Inside the Wurlitzer Condos: A Full-Floor Condo for Sale in Buffalo’s Theater District
This week’s Buffalo by Design segment leaves the studio for the Theater District. Enas and the Daytime Buffalo crew visit the Wurlitzer Building, an 1895 landmark that developer Drew gutted and restored into five floors of condos over 42 North Brewing — and walk through the one condo currently for sale: the entire fifth floor, 3,200 square feet, steps from Shea’s. Here’s the segment, with the full transcript below.
Originally aired on Daytime Buffalo, WIVB News 4, Buffalo. Segment courtesy of WIVB.
Key takeaways
- The Wurlitzer Building dates to 1895 — the era electricity came to Buffalo — and the Wurlitzer music company occupied it for roughly 65 years as a showroom and lesson space. The upper floors had been mothballed for years before the restoration.
- The restoration kept what could be kept: the ornate front, restored murals, and the original freight-elevator doors, which were refinished and hung in each unit. New finishes — checkered tile, subway tile — were chosen to match the period.
- It’s mixed-use: floors two through five are condos of roughly 3,200 sq ft each; 42 North Brewing and the Edward Kent event room are on the ground floor.
- The condo for sale occupies the whole fifth floor: two bedrooms plus a flex room that could be a third, two and a half baths, a large laundry room with extra storage, an entertaining-ready kitchen with an open bar, and city views on all sides.
- Location and security: walk to Shea’s, restaurants, and the brewery downstairs, with gated covered parking, a private elevator to the unit, fob entry front and back, guest access, and cameras throughout.
Read the full transcript7 min segment · 4 min read
HostFor today’s Buffalo by Design segment, we’re stopping by a historic building right in the heart of the Theater District in downtown Buffalo. I’m here with Drew. Thank you so much for inviting us out to the Wurlitzer Building.
DrewMy pleasure. It’s great to have you here.
HostTell us a little about what drew you to this building and the history behind it.
DrewMy background was real estate appraisal. In the late ’80s I appraised a lot of the older buildings, and there was quite a gentrification process going on back then. I always fell in love with the architecture Buffalo has. I was in the real estate business most of my life — commercial real estate, other property — and eventually sold a lot of it. It was always my passion to take one of these old buildings and restore it back to life. When that time came, I started looking around downtown Buffalo. Not too long ago the buildings were being gobbled up by developers in the area, and I stumbled across this one. This is the old Ten City building — it used to be an Army surplus store downstairs. Chuck Kushner owned it and was retiring, the business was ending, so the building went on the market, and I happened to come across it at the right time and fell in love with it.
DrewIt was built in 1895, around the time of the Pan-American Exposition, when electricity came to Buffalo, so it has a lot of history. The Wurlitzer music company was the primary occupant over the years — I think they owned the building 60 or 65 years — and used it for their showroom and music lessons. What I wanted to do was turn it into a mixed-use building. The upper floors were mothballed and in some disrepair, so it was a total gut job.
HostTell us how you combined the historic elements of the building with a luxury, modern feel.
DrewThe greatest part of this building is the exterior, the front — it’s very ornate. There used to be murals way back when, and we restored some murals to really preserve the exterior. Where we could, we preserved the interior. The freight-elevator doors are magnificent pieces; we took them down, restored them, painted them, and hung them in each unit as a memory of the past. In certain units we had flexibility to maintain things, and in others we had to demolish because of the disrepair. The finishes we used, we tried to keep in concert with the time — the checkered tile, the subway tiles, those types of things.
HostYou said this is mixed-use. What else is in the building?
DrewWe have five floors. The top four — two through five — are condominiums, approximately 3,200 square feet apiece, all residential. On the first floor we have 42 North Brewing, a commercial tenant, and an event space called the Edward Kent Room, adjacent to 42 North, that’s rented out on an event basis.
HostNow we’re going to talk to Enas from the Enas Latif Team to learn about the listing. We just learned the history of this building from Drew, and it’s incredible, but I want to learn more about the condo that’s available.
Enas LatifWe currently have only one condo available for sale. It’s over 3,200 square feet of space, beautifully finished — exquisite finishes, lighting fixtures, flooring, lots of natural light. What’s unique about it, and makes it so different from any other unit in Buffalo, is that it occupies the whole fifth floor, with beautiful views of the city.
HostWe’re in the heart of the Theater District. Tell our viewers more about where they are and why this is such prime real estate.
Enas LatifYou can walk right to Shea’s from here — I know many people who would love to have friends over and catch a show right after. There are so many restaurants, and the brewery downstairs. But we still have nice private parking — gated, covered parking for the building — and a private elevator to your unit. It’s really upscale: great for entertaining, or for your own privacy if you like to be private.
HostAnd the building is super safe as well?
Enas LatifAbsolutely. We have fobs to enter from the front and the back, and a system to let your guests in. It’s completely secured, and there’s a camera system throughout the whole building.
HostHow many bedrooms is the listing?
Enas LatifTwo bedrooms, plus a flex room that could be a third, and two and a half bathrooms. There’s also a large laundry room with extra storage. The kitchen is fabulous — lots of storage, and a beautiful open bar area. For someone who loves to entertain, it works really well.
HostYou can’t beat in-unit laundry — that’s always the selling point. If our viewers are interested in this condo, how can they reach your team?
Enas LatifEasy — just call me directly at 716-417-4755.
HostThank you so much for inviting us out to this beautiful building. Viewers, if you’re interested, that condo could be yours. Contact the Enas Latif Team to take the stress out of finding a home, and view available floor plans for the Wurlitzer condos at wurlitzerflats.com.
Transcript lightly edited for clarity.
Interested in the Wurlitzer condo?
A full-floor condo in a restored 1895 landmark, a private elevator, and Shea’s a block away don’t come up often in Buffalo. If you’d like to see the fifth floor in person or want the details — price, HOA, parking, floor plan — call Enas directly or send the team a message and we’ll set up a showing.
Buying or selling in Western New York?
Talk it through with the team before you sign anything.
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