At long last, we are preparing to settle into our new home for WindsorTurner! Along the way, we’ve toured quite a few office spaces, learned a few things, had a few surprises, and been reminded that helping other people with their real estate is much easier than helping yourself. So, we thought we’d share where we’ve been, where we almost landed, and where we’re finally calling home.
Where We’re Ending Up
We couldn’t be happier to be moving into The Brisbane Building. All things considered, the great rental value combined with a stunner of a view from the 7th floor-looking directly at City Hall (we’ve got our eye on you, Mayor Ryan)—made this one hard to beat. Its central location also means Maggie can bike pretty much everywhere, which makes Maggie happy. For those of us who are decidedly not biking to meetings, there is one little catch: no dedicated parking. So, we’ll be at the mercy of BCAR. Fun fact: because I sit on the Buffalo Parking Authority, I’ll now have an insider’s view of life in the ramp. Consider it field research. (Photo Credit: LoopNet)
Where We Thought We Would End Up
This one still hurts a little.
After the usual back-and-forth on business terms, followed by the usual attorneys-doing-attorney-things process (need them, love them, but sometimes the focus on the minutiae is…painful), we thought we were almost there. Then, at the last hour, the landlord halted the lease process because the building had been placed under a purchase and sale agreement. They graciously offered to let us wait it out for a few months, thanks … but no thanks. We needed an office. Sadly, we moved on. We loved the location, the convenience to our homes, nearby recreation, and easy access to downtown clients. But “unavailable” is “unavailable.” So sad. Onward. (Photo Credit: The Plaza Group)
The Other Prime Contenders
Shopping for real estate is really fun. Sort of like going to open houses, but better, in my view. No pet smells, odd personal belongings, or Sunday morning scheduling. We toured here, there, and everywhere within our roughly three-mile radius—with our tiny budget and our not-so-tiny demand for just the right vibe.
We loved Ellicott Square. When it comes to iconic Buffalo buildings, this one is hard to top. We would have loved to make it home, but the renovations we needed were going to take more time than we had. At this point, we really needed to graduate from the working-while-doing-laundry, walking-dogs, and occasional child-minding phase of our office search. (Photo Credit: Ellicott Development)
Olympic Towers? Also, a winner when it came to value and amenities. What went wrong here? A slight disconnect between the sales materials and the real deal (IRL). Five offices unfortunately became three IRL. Luckily, we figured that out sooner rather than later. As in, before the lease was signed. Whew. (Photo Credit: Acquest Development)
And finally, a shout-out to TRU Commercial. They were simply a pleasure to work with. Gunner was a true professional, as usual. That one really just came down to distance from our target area. But if you’re looking for a small office, give Gunner a call. He’ll be his true professional self. (Photo Credit: LoopNet)
There were quite a few others we enjoyed seeing along the way, from a look at the Lory Building, a classic with plenty of vintage charm, to Lafayette Court, which was well-appointed with a decidedly strong M&T vibe. It possible had an odor diffuser called “CASH” pumping through the HVAC. Kidding, kidding.
We appreciate every owner, broker, and leasing agent who reached out, opened doors, answered questions, measured walls, tolerated our indecision, and worked with us along the way. After all, helping clients navigate real estate decisions is something we do every day at WindsorTurner. Doing it for ourselves gave us a whole new appreciation for being on the other side of the table.
Would we go through this journey again? Absolutely…for a client.
For ourselves? Ask us again in five years.
Cheers!