The City announced today it closed purchase of 5021 and 5023 Ross (50) Street downtown with the intent to redevelop the area. Included among the two parcels of land are the Buffalo Hotel and Club Café.
To maximize use of these and neighbouring properties, the buildings will be demolished, and properties primed for redevelopment. The City had been working with the previous owners to complete site assessments and evaluations prior to purchase, which closed today. In the new year, The City will put out a tender for demolition in the spring.
“Unfortunately, these properties are in poor state of disrepair and evaluations found it would be cost-prohibitive to restore the buildings or repurpose the space,” said Wade Martens, Land Coordinator. “We know we will be able to do more for our downtown, and our community, by repurposing this prime area of our downtown.”
Council approved budget for the purchase, demolition and activation of the site. Once the buildings have been demolished, the site can be combined with existing adjacent City-owned land at 5022 49 Street to offer a prime downtown space for redevelopment.
“Despite their current state, we know the Buffalo Hotel and Club Café both played a significant role in our community’s history, and we will ensure we preserve that history,” said Martens. “We will share more details soon about how residents will be able to participate as we say goodbye to these iconic spaces and preserve their memory.”
The City will purchase and demolish these properties as part of plans to address derelict properties and support revitalization in the downtown. Recognizing the time it will take for the lands to be fully redeveloped, The City will seek input on how it can activate the space once demolition is complete.
“Knowing that redevelopment takes time, we are looking at how we can make use of this great space in the downtown until it is redeveloped,” said Martens. “We welcome ideas from the community and will work with local stakeholders to identify what would be most beneficial in the downtown.”
A request for proposals will be shared in early 2023 as The City seeks a contractor to complete demolition and site repairs in the spring. Interested parties can watch for the request at reddeer.bidsandtenders.ca.
FAQ Buffalo Hotel purchase (pdf)
For more information, please contact:
Community & Public Relations
The City of Red Deer