Old Building Razed
The Historic House Will See Better Days

By Chad Neal

 Building Being Razed; New Business Shall Arise.

After Long-Time Residence Razed. Will it be Missed? The story behind 41 Washington Street in Ellicottville…

   Washington Street has changed once again and for the better. Alas many sights we are used to seeing as a daily routine can cause a consternation to those who were used to it being there. The old green house the little old lady lived in for years has been taken down in a bid for new digs to be built. The new structure will house residences and a store front. It sat adjacent to Balloons parking lot and was the last hold out in that part of the village and now the lot it sat on is bare and surrounded by a fence, giving the impression of more change to come. There are probably some stories and memories that go with the old two-story home, but this is about the new owner and his plans for the property. A fellow that has enjoyed Ellicottville for quite some time, Scott Croce, purchased it with plans to develop something new and necessary for the village.

   Croce has taken all the steps necessary to secure the rights to build a two-story building at 41 Washington St. across from Madigan’s. The lot the old house was on and the small lot between it and Elk Creek are the new foundations for a five-apartment edifice with a large retail frontage to keep the village growing in the right direction. Rumors about what stores or businesses will be have been circulating and Croce is looking into a medical unit for the suite entered from the sidewalk. The Villager caught up with Croce and got some information about the new build and plans for the spot.

The Villager(V): When did you decide you wanted the property?

Scott Croce(SC): I decided to purchase the property after speaking with Caitlyn (Croft) who was the real estate agent for the sellers. She did a great job marketing the property to me.

V: Do you have partners?

SC: I do not have a partner.

V: What inspired the purchase and the plans?

SC: I have been looking at Ellicottville for a couple years. It seems it’s not just a ski town, but a year-round destination. The location was ideal.

V: Five apartments, a retail front, parking in the back and there’s rumors floating around that the retail will be an Urgent Care, is there truth behind that? If so, any information on which company and if not do you know what will reside in the retail?

SC: Chad, I tried to get an acute care center, but Ellicottville’s population was less than what they desire in a location. I own an office building in Amherst which WellNow is a tenant, so I contacted them and several others and minimal population is 25 thousand residents. I am still actively looking for a medical/ dental tenant.

V: Will the apartments be full time residential or are you planning short term?

SC: I am undetermined on short term versus long term. I will probably do a mix of both leaning toward more long term to stabilize the building.

V: Who will manage the building?

SC: I have a management team in Buffalo that will probably manage the property, but I am open to a local management team.

   Croce also added that “Tundo Construction is the General Contractor and is excited to expand his footprint in Ellicottville. Additionally, I would like to add that Caitlyn made the sale extremely seamless as did the sellers family. They went above and beyond to give me the history of the house and the stories about their Great Aunt. Their kindness was infectious! I hope the building will honor their Aunt!”

   The old house was a sort of soup kitchen for the stray cats in the village as the porch was where they were fed by locals who help keep them well. And the view from across the street will forever be different as those who have always known the old green dwelling and the folks seen living there become a memory. But the excitement of the new place getting erected soon will take its place as we watch Ellicottville grow even more.