Three years after the Voelker family closed its longtime bowling alley on Buffalo’s West Side and sought to tear down the deteriorating building, the 130-year-old structure is finally poised to be demolished, with a developer planning to purchase the site and construct a five-story apartment building offering affordable housing.
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A rendering of the proposed new apartment building at the former Voelker's Bowling Center site.
SAA-EVI, led by David Alexander and Ernst Valery, has had the Voelker’s Bowling Center and related properties under contract since September, and is preparing to submit plans to the city to redevelop the site at the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Amherst Street.
The News' Buffalo Next team covers the changing Buffalo Niagara economy. Get the news in your inbox 5 days a week.
The $80 million project would offer 230 apartments of varying size aimed at tenants earning no more than 80% of the area median income. And it would incorporate historic elements of the former hotel-turned-bowling alley that stood during the Pan-American Exposition of 1901.
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![Voelker's redevelopment elevation-Amherst Street](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=150%2C83 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=200%2C111 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=225%2C125 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=300%2C166 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C222 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=540%2C300 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=640%2C355 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=750%2C416 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=990%2C549 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C574 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/5c/45c96212-5365-11ef-9174-c396672ebe7e/66b12f6ce16e7.image.jpg?resize=1182%2C656 1200w)
The Amherst Street elevation or view for the proposed redevelopment of the former Voelker's Bowling Center site into a five-story apartment building, by SAA-EVI.
“We certainly appreciate the institution, and are aware of the significance of that location in the city of Buffalo,” said Connor Kenney, SAA-EVI’s regional director for Western New York. “We are certainly committed to paying homage to the significance of that site. We’re really committed to doing this the right way.”
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Plans call for the site of Voelker’s Bowling, 680 Amherst St., to be turned into 230 apartments of varying sizes in an $80 million project.
To make way for the project, though, the dilapidated building at 686 Amherst with the bowling alley, restaurant and bar would have to come down, along with three neighboring two-story residential buildings at 666 and 668 Amherst and at 1634 Elmwood.
Owner Krista Voelker, who operated the century-old business that she inherited from her father until she closed it in May 2021, filed for a demolition permit from the city to begin that process. The permit was issued July 2, to Hannah Demolition.
Kenney said the developer “looked at potentially trying to salvage the building, but it’s not efficient to do so.”
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The Elmwood Avenue elevation or view for the proposed redevelopment of the former Voelker's Bowling Center site into a five-story apartment building, by SAA-EVI.
Without being able to gain historic tax credits, Krista Voelker should not be “saddled” with putting $1 million into the building at 680 Amherst St. just to stabilize it, said Mark Romanowski, Voelker's attorney.
“The building itself is structurally unsound,” he said. “It’s become a real safety hazard and problem for the neighborhood, so the building does need to come down at this point.”
Voelker could not be reached for comment Monday, but Kenney said she had obtained the necessary permit and will be proceeding with demolition “in the coming weeks.”
But the last time she tried – three years ago after receiving a demolition order from Housing Court – she ran into a storm of opposition from preservationists and the Buffalo Preservation Board, which urged the city to deny her request, and then initiated a process to declare the building as a local landmark – over Voelker’s objection. Had it succeeded, that would have stymied any effort to demolish or modify the building without that panel’s consent.
New city rules at the time also required that Voelker first have to submit redevelopment plans for the site. Since she did not have those yet, the demolition never proceeded.
Now that’s changed. Under plans designed by Passero Associates and CJS Architects, the 208,000-square-foot “workforce housing” building would extend along Elmwood from Amherst to Marion Street, and will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
The facade of brown, black, red and gray fiber-cement panel, metal panel, wood and terra cotta would feature a walk-up rowhouse-style of design along Amherst and Marion to tie in to the neighborhood, with more of an apartment-style look along the commercial strip of Elmwood.
It would also feature some first-floor commercial and retail space. Kenney said the developer is hoping for a restaurant but ideally would want to include active bowling lanes as a tribute to the history.
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The Marion Street elevation or view for the proposed redevelopment of the former Voelker's Bowling Center site into a five-story apartment building, by SAA-EVI.
The developer also plans to try to save the historic bar and the rooftop “bowling” signs to incorporate into the new building.
“We will be going through the building and salvaging a number of components to try to incorporate into the design,” Kenney said. “We’re not just demo-ing everything and saying goodbye.”
![Voelker's sign](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C889 1333w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C985 1476w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/35/835e278a-5bf5-53d3-bb5f-aec5957baf3d/6526e2a30babc.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1176 2008w)
Fluffy clouds fill the sky over the former Voelker's Bowling Alley on Amherst Street, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.
SAA-EVI also is collaborating with the Buffalo AKG Art Museum to incorporate at least one and possibly two large mosaics onto the building’s facade, and to have other temporary art exhibits on the building for six months to a year at a time.
“We would like to utilize the building as a canvas along Elmwood Avenue,” Kenney said. “People who are looking at the building or stopped at the red light can observe different pieces of art at that location.”
The building is being designed to be energy-efficient, with a “net-zero” footprint, solar panels, and a “green” roof with rooftop amenities, similar to what SAA-EVI built at The Forge on Broadway.
![Voelker's redevelopment elevation-rear](https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=150%2C81 150w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=200%2C109 200w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=225%2C122 225w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=300%2C163 300w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=400%2C217 400w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=540%2C293 540w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=640%2C347 640w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=750%2C407 750w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=990%2C537 990w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C562 1035w, https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/buffalonews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/37/9379bfac-5365-11ef-aabd-772b834872f2/66b12fd1bf7ad.image.jpg?resize=1190%2C646 1200w)
The rear elevation or view for the proposed redevelopment of the former Voelker's Bowling Center site into a five-story apartment building, by SAA-EVI.
“In theory, I’m supportive of the concept and what they want to do there,” said Common Council member Joseph Golombek, whose district includes the project site, although he noted that “the devil’s in the details.”
“Aesthetically, I don’t necessarily like the looks of it, but I’m not judging it based on aesthetics, but on whether it meets the Green Code and fits within that neighborhood,” he said, acknowledging it may need a zoning variance for height. He also said the project scope could increase, as SAA-EVI is negotiating with Voelker to purchase additional property she owns further west.
Parking may be a problem, however. The project includes about 85 onsite parking spaces. That’s just 37% of the number of apartments. Kenney said the developer said it is looking at ways to add parking.
Kenney said the developer has held a pair of smaller community meetings with business owners and residents who would be most affected by the project.
So far, he said, they’ve been positive, with “helpful feedback from stakeholders” that SAA-EVI has incorporated into its design. Officials hope to finalize those plans and submit to the city in the next couple of weeks.
The project will be funded primarily by 4% low-income housing tax credits issued by New York State Homes and Community Renewal, but that application process can take up to two years or more. Until then, SAA-EVI will wait to close on the property, since Voelker gave it exclusive site control.
Once finalized, construction will likely take 21 to 24 months, Kenney said.