Apparently Croce is putting a ton of money into the Statler, it will open up on Friday for the first time to host the Irish Festival.
Here’s what the Buffalo News said he wants to do (I can’t help but not hold my breath though):
The next big date is Nov. 4, when the Terrace Room, Grand Lobby, Lobby Bar and Palm Court Bar on the first floor, and the Rendezvous Nightclub in the basement are slated to open, with the Golden Ballroom to be finished later in the month.
Also opening around that time will be the Georgian Ballroom, Chinese Room and Grover Cleveland Library on the mezzanine level.
The former Rendezvous Room, Croce said, will be a “high-end, sophisticated, sexy nightclub” that recalls the cabaret era when the building opened.
“This is going to be a showstopper – it will be the hottest nightclub this city has ever seen,” Croce said. “The room will have black [decor] and black crystal chandeliers and hot pink accents. It’s going to be spectacular.”
There will be a custom 2,700-gallon koi pond outside the Palm Court Bar, with water coming out of a terra cotta lion’s head.
The former Jazz Club is expected to open in 2012, along with a sports bar that could be coupled with a Western New York sports hall of fame.
On the panoramic 18th floor, Croce is planning to open a nightclub, also in 2012, that would overlook the city and Lake Erie from its perch above Niagara Square and the new federal courthouse.
I don’t wanna quote the entire article, so here it is:
What did he pay for the towers I wonder? I used to go to the dentist in there and love the design and structure. I wonder if we have an economy that will support his investment and/or if he got a good enough deal that it doesn’t matter?
Not bad for a building that he purchased for $700k. I was skeptical at first, but reading that article definitely builds hope for the future of that building and hopefully the buildings surrounding it.
However, I really don’t think Buffalo is the place for high end night clubs. We’ve all seen them come and go and I’m sure there are a few exceptions but I can’t think of any that have proven successful in the area.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Can Buffalo support it?
Yeah that worries me too. I can’t really think of any high end nightclubs in Buffalo that are like the ones I’ve been to in NYC or Philly. Chippewa is trashy and for the underage, Allen is awesome but there aren’t any clubs per say, and there aren’t any on Elmwood that come to mind. Buffalo might not be big enough to contain any clubs that spend thousands on ambience and decor, and actually turn people away.
I’m ok with it though, shots of Jack at the bar in Philly we’re $12 a piece! My buddy was gonna buy me one and I was like, “Dude, seriously, I’m ok.” LOL
Clubs annoy the piss out of me now in general anyway.
I dunno, high end bars/clubs could do well i think. it would be nice to have somewhere nice to go, especially if it isnt overrun with underage kids. there is a fair amount of money in the area, between people that live here and ones that visit.
im excited to see how the entire thing turns out.
I’m happy someone is pumping money into downtown, but I bet in less than 10 years Croce, Termini, and Paladino will own the entire city…
IF this prick bought the Statler on a low-ball offer, and has the nerve to charge 12/shot, touche sir. I’m sure it will be the Buffalo Club, Snooty Fox, ish crowds.
Well it’s a lot more than just a night club. They are doing banquet halls, etc where they can have larger events + it’s to be a hotel if I’m not mistaken.
Paid for by Croce, and investment group, and the Buffalo taxpayers. Well… it’s better than the alternative and at least two of that group might get a return.
While bars/clubs aren’t the best ideas, I think it’s positive because it means we’ll no longer have a vacant building right on Niagara Square. It’s our city center for chrissake if we need to keep any area vibrant it’s that one. lol
I think they did weddings there up until a couple years ago when it was mothballed. It’s been vacant and went through all kinds of changes in ownership as well as court proceedings and the like until Croce bought it.
What I like about Croce is that he is revamping the city and building new attractions in an around the downtown area. What I don’t like is that he has paid off the city officials, fire/police and thus resulting in cheap sales of property, tax cuts which the end result is more money given back to the corrupt people running the city. He seems to be the miracle worker, but the reality is that he is in the pocket of those in charge.
I would have expected him to have paid one dollar, aka just a legal changing of ownership in exchange for him assuming responsibility for developing it.
That is basically what he did. From my understanding the 700K that he fronted covered back taxes and utilities etc… and by him fronting that cash other grants from the city were able to be applied. He pretty well got the building free and is investing a mixture of funds to revamp it.
I dunno, this could be really good timing. I haven’t been to Chippewa in a few years it seems, but from what I’ve heard it’s gotten so fucking ghetto that I wouldn’t want to go back. Multiple nice bars at one venue that you can hop between without going out into the freezing cold could be a hit for anyone whose pants aren’t tight enough for Allentown but aren’t baggy enough for Chippewa…
What I mean is it seems that Chippewa has gotten so shitty that the general public may be ready to abandon it for something fresh downtown.
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Always happy to offer my input on something I know nothing about. :tup:
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The dude is thinking big, bordering on delusions of grandeur. Just what is needed for a project like this.
“Nobody’s ever done a project on this scale except Ellsworth Statler when he built it. So, I guess I’m today’s rendition of Ellsworth, because I’m trying to bring back what he envisioned,” Croce said.
“This is a hospitality-based building, and it was bastardized over the years … and I’m trying to bring it back to the hospitality use it was created for. This will be the go-to place in almost all of New York State outside of Manhattan. I’m that confident.”