Project Overview
TOP Enterprises Inc.
Buffalo NY.
TOP Enterprises Inc.
Buffalo NY.
T O P development project, commonly referred to as TOP Gateway Village (TGV) is a community restoration development project, with a focus to BUILD PEOPLE – BUILD COMMUNITY. Located on Jefferson Avenue near the Best Street intersection in the city of Buffalo, NY, this project is designed to improve quality of life, create jobs, generate economic uplift to the area, and introduce programs that spark community involvement for current and future residents.
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TGV is to be completed in a series of phases:
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Fine Arts Building (community center) includes; banquet/meeting venue, a pop-up restaurant eatery with wi-fi accessibility and focuses on developing the Arts and critical thinking.
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Landscape design that provides, green-space, bike paths, community gardens, and areas for relaxation.
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Restoration of the 1871 Lion Brewery – Includes prime/affordable lofts, studio apartments, an anchor restaurant, coffee shop, and retail office space, in addition to the historic cistern as a tourist attraction.
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Resource center dedicated to health & wellness and self-improvement.
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Mixed-use Housing – Includes affordable senior housing (targeting 55+ age group) and two/three bedroom affordable apartment options for working families, in addition to retail options at ground level.
TGV will be designed as a walkable campus-style environment to increase movement and synergy to the area.
Fine Arts & Housing Development Project
Development Boot Camp
All hands on deck as the T O P board work to dissect community survey results and create a Master Plan to address the expressed needs.
Board members of T O P Enterprises Inc along with a Buffalo City Planner work diligently to create a master plan for the Jefferson/Best area, known also as Gateway Village. The scope includes 3.5 acres on the east side of Jefferson & Best and 1.5 acres on the west side of Jefferson & Best, which includes some city-owned lots.
To get an overview of the areas of importance,
T O P Inc. engaged the communities surrounding the targeted Jefferson/Best site (Fruitbelt, Kingsley, & Masten Park) area.
The meeting started as an open forum, discussing important missing or lacking neighborhood elements with community members.
In the initial survey, they were asked to create a hypothetical wish list, listing things they each would like to see.
In subsequent meetings, after gathering the results to establish a focused list of community needs, they asked attendees to list these needs in order of importance.
The next plan of action was to take the surveyed results and determine how to address the needs of the community.
Survey sample
The diagram to the left provides an overview of what the communities felt would be most beneficial to them.
Using these results, T O P determined the type of structures and services to provide for the community.
Buffalo is a city known for its architectural landmark structures. T O P members evaluated the benefit of rehabilitating the historic Lion Brewery, dated back to late-1800s, located at 1035 Jefferson Ave.
It was also important to consider creating new structures that take on the style and characteristics of other buildings in the area.
