You Can Help Secure Wildroot as Future Tenants are Pursued for this East Side Landmark

Mark Paradowski has always imagined the shuttered Wildroot building on Bailey Avenue being reused as an anchor of the community. Growing up just down the street, Mark has had a long time interest in the building and recently began taking care of it, when no one else would. Now he is speaking with potential tenants all over Buffalo and the country that may have an interest in taking over the complex, with several mixed use concepts.

Until the day comes where a tenant has been secured, Mark will continue to maintain the property to the best of his ability. He’s already invested a fair amount of his own funds to secure the building in the mean time, but is looking for some help for a big push.

He’s started a donation campaign with a goal of $500 for materials to seal the building and get the debris removed from the premises. I’ve spent a fair amount of time with Mark helping to secure the building and can attest to his abilities to get things done. So far he’s installed a new fence, secured several openings, cleared the roof of trees and growth, and so much more. If you have an interest in contributing to his efforts, you can check out his campaign site by clicking here. Mark has the following to offer about the building’s history and his goals.

“The Wildroot Company was a major employer in Buffalo that obtained nationwide fame. Its legacy includes the WNY (Wildroot) Foundation and a building that acted as an anchor for a thriving neighborhood.  The company closed when an outside corporation gained control, leaving its headquarters building to fend for itself.

Our goal is to mothball the building, and this fundraiser would secure step one of that process. Most of the doors and windows have been secured, but there are gaps in that coverage throughout the massive 100,000 square foot complex. Combined with a volunteer effort to clean-up exterior debris, foliage, and graffiti, a proper mothballing would make the building safer for residents of the neighborhood, while also being more attractive to developers that could bring jobs back to the community

This project is being led by concerned citizens who are investing their own money and donating their labor on a property that they are not profiting from. Be sure to follow Wildroot on Facebook for updates and lots more on the history of the company and building.”

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