Chef’s will get its drive-through window
Planning Board OKs expansion
Hungry diners will be able to grab a Chef’s Restaurant meal on-the- fly by early next year.
The Buffalo Planning Board Tuesday approved plans for a $500,000 expansion at the popular Seneca Street restaurant that includes a new drive-through window.
“We are very excited about the project. This is a big change for our restaurant and we’re appreciative for the approvals,” said Louis J. Billitier Jr., whose family owns the eatery at corner of 291 Seneca St. at Chicago Street.
Besides the drive-through on the Chicago Street side, the renovation and expansion will give the 75-year-old restaurant a bigger, more modern kitchen, a new lobby bar, and boost seating capacity from 325 to 380.
“We’ve always had a lot of phone-in orders, so this is an exciting addition. We’ve had a lot of people ask about it since our plans came out,” Billitier said.
Construction is slated to start by the end of October and should be complete by late February.
Planning board members embraced Chef’s overall plan Tuesday, but continued to express concern the drive-up window might become so popular it will cause traffic bottlenecks at the Seneca/Chicago intersection.
Although a city traffic study projects minimal problems with vehicles entering and exiting the take-out lane, the board requested that the Department of Public Works consider moving the stop light line on Chicago Street farther back from the corner to reduce potential dining gridlock.
Billitier maintains the drive-through window will reduce — not increase — traffic congestion, because it will eliminate double-parking along Chicago and Seneca caused by customers having to park and enter the restaurant to retrieve take-out orders.
The Planning Board also approved the Jewish Community Center’s plans for a landscaping overhaul of its front yard at 787 Delaware Ave. The work will include new fencing and a new wall to enclose the lawn, new children’s play areas and installation of a water-play surface.
The outdoor changes, the first phase of a $1 million update to the JCC’s Holland Family Building, will also include extensive new landscaping and construction of a wooden deck to protect the massive, century-old beech tree that graces the property.
“We hope we’ll have several of the elements built this fall,” said JCC board member Debra Chernoff.
She said final designs will be submitted to city planners shortly, and the Zoning Board of Appeals will review the project next week. The landscaping work should be complete by next summer.
Meanwhile, the JCC is moving ahead on plans to expand its popular fitness center, modernize locker rooms and install new workout equipment. Work on the interior updates will begin early next year.
The planning panel also got its first look at a proposal to raze an idle Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant at 448 Elmwood Ave. to make way for an upscale, three-story mixed use building.
FJF Development detailed its plans for the $3.4 million project, which will feature two ground floor retail spaces, and a dozen apartments on the upper two floors. The structure will also incorporate nine interior parking spaces.
Michael Ferdman of FJF said he’s already gotten several inquiries about the commercial space.
“I’m pleased to say we’re talking to several interested parties who came to us,” Ferdman said.
The project, which is likely see action at the board’s Sept. 23 session, is slated for Zoning Board review on the Sept. 17. The plan has the support of the Elmwood Village Association and the Bryant Street Block Club.
If approved, FJF will demolish the vacant restaurant this fall. The new building would be ready for tenants late next summer.
