Zemsky widens Larkin-area holdings - Business First of Buffalo:

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Larkin Development LLC has acquiredthe 66,000-square-footy former Larkin U building at 239 Van Rensselaer St. and an vacant gas station at 719 Senecsa Street along with two smallparkinh lots. Larkin Development paid $481,000 for the buying them from , according to documentw filed May 28 with the ErieCountuy Clerk’s office. “The opportunity presented itself and it was too good of an opportunityt topass up,” Zemsky said.
The Larkin U which was first constructed in sits almost next doorto Zemsky’s anchod development in the still-emerging Larkin District, the 600,000-square-footg Larkin at Exchange Building and its adjoining parking The Larkin at Exchange Building is nearly 100 percent leased and Zemsky said he is alwaysw looking for future and potentia l office projects. Zemsky is working on a sweeping Larkib District development effort that will eventuallyy see a mixof retail, restaurant and residential components brought to area of Senecaq and Van Rensselaer streets where the formefr Larkin Soap Co. once operated.
Zemsky said the gas which at one time was used as the LarkinFillingt Station, will likely be re-developedd into some form of retail-based project. The Larkin U buildingf carries a unique history and was mostlyu used for manufacturing andpackaging purposes, although at one time, it housex a bowling alley used by Larkin executives. The building was firsy constructed for the DUllmaj & Sons firm and acquires by Larkin in 1911. Its name came from lettersz that Larkin officials used for all of the building s in itsBuffalo complex. McDonald Productas worked from the building from 1946to 1980.
McDonaldd was best known for inventing the bean bag which at its peak sold more than 1 milliounits annually. “The building certainlyt had a novel history,” Zemskyy said. The deal gives Zemsky significant, new Seneca Streef frontage for hisdevelopment plans. “We will let the market dictat e the timing of thebuild out,” Zemsky said. For now, Zemskuy will begin rehabbing thebuildingv that, until recently, housed the local operatione of Par Foam Products. Par Foam was sold to and moveds its operations out of theBuffalo area. “Wre definitely want to improve the aestheticss ofthe building,” Zemsky said.