Seneca One Tower

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Project description: Through new programming that includes retail, residential units, and office space, the Seneca One Tower redevelopment revitalized two important city blocks in downtown Buffalo, New York. Situated between the southern end of the Main Street corridor and the booming Canalside district, the building’s rejuvenation is key to unifying and expanding upon these two neighborhoods.

At the plaza level, collaborative design efforts enhanced the pedestrian experience throughout the site, encouraging more foot traffic by providing new landscaping, benches, and street lighting. New driveways at the north ends of the plaza breaks up the overwhelming expansiveness of the site, and allow for retail and residential pick-up and drop-off. Large storefronts replace existing foreboding concrete walls and add to the pedestrian-friendly design of the retail space along Exchange Street. A one-story wind canopy stands between the new retail and annex building, providing shelter from the elements for all visitors at the plaza level.

On the west side of the redevelopment, there is a new façade is to help establish a link between the site and the neighboring Canalside district. The new storefront is added to the wall running along Pearl Street to form a connection between the building and pedestrian traffic. The façade extends to a new addition at the plaza level, creating a two-story building facing Pearl Street.

The existing four-story ancillary building, which surrounds the plaza tower and connects at the third-floor tower lobby, was transformed from office space to up to 43,000 SF of plaza level retail space. A new 4,000 SF, one-story retail building is located at the northeast corner of the plaza, and an additional 9,000 SF, one-story retail building is located on the plaza east of the 38-story high rise tower. One hundred and three apartments were renovated from office space and arranged throughout three levels above the retail level of the west wing ancillary building.

Services: Architecture