Voelker’s Bowling Alley one step closer to redevelopment

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — After years of back and forth on what to do with the historic Voelker’s Bowling Alley in North Buffalo, a plan is finally taking shape. The Buffalo Planning Board sent the blueprints Monday for a new mixed-use building to be voted on by the Common Council.

Voelker’s has stood the test of time for nearly 130 years and now developers and city leaders say a fresh take on the location isn’t far off.

“The corner is home to a blighted, dilapidated building. We are going to replace that building with an $80 million project that functions as an economic catalyst,” said Connor Kenney, Regional Director of developer SAA|EVI.

Kenney said they are seeking city approval for a planned unit development to turn the old bowling alley at the corner of Amherst Street and Elmwood Avenue into a mixed-use, 230 apartment unit complex, which looks to include commercial space and even a bowling alley.

“It’s going to provide very high-quality rental housing in the North Buffalo area, which is much needed,” Kenney said. “One, two, three-bedroom units for various income levels probably ranging from $700 a month to $1,800 dollars a month.”

The plan has changed after being tabled last month at the request of North District Councilmember Joe Golombek, who held public meetings for community input.

“There was a consensus that the building was too big, it was too tall, there were too many units and there wasn’t enough parking,” Golombek said.

The original plan called for only 77 parking spaces on site, with some tenants having to park at other locations.

“We added in, I believe, 19 additional parking spots, but other than that, the plan has remained the same,” Kenney said.

Kenney said a second phase of the project looks to add an additional 25 parking spaces.

The Buffalo Planning Board has sent the plan to the council for approval to be discussed at its next meeting, which takes place on Wednesday.

“We will not be able to make a decision this week unless they’re willing to drop the size, number of apartments and increase the parking spaces,” Golombek said. “It sounds like they’ve done one of the three for sure already. That’s a great start.”

According to Kenney, if the council signs off on the plan, the planning board will then need to give a final approval. Kenney hopes construction can begin in mid-2026.

“I’m excited about this, but the devil will ultimately be in the details,” Golombek concluded.

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Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.

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