A developer wants to convert the former Horsefeathers building on the West Side of Buffalo

into loft-style apartments and a year-round market and production facility for farmers and

other food producers.

Small-scale, ethnic food vendors from the diverse neighborhood, which includes Vietnamese,

Burmese and Hispanics, are also expected to share the space by taking advantage of a

professional, commercial-style kitchen at the site.

"There is this need for absolutely fresh food made by local food growers and food makers,

in a year-round facility," said architect-turned-developer Karl Frizlen. "Nobody is doing it, and

to us it appears fairly obvious that there is a need in this community."

While some retail will be available, the locally produced food will be available for daily

distribution around the Buffalo area.

"It will bring more businesses to the street, more confidence to the neighborhood, bring

students in ... it's a win-win situation that's just so exciting," said Robin Johnson, who

operates Vilardo Printing on the same block of Connecticut Street.

"It's great to see, especially considering that it wasn't all that long ago that we were

pushing prostitutes off Connecticut Street," said Harvey Garrett, a community activist on the

West Side. "This is another example of Connecticut Street and the larger West Side turning

around."

Frizlen, a board member of the Bidwell Farmers' Market, which operates on Saturdays in

nonwinter months, said the idea of an indoor farmers' market has long been talked about.

Several food producers ... including a pasta maker, dairy producer and salsa maker ... are

committed to moving into the first floor and basement spaces that total 10,000 square feet,

with expectations of 10 to 15 food producers in the facility, he said.

Patrick Lango, operator of White Cow Dairy in East Otto, said he and Frizlen had spoken

often of the need for farmers and other local food producers to have a year-round presence.

"It is really important to our sustainability. This will allow us to maintain the level of

sales and the relationships we have with the people who depend on our food for their

nutritional lives," said Lango, who plans to have a dairy bar.

He said the commercial kitchen will fill a need in the community since a fire several years

ago burned down one located at Massachusetts Avenue Project on Grant Street.

"We intend to fill some of the space created by that vacuum," Lango said.

The energy-efficient building will be LEED certified, and Lango said bicycles and rowing

machines hooked up to the building's power grid will allow people if they choose to help

produce energy and earn a discount.

The circa 1896, five-story building at 346 Connecticut St. was the longtime home of

Horsefeathers Architectural Antiques and Hollywood Hank's, the emporium known for carrying

everything from furniture and hardware to nostalgia and memorabilia. Horsefeathers relocated

in 2008 to 37 Chandler St. in Black Rock.

Frizlen said he is purchasing the property, which has not yet closed, for $475,000. He said

he hopes to close on a loan this summer, with the building being completed in the summer of

2011.

The plans are contingent on changes to the historic preservation tax credit law by the

State Legislature that some local developers, notably Rocco Termini, have called for and is supported by Gov. David A. Paterson.

To qualify, the building will first have to receive National Historic Landmark status from

the U.S. Department of the Interior. Frizlen said he is working toward that goal with the

state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which has determined the building

is landmark eligible.

The 16 residential, loft-style apartments occupying the top four floors, will range from

1,150 square feet to 1,300 square feet, with monthly rent priced at $1 per square foot.

A D'Youville College spokesman said students could also be interested in the market-rate

apartments, one of several ongoing projects by Frizlen on the West Side.

"I think the apartments would be attractive to undergraduate and graduate students,"

D'Youville spokesman John Bray said. The market for local food producers, he said, "would be

perfect, like an oasis, because there is nothing like that that's close to the campus."