Douglas Development Corp. is hoping to complete its purchase of the Mohawk Ramp from the city within the next two months and then embark on a multi-year redevelopment of the parking garage and several nearby buildings that used to belong to Simon Electric Co.
Paul Millstein, vice president of the Washington-based developer owned by Douglas Jemal, said Wednesday that the firm is working with the city to complete the long-awaited acquisition as soon as possible, so it can begin work to repair and stabilize the deteriorating facility.
He said the firm will secure the funding to complete the initial round of structural repairs and upgrades, estimated at about $1 million, to bring the ramp back up to full capacity.
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That’s the first priority in a much larger redevelopment of both Mohawk and the Simon properties. More than 200 spaces in the upper levels of the 627-space ramp at 477 Washington St. have been unusable and closed off for several years because the upper deck has been crumbling, making that portion unsafe. The ramp is a critical component in Jemal’s overall $155 million plan to create more than 600 apartments and retail space in that neighborhood.
Half of the needed repairs were made to the ramp a few years ago, according to Sam Iraci, executive director of Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps, a nonprofit which operates the five major city-owned parking garages. But there’s still concrete work and some rebar…
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