The vacant Rainbow Centre mall is on deck to be restored, and that may happen soon.
USA Niagara Development Corp. has retained Marvel Architects PPLC of Manhattan as consultants for the second phase, adaptive reuse of the Niagara Falls former shopping center.
The plan is to turn the vacant, 200,000-square-foot portion of the mall into what USA Niagara Development Corp. President Anthony Vilardo calls a “high density, mixed-use development.”
Niagara County Community College’s culinary arts program uses 100,000 square feet for a restaurant and student training center.
The $3.99 million contract allows Marvel, which is working on design and engineering aspects of the project, to begin final design work focusing on retail, restaurants and tourist attractions.
“We are thinking along the lines of tourist-attractive entertainment options,” Vilardo said.
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The emerging plan took shape after Wonder Falls, a joint effort between Delaware North and Uniland Development Corp., was pulled in late 2019, five years after the project was announced. Wonder Falls was to include a hotel, water park and other attractions.
“With our partner Marvel working on final designs, the City and USA Niagara are taking the necessary steps to reimagine the remaining square footage in the former Rainbow Centre Mall and support the revitalization of the tourism industry in downtown Niagara Falls,” said USA Niagara Chairwoman Francine Delmonte.
A construction manager will be named at a later date.
Going out to bid
In July, USA Niagara Development Corp. will issue the first of several RFPs for Niagara Falls sites in a real estate portfolio purchased by the state three years ago. The site, bounded by Old Falls, First, Third and Niagara streets surrounds the First Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest churches in Niagara Falls.
“It has the most potential,” said Anthony Vilardo, USA Niagara president. “It will help to set the tone for other developments we have in mind for Niagara Falls. USA Niagara is determining when the bid will be released and when it is due back to the agency. We want to act on this and not let it linger.”
Real estate deals
• Amherst investment group, Jasmeet Gill LLC, acquired a multitenant building in the Village of Williamsville. According to documents filed in the Erie County clerk’s office, Jasmeet Gill paid $670,000 for the two-story, 7,200-square-foot building at 5596 Main St., Williamsville. JSM Williamsville Properties LLC had owned the building, built in 1932, since 2015. Tenants include Parlor Salon, Rove gift shop and two second-story apartments.
“One of the selling points was Williamsville itself,” said Robert Stewart, the Pyramid Brokerage Co. of Buffalo broker who handled the deal. "From an investors' point of view, Main Street in Williamsville is a safe, stable place to buy real estate.”
• Investors DT Culver Holdings LLC paid $255,000 for 3,608-square-foot multi-tenant building at 1265 Center Road, West Seneca. The building had been owned by Gary and Louise Schoene.
• A 4,800-square-foot warehouse at 374 Pleasant Ave., Hamburg, was purchased by 374 Pleasant Associates LLC for $340,000. The owner was Daniel Howard.