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Greenleaf News

Feb2021

Jim Swiezy adds to Buffalo portfolio with Allentown building

Read more

Jan2021

Welcome Buffalo Star Kabab

Video: Buffalo Star Kebab

We would like to welcome Buffalo Star Kabab to our Campus walk location opening 1/22/21

Dec2020

Hyatt Building Update

Construction has just begun on the Hyatt Building at 910 Main St. By the beginning of Summer 2021, 19 new luxury apartments will be ready for rent. We are excited about this newest addition to the Greenleaf Family.

So far, demolition is almost complete and the apartments have been framed. The connection between this building and the Bosche Lofts is starting. Next step will be working on putting in the walls.

June will be here before you know it!

Dec2020

Holiday Season is here

We are in the midst of the holiday season, and the office is starting to feel the festive air. Although things a little different this year, we can still get in the spirit with decorating!

Feel free to send us any pictures of your decorated apartment to share on our Instagram and Facebook pages!

From the Greenleaf Family, we wish you all a happy holiday season.
Stay healthy and safe!

Dec2019

Greenleaf Christmas Party

The CampusWalk Team at Greenleaf's 2019 Holiday Party

July2019

Greenleaf buys former Hyatt art supply properties

Greenleaf & Co., which converted a pair of long-vacant historic buildings on Main Street into the new Bosche Lofts, has added to its holdings in the Allentown neighborhood by acquiring the former Hyatts – All Things Creative properties for $975,000.

Greenleaf bought three parcels from the Charles W. Hyatt Family Trust, which owns the arts and crafts business that moved to Elmwood Avenue. The three contiguous properties – which total 0.48 acres of prime downtown land next to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus – are located at 906-910 Main St. and 71 and 75 North Pearl St. They include the 21,396-square-foot Main Street store, with both two-story and three-story sections, as well as a 1,620-square-foot attached warehouse at 71 North Pearl and a two-story frame house with three apartments totaling 3,668 square foot at 75 North Pearl.

There's also a parking lot with 30 spaces accessible from Pearl, which is great; because Bosch doesn't have its own parking. Greenleaf previously had to rent parking spaces from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus for its Bosch tenants. - culled from BuffaloNews   Full story

July2018

Volunteering: Habitat for Humanity Buffalo organization

On Saturday July 21st Greenleaf & Company proudly sponsored a team of volunteers working with the Habitat for Humanity Buffalo organization.

Over the course of the day, volunteers pitched in to clear debris, knock down 5 foot tall weeds/brush, install insulation, demolish & remove crumbling masonry and many other tasks.

Our team worked at two locations, one on Buffalo’s East Side near ECMC and the other in Lovejoy. Both locations offered their own unique set of challenges ranging from not having electricity or running water to needing to clear literal tons of debris before “work” could even begin. Greenleaf & Company was proud to participate in this event and are very much looking forward to partnering with the Habitat for Humanity again. By engaging in the community we all live and work in, Greenleaf & Company is proud to be a leader in the current growth our city is experiencing.

May2018

Homegrown Kitchen Salad Bar & Health Café to open in Bosche Building

Homegrown Kitchen, an East Aurora health food café, is opening a second location on the first floor of the Bosche Lofts – 916 Main Street, directly in the heart of the Medical Campus. This is incredible news for this Allentown neighborhood. Read story

Apr2018

Greenleaf Participates in Grant Street Cleanup

On Saturday April 14th Greenleaf & Company participated in the 1st ever Grant Street Cleanup co-hosted by New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan and City Councilman David Rivera. Greenleaf & Company was proud to provide lunch for all the volunteers for this wonderful event. The soggy weather could not dampen the enthusiasm of all the volunteers who showed up to help beautify one of Buffalo’s oldest and vibrant neighborhoods. Over the course of the morning around 40-50 participants scoured the curbs, sidewalks, alleys and walkways around Grant St near the Assemblyman’s office (65 Grant St) picking up all manner of refuse. Several current & former Greenleaf employees answered this call to action by the assemblyman. As a company, we applaud Mr. Ryan for conceiving this wonderful initiative, and were happy to be involved considering we are intimately involved in the Grant St. neighborhood and have been for many years.

Grant Street Cleanup Photo
Photo: Participants at the Cleanup event, Enjoying Lunch afterwards.
Jul2017

Greenleaf Participates at the Pop Up Park

Campus walk photo
Photo: Gordon Nellis of Greenleaf assisting kids at the Pop Up Park event

On Friday July 7th Greenleaf & Company participated in an event hosted by Pop Up Park, an organization dedicated to providing an interactive and educational “free play” experience to youth all around the city. This specific event was held at the Our Lady of Hope church on Lafayette Ave on Buffalo’s west side, right in the heart of the community our company is heavily involved in. It was an extremely rewarding experience assisting the kids and watching them play and discover things they had never been exposed to such as power tools, hand saws and hammering nails. Some of the creations captured the freeform spirit of the event while other children constructed sturdy chairs, elaborate swings and even a functioning skateboard.

Greenleaf & Company would like to thank Crystal & the rest of the Pop up Park team for allowing us to be a part of this event and we look forward to partnering with them again. For more information about the Pop up Park project go to their website: https://www.popupparkbuffalo.com/

Apr2017
From the desk of the President/CEO
- Jim Swiezy

April 3, 2017


Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I’m writing you to provide clarity around a very serious situation that has transpired over the last several months involving Investigative Post’s defamatory media reports about my company, Greenleaf Development and Construction, and me.

Throughout the successful completion of our Campus Walk student housing initiative, adjacent to Buffalo State College, reporter Dan Telvock made a series of false, misleading and damaging statements about Greenleaf Development and me, in Investigative Post’s media coverage of the project.

As a result, Greenleaf Development has made the difficult but warranted decision to file a defamation lawsuit in NYS Supreme Court against Investigative Post and Mr. Telvock. The lawsuit seeks to hold both Investigative Post and Mr. Telvock accountable for their false and reckless statements about Greenleaf Development and me, all of which evidence a gross departure from journalistic standards.

Our company respects and appreciates the essential role that a free and responsible press plays in our country and community. In this case, however, the reports published by Investigative Post have been edited to exclude key facts and statements, as well as incorrectly frame Greenleaf Development’s reputation as unsavory. We—and so many of our partners who have voiced their support from the very beginning—realize that Investigative Post’s reporting is unfairly demeaning and in no way reflects reality. The lawsuit that we filed today will help others come to the same realization.

For more information on the defamation lawsuit, please refer to the enclosed press release, article and fact sheet. A copy of the complaint is also available on our website at Greenleafbuffalo.com on the News Page.

I look forward to our continued working relationship. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. Greenleaf Development is proud to continue building great projects, managing hundreds of residences, and contributing to the ongoing resurgence of the City of Buffalo and our region.

Sincerely,

James Swiezy
Principal/CEO
Greenleaf Development and Construction

See Lawsuit

Apr2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2017

Contact: Sarah Witherell
sarah@greenleafbuffalo.com
(716) 885-8538 ext. 229

Western New York Company Commences Defamation Lawsuit Against Investigative Post and Reporter Daniel Telvock

Greenleaf Development fights back against media outlet’s continued inaccurate reporting

Buffalo, NY – Greenleaf Development and Construction, LLC and its principal/CEO, James R. Swiezy, today commenced a defamation lawsuit against Investigative Post and reporter Daniel Telvock. The lawsuit seeks to hold both Investigative Post and Mr. Telvock accountable for their false, misleading and damaging statements made about Greenleaf Development and Mr. Swiezy during reporting on a local student housing project undertaken by the company. Greenleaf Development’s full complaint is available here

“Greenleaf Development and Mr. Swiezy, in particular, respect and appreciate the important role of a free and responsible press,” said David J. McNamara, attorney for Greenleaf Development and Mr. Swiezy, and partner at Phillips Lytle LLP. “The law does, however, recognize that Investigative Post and Mr. Telvock are not immune from liability for the harm caused when their reporting grossly departs from journalistic standards, and knowingly contains false statements and narratives that unfairly damage the reputations of those that are the subject of their so-called watchdog journalism.”

Investigative Post is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. It systematically seeks and obtains charitable donations to fund, primarily, the salaries and benefits paid to its founder and editor, James Heaney, and Mr. Telvock. Over several years, Investigative Post’s coverage of the Greenleaf Development student housing project was unjustly laced with false statements and misleading narratives for the purpose of enhancing its notoriety and fundraising capacity for Mr. Heaney’s and Mr. Telvock’s financial benefit. Such practices may constitute an abuse of Investigative Post’s tax-exempt status. Accordingly, Greenleaf Development has filed papers with the NYS Charities Bureau requesting that the State Attorney General review Investigative Post’s tax-exempt status due to its deceptive business and fundraising practices.

“By continually making false and unsupported statements in their reporting, selectively editing interviews to exclude key facts and statements, as well as incorrectly framing Greenleaf Development’s reputation as ‘unsavory,’ Investigative Post and Dan Telvock have unnecessarily inflicted severe damages on the company, for which we believe they should answer,” said McNamara.

SEP2016

The WASH Project finds a Temporary Home on Grant Street

The WASH project has found a temporary new home on Grant Street. The WASH Project got its start (and its name) when it set up shop at a laundry facility on Massachusetts Avenue. The organization’s founder, Barrett Gordon, realized that he could create a hands-on community hub in a utilitarian place where people felt comfortable. read more
- culled from Buffalorising

AUG2016

Groundbreaking :: Campus Walk Student Housing Complex

Video: Mayor Brown, Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner, Jim Swiezy and Cheryl Swiezy

Greenleaf and Co. recently held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its new Campus Walk student housing development on Grant Street. The project is comprised of two buildings, 162,000 sq. feet of space of housing, and 5,000 sq. feet of retail space. The development will position more than 300 students firmly on the West Side of the city, where they will have immediate access to Grants Street and Amherst Street amenities. This student housing advancement is tremendously exciting for those who have wanted to see Buffalo State students interact with more streets and neighborhoods than simply the Elmwood Village. Hopefully Buffalo State capitalizes on this progressive development by creating its own residential and commercial thoroughfare on Grant Street. There is opportunity to continue on with this type of expansion, by developing upon sprawling parking lots that reside to the west of the campus. This stretch of housing, combined with the existing Buffalo State dorm complex at the northeast corner of Grant and Rockwell Road, creates the first semblance of density and infill needed to spur economic development on the street. The addition of retail shops, a computer room, fitness center, etc., will also be welcome – the retail component is especially exciting to see.
- culled from Buffalo Rising

AUG2016

Work underway at Campus Walk, new student housing at Buffalo State

Campus walk photo
Photo: Construction continues on Campus Walk One, the newest student housing building at Buffalo State College

Work continues on a new student-housing development at 643 Grant St. that will house hundreds of students on the edge of the Buff State campus. Dubbed Campus Walk One, it’s one of two major projects there that will reshape the west entrance to the school. “This project is a fantastic project for Buff State, but look at what it’s providing for the Grant Street community,” said Jim Swiezy, CEO of developer Greenleaf & Co. “We’re reinventing the entire entrance to the school.”

Designed by Kideney Architects and seven years in the making, Campus Walk One features two urban-style buildings with 84 three- and four-bedroom suites, for 318 beds or rooms. Each student will have a private bathroom, and each suite will include full-size washers and dryers, plus a common living room. Rents will be $695 to $795. “Those were not the amenities that were available when I attended college at Buffalo State,” Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown, a Buff State alumnus, joked during the groundbreaking ceremony.

In all, there’s 162,000 square feet of housing, plus 5,000 square feet of retail in the Grant Street building for a coffee shop, pizzeria or other restaurant. The complex also will have a fully equipped computer room with Apple products, a large study lounge, a state-of-the-art fitness center and other student amenities in the Rees Street building, along with the leasing office.

Swiezy’s firm and Buff State are putting what he called a “heavy focus” on student safety, with 94 cameras located throughout the property along with computerized access control and monitoring. And Greenleaf hired a national student housing management firm to “ensure that our focus on safety and security is aligned with the priorities of SUNY Buffalo State,” he said.

Brown and Buffalo State President Katherine Conway-Turner also noted that the project helps meet a significant gap that Buffalo State has faced in accommodating its growing student body. “Buffalo State College has a good problem that a lot of other institutions of higher education do not, and that is that its student population has been growing,” Brown said. “There has been a waiting list for students to get housing on campus and near campus. This will solve that problem.” Plans call for LPCiminelli to finish by July 2017, with an opening slated for fall 2017. - culled from Buffalo News

JUN2016

Bosche Lofts now renting

Our ribbon cutting ceremony was very successful. A few articles that were published by Buffalo Business First, The Buffalo News, Time Warner Cable News and WBFO 88.7 are listed below

  1. From eyesore to development model, Bosche Lofts arrive on Main Street.      Read more

  2. Building Buffalo: The Bosche Lofts open at 916 Main St.      Read article

  3. Check Out the View from Atop Buffalo's Bosche Lofts.      Read article here

  4. Bosche Lofts join downtown's housing stock      Read more

Video: Mayor Brown, Jim Swiezy and Cheryl Swiezy

5th Annual Buffalo Living Tour

Each year, people from around the area take advantage of the Buffalo Living Tour, to see firsthand some of the most exciting new residential developments in the city. The free tour showcases myriad condos, lofts and apartments. This is the fifth year that the tour will unfold in Buffalo, bringing with it an inside look into some the city‘s newest and swankiest new digs. It’s the perfect way to check out what’s going on without any sort of commitment. It’s also a great way to see numerous pads all in one day.

 Read full article

Update Student housing:

Some would argue that Buffalo is currently undergoing an economic renaissance of sorts. Essential to this positive momentum are the numerous Colleges and Universities that call this community home. One such institution is Buffalo State College, the only urban campus in the entire SUNY system. Greenleaf & Company recognizes that in order for our schools and city to continue to grow and thrive, they must be supported by the community in which they will eventually give back and serve. In maintaining that spirit we recently unveiled plans to build a multi-phase, transformational development project for the 600 block of Grant Street, adjacent to Buffalo State's campus.

Phase one will entail the demolition of several dilapidated structures along Grant and Rees street on the future construction site. We will then construct two, five story mixed use structures, one facing west towards Grant Street and the other facing east overlooking the campus. This project will service the students of the college as well as providing an economic boost to a neighborhood which has historically not experienced significant economic investment.

SEP2015

Greenleaf ready to start Buffalo State housing project:

The first phase of a proposed student housing project just west of the SUNY Buffalo State campus has cleared a development milestone. The Buffalo Planning Board, on Sept. 22, gave the green light to Greenleaf & Co. to begin the $75 million project’s initial phase, allowing for the construction of a pair of buildings at 643 Grant Street and some neighboring properties. The buildings, each five stories tall, would house 80 apartments and have room for approximately 300 students. A small retail component is also part of the project. Developing the first phase carries a $30 million price tag, said Doug Dimitroff, Greenleaf’s attorney and a Phillips Lytle partner.
Construction is expected to start early next year   Read full article

JUL2015

Update BOSCHE: Click photo for details

Bosche Lofts

Greenleaf & Company is excited to update everyone on our progress with the BOSCHE building at 916 Main Street. The custom window installation is nearly completed and the upmost care has been taken to ensure historical accuracy throughout this process. Restoring the façade of this historic building to its former glory has been one of the most exciting steps of this adaptive reuse project. Maintaining historical accuracy was of paramount importance during this crucial phase of development and our architects at Carmina, Wood & Morris have done an excellent job of achieving this difficult task.

Aside from the windows we have begun hanging drywall and starting our finish work. Installation of the mechanicals and framing out the individual apartments is also nearly complete. Our crew is working at a torrid pace to have these luxury units available as soon as possible. Interest is growing not only in the residential portion of the project but the commercial space in the building as well. Any inquiries regarding either can be directed to the Greenleaf & Company office at 716 885 8538.

APR2015

1040 gym upgrade picture1040 gym upgrade picture 2On Saturday April 11th Greenleaf & Company is proud to unveil our new and improved fitness center at 1040 Delaware Ave. Residents of the building are welcome to come take full advantage of our new equipment including a self-generating stationary bike, set of dumbbells and a pro style functional trainer.

Our state of the art facility features two 40-inch TV's and air conditioning for working out during the upcoming summer months. We encourage all of our tenants at 1040 Delaware to stop into the fitness center and take a look at these upgrades.

MAR2015

Greenleaf & Company is proud to update everyone on our progress in rehabilitating the former Bosche building at 918 Main St and the neighboring 916 Main.

Main Street Construction ImageMain Street Construction Image2

Through much cooperation and support from the City of Buffalo as well as the Erie County Industrial Development Agency the adaptive reuse plan is well underway and is scheduled to be completed by September of this year. Stabilization efforts of the main superstructure have been completed and work has now shifted to the interior of the building.

The ambitious plan, to convert the former carriage warehouse into 23 market rate apartments along with retail space on the first floor has presented the company with a variety of unique challenges. The beautiful Richardson Romanesque façade was able to be salvaged and our team is currently working to install custom made Pella glass windows into it. The structure also required a great deal of masonry to be repaired or simply reconstructed. Maintaining the urban streetscape of the 900 block of main was of the upmost importance to our company and the work completed on the outside of the building is reflective of that.

On the interior, our team of skilled workers has begun framing the individual apartments, constructing the elevator shaft and repairing any masonry that was in disrepair. This work will continue tirelessly until the building is ready to reopen.

In the meantime interest in the space is growing considerably. Check back for more updates/pictures of our progress.

APR2014

On April 5, 2014 Greenleaf & Company hosted an Open House featuring our beautiful building at 1040 Delaware Avenue. Throughout the day, we enjoyed the company of a diverse crowd of individuals and couples either currently living in the City of Buffalo or re-locating here for new opportunities. This Open House provided good exposure for Greenleaf and also gave us a chance to market the apartments currently available at 1040 Delaware Ave. We are glad to say the event was a success as perspective tenants took tours of the building and apartments throughout the day.

Many of those who talked with us at the Open House provided positive feedback about the quality of the building and the apartments within. Gift bags containing a water bottle, a pen, and additional information about the building and our company were available for those who attended the event. We hope to see those items, all featuring the Greenleaf logo, when we are out and about in the city. Thank you to all who attended the event!

MAR2013

Greenleaf & Company hosted a very successful Open House –Meet & Greet for our new Building 1040 Delaware. We offered a catered luncheon on March 30, 2013 for our tenants while we had our Open House. The event gave our tenants an opportunity to meet one another and view the entire building while enjoying a complementary luncheon.

This event gave Greenleaf a chance to say thank you to our tenants for their patience during all our renovations. It awarded us an opportunity to show our dedication, customer service, and also demonstrate just how serious Greenleaf & Company is about staying competitive in this market and satisfying our tenants and their needs.

SEP 2012

Greenleaf leads Bosche Building preservation

Bosche BuildingTen years ago, the 800 block of Main Street was a poster child for urban blight, bounded by vacant and dilapidated nineteenth-century commercial buildings and underutilized low-income housing, with one or two hardy businesses keeping up a brave front amid the decay. Much has changed since then. The handsome Graniteworks complex holds the southern end of the block; all five buildings that comprise this mixed-use development were in danger of demolition at one time or other, but fortunately the wrecking crews were staved off long enough to achieve successful reuse. Further north, other vacant properties have been repurposed into restaurants and office spaces, while Hyatt’s wonderful palace of art supplies continues to survive and thrive

Read more.

DEC 2011

1040 Delaware Avenue: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

OCT 2011

summit buildingGreenleaf & Company has been awarded designated developer of the City-owned Summit Bosche Building at 918 Main Street. This historic four –story property will be re-developed along with a Greenleaf owned three – story building at 916 Main Street. Greenleaf purchased 916 Main Street in November 2008. 918 Main Street Richardsonian Romanesque masonry building is located next to the Red Jacket Apartments, south of Allen Street, one block across the Street from the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the historic streetscape is currently intact. It is a former carriage factory built in the 1880"s and designed by Cyrus K Porter, a well-known architect. It is one of the last remaining intact nineteenth century blocks of three to four story row-type buildings that once characterized much of downtown Buffalo.

Reuse of 918 Main in the Allentown Historic Preservation District has been a neighborhood goal for years. In 2004, the City applied to the Buffalo Preservation Board for approval to demolish the building but was turned down. A hole in the roof has steadily grown and many feared the building would collapse due to neglect or fall under an emergency demolition. The path to reuse was assisted last fall when the City received grant funding through the Restore New York program to stabilize and restore the building's façade. The company's $9 million reuse plan for the building is being developed by architecture and planning firm Carmina Wood Morris. A mix of conventional financing and state and federal tax credits will be utilized.

Greenleaf plans to use the first floor for commercial space and thirteen market rate apartments are planned. Many of Greenleaf's current 650 apartments are in renovated buildings where the original character is retained and kitchens, bathroom and mechanical systems are upgraded... The firm's properties are concentrated in the Buffalo State, Linwood, Elmwood Village, Delaware Park and North Buffalo Areas.

SEP 2011

The Real Estate section of Buffalo Rising featured:
1040 Delaware Nears Completion
, Benefits from Medical Campus Growth.

Mouse over photos for bigger version
1040 before  1040 after 
MAR 2011

1040 PhotoGreenleaf & Company is proud to announce its newest development project located at 1040 Delaware Avenue.

The former Niagara Lutheran Nursing Home located on Delaware Avenue between W. Utica and Lexington Avenue is getting an extensive and significant makeover. 1040 Delaware will become an upscale blend of 49 market rate apartments and approximately 2,200 square feet of commercial space. The thirty-five (35) one bedroom apartments, thirteen (13) two bedroom apartments and one (1) studio apartment will be available beginning on or about June 2011.

Two well-known Western New Yorkers have joined forces to redevelop the building at 1040 Delaware: James Swiezy (Greenleaf & Company) and Paul Kolkmeyer (Priam Enterprises). While this is their first project together, both have extensive experience in real estate development. Mark Tufillaro from Greenleaf Development will be the Construction Manager.

1040 Delaware is being transformed from an existing mundane, dull building into a more "neo-classical" structure with its own distinctive character. When completed it will enhance and compliment neighboring Delaware Avenue properties. All apartments will be higher-end units with modern finishes including hardwood and stone tile floors, hard –surface countertops and stainless steel appliances.

This building is equipped with ample onsite parking, an exercise room, laundry facilities and storage area for tenants. It is anticipated that two model apartments will become available for private tours before the end of March 2011 and applications will be accepted from prospective tenants at that time.

For more leasing information call (716)885-8538, or e-mail our Property Manager

OCT 2007

The American Planning Association (APA) announced Oct 2, 2007 that the Elmwood Village, located in Buffalo, New York, has been designated as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2007 through APA's Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.

JUL 2007

Greenleaf & Company, Inc. completed the acquisition of The Linview Apartments in the City of Buffalo. This 70 unit complex is located on the corner of Linwood Avenue and Bryant Street. There are two large masonry buildings with abundant parking and many amenities.

Jim Swiezy, President and General Manager of Greenleaf, believes this acquisition solidifies our presence and commitment to the City of Buffalo. These large one and two bedroom apartments offer high end living in one of the city's strongest neighborhoods.

The larger units have 1250 square feet of living space with open floor plans, parquet hardwood floors, Corian countertops, ceramic tile floors, private terraces and covered parking. One bedroom units are also available with similar amenities and are between 690-975 Square feet. Apartments rent for $725 - $1300.00 per month with gas and electric included.

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Greenleaf & Company is a property management, construction and development company that owns and operates close to 500 apartment units in the City of Buffalo. Make an appointment today to "Discover City Living".