Niagara Club renovations back on
Redeveloping the former Niagara Club has been an on-and-off process. Its owner hopes this time is the charm.
Last month, the Niagara Falls Planning Board unanimously approved Babu Patel's reinvigorated plans to renovate the former social club. His Rupal Corporation has owned the historic building for the past 16 years, with past plans failing to move forward.
'When I acquired 24 Buffalo Avenue in 2009, my vision was to transform this prime location into an upscale restaurant, bar, and banquet facility, capitalizing on its unparalleled views and proximity to Niagara Falls,' said Patel in a letter to the city planning board. 'While other projects and market conditions delayed its execution, I have remained committed to the site, making significant investments to stabilize the building and secure quality tenants.'
He attributed the COVID-19 pandemic to project delays but his team is ready to move forward now that his other developments have stabilized. Work will start within a few weeks with a completion goal of within six months.
The $2 million redevelopment would give the establishment a 250-seat banquet hall, a 150-person steak & seafood restaurant, and a 25-seat rooftop bar equipped for live music. Renovations would be mostly internal aiming to have it look as it did in the 1930s.
'That location at that corner, we have a lot of walking tourists over there,' Patel said. 'They're gonna walk through my corner and that's the opportunity I'm gonna take.'
Rupal Corp. was granted $274,501 in tax incentives from the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, made up of $182,023 in property tax exemptions, and $92,478 in sales tax exemptions. It is located within census tract 211, which is considered a distressed area.
Documents submitted to the IDA state that the project would create eight full-time and 13 part-time jobs with an average salary of $36,178. Funds would come entirely from bank financing, with project costs including $1.59 million in construction, $360,000 in new equipment, and $53,000 for soft costs.
Patel had received $383,424 in incentives in 2019 from the IDA for phase one of redevelopment, then costing $3.55 million with plans including an escape room and cafe on the property. A Spot Coffee location opened there in 2020, with Patel saying they will see how the restaurant goes before revisiting the escape room.
It also received a $523,250 Cataract Tourism Fund grant that same year.
Agency Counsel Mark Gabriele said that the 10-year PILOT agreement and mortgage tax exemptions granted in 2019 are still in effect, with the sales tax exemptions granted then having expired.
First built in 1865 as the private residence of Dexter Jerald, it was turned into a private social club and operated as the Niagara Club from 1901 to 1996. It was a temporary space for the former Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp. until new offices were built.
Rupal Corporation's other Niagara Falls projects include the Cadence Hotel and Seva Bar & Kitchen at 200 Rainbow Blvd. and the Courtyard Marriott at 900 Buffalo Ave.
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