By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – A battle over some City-owned property surfaced at Tuesday's Buffalo Common Council session. But for now the issue is headed back to committee for review.
A piece of prime downtown property at 50 Court Street has created a controversy for developer Carl Paladino.
He wants to construct an 11-story office building with parking. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency has already agreed to sell the property to Paladino for $700,000.
But the owner of the Main Place Mall is crying foul over the deal.
Patrick Hotung said he offered more than $1.2 million to buy the property. He wants to construct a parking facility.
But, according to BURA, the property's fair market value is just over $800,000. Both sides appeared at a public hearing in Common Council chambers Tuesday.
Hotung has filed lawsuits to stop the project, but so far has been unsuccessful.
Paladino told lawmakers Hotung's actions are "nonsense."
"We intend to go forward with our project. We have, at present, approximately 40% of the tenants already signed up," said Paladino. "This project would be good for the City of Buffalo, and its tax base. It would be good for drying up and cleaning up vacant parking lots. It is good for all the right reasons and maybe not the greedy, self interested reason Mr. Hotung has, but certainly the right reasons for all of us."
Paladino said that Hotung has held up his project for a year and a half. But Hotung said there is a huge need for parking, and not more office space. Hotung said the City needs to accommodate companies that purchase downtown office space, especially within his own Main Place Tower.
"We are trying to make a go of it, but the fact is you can't do it without parking. We have been on the waiting list for over three years. When you get who want to be located downtown and they ask where can my 600 employees, or 100 employees park, I don't have an answer. You can't do it without parking."
Hotung's attorney also told the Common Council a lack of parking will impact not only the Main Place Tower, but also the Liberty building and many more downtown office buildings.
Council members did not have the needed seven votes to approve the land sale to Paladino, so the issue was sent back to committee.