Queen City Landing

Queen City Landing
Rendering of the tower
Map
General information
StatusNever built
TypeMixed-use residential
LocationImmediately northwest of Ohio Street and Furhmann Boulevard, Buffalo, New York
Coordinates42°51′11″N 78°52′03″W / 42.853176°N 78.867624°W / 42.853176; -78.867624
GroundbreakingApril 17, 2017
Estimated completionundetermined
Cost$60 million-$85 million
Height
Roof324 ft (99 m)
Technical details
Floor count20
Design and construction
Architect(s)Trautman Associates
DeveloperGerald Buchheit
Main contractorR&P Oak Hill
References
www.queencitylanding.com

Queen City Landing was an approved residential tower proposal by developer Gerald Buchheit on the Outer Harbor of Buffalo, New York. Preparation work included the demolition of a 6-story warehouse formerly operated by Freezer Queen Foods and the project was planned to have approximately 200 apartment units.[1] Upon completion, it would have been the 6th-tallest building in Buffalo and the 13th-tallest in Upstate New York, with a height of 324 feet and 23 floors.

The tower was targeted in a lawsuit by local environmentalists out of concern that it posed a danger to bird migration, given its immediate proximity to the Tifft Nature Preserve, and also that the city board did not conduct a full environmental study on the site.[2] However, on multiple occasions, a state Supreme Court judge upheld the city board's decision to build the tower and also ruled that the city acted properly in its environmental study.[3] Bucheit completed the environmental cleanup of the site in late 2018.[4][5][6]

On November 18, 2019, Bucheit announced a slight change in the tower's design. The building would be reduced to 20 stories and would be moved farther away from the water, in addition to occupying 30 percent less land. The new finish date was tentatively projected to 2021.[7] In addition, Bucheit also added plans for a surrounding neighborhood around the main tower complete with two 6-story apartment buildings, a cluster of 3-story townhouses, and more public space. However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, continued resistance from the plaintiffs, and an inability to secure public funding from the city, the project was "suspended indefinitely" in March 2020[8][9] and presumably cancelled for good the following year when the developer listed the property for sale.[10]

  1. ^ Jonathan D. Epstein, Judge’s ruling clears way for 23-story Queen City Landing project, The Buffalo News (September 21, 2016).
  2. ^ [1], WFBO Buffalo, (July 1, 2016)
  3. ^ [2], Time Warner Cable News, (September 14, 2016).
  4. ^ Jonathan D. Epstein (April 22, 2018). "Queen City Landing project faces new legal appeal to block it". The Buffalo News. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  5. ^ Jonathan D. Epstein (2019-01-27). "From north to south, east to west, the big projects to watch in 2019". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  6. ^ "Cleanup Work Completed at Queen City Landing Site". Buffalo Rising. 2018-12-27. Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  7. ^ Jonathan D. Epstein (2019-11-18). "Queen City Landing project revised with 20 floors at Outer Harbor". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  8. ^ "Queen City Landing project on Outer Harbor is suspended indefinitely, developer says". News 4 Buffalo. 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  9. ^ Jonathan D. Epstein (2020-03-20). "Buchheit kills Queen City Landing project". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  10. ^ "975 Fuhrmann Blvd, Buffalo, NY 14203". Realtor.com. Retrieved 2021-10-23.