Police Apartments

Douglas Development and Antunovich Associates collaborated on a new exciting adaptive reuse project in the heart of Buffalo, New York, called “Police Apartments.” The Police Apartments is an existing 120,000 SF, 4-level police station located at 74 Franklin Street, located directly across the street from the historic Erie County District Attorney’s building. The building structure, exterior façade, roof, and some interior walls were reused to maintain as much of the original, historic fabric as possible.

The building is renovated into a residential product fit for the 21^st century young professionals. The existing side entrance and vestibule was restored to become the new residential entry. The existing main entry points on Church Street and Franklin Street are the entry points for a 1800 SF ground floor retail space capturing the corner. New amenity spaces are designated on the 4th floor to create places of respite for this urban site. The alterations enhance the distinct character of the building using contextually appropriate materials and finishes that resonate with the time. Synthesizing the existing character, natural light, and modern components help to unify the design throughout the building

The vast majority existing building structure is sound and original, aside from the addition in the 1970’s, so only localized structural re-construction was needed to add functionality and regulatory compliance. Architecturally, the original layout of the building was maintained, including main corridors, entry lobbies, staircases and exterior skin. One of the main challenges was the integration of new mechanical systems while preserving the timeless character of the building.

The building’s design respects the original history of the building, and incorporate elements that are related to the Buffalo Police Department where possible. Color selection, material selection, architectural detailing and selection of inventive amenity space was all designed around this rich history. This interesting, dynamic past, combined with new technologies and trends in residential design makes the Police Apartments the most exciting new apartment community in downtown Buffalo.