans for the site yet.
Swiezy also plans to tear down a couple of single-family homes at 26 Rees St. and 7 Letchworth St. The Rees home, one of six that Greenleaf acquired just four months ago, suffered damage after college students living in it had turned off the heat when they were not there for an extended period of time three years ago. The one on Letchworth – part of a group of houses on an extended block of the street – is "a vacant house that... really has exceeded its useful life," Swiezy said.
"We’re just trying to clean up properties, make sure we’re not managing properties that aren’t in the best of shape," he added.
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June 05, 2020 at 08:45PM
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Urgent care clinic proceeds at Elmwood and Amherst despite Preservation Board objections - Buffalo News
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