BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Change started on the inside at the former Statler Hotel.
"None of this was here, the koi pond was not here, there was water -- we were walking through water. Just complete disarray. There was so much neglect for so many years," said Jamie Evan Ferrone, general manager, of the state of the building in 2011.
Almost six years after those renovations began to wrap up, the next round of changes will soon be visible from the outside.
Work began on the exterior of the nearly 100-year-old building in 2014.
"Over the last year, we literally sound-tested and tap-tested every piece of terra cotta on the building," said developer Mark Croce. "Anything that was deteriorated or that posed any threat to human health and safety was either removed or netted in place, according to some historic standards."
Croce says architectural staff has deemed the building safe, and protective scaffolding will come down within the next few weeks.
Next up: work on the high roof, restoring marquees and storefronts, and finding tenants to fill them. Croce says the lower, ground, and mezzanine levels are the main focus, but he does have an idea of what could be seen on the upper floors.
"It looks like it's probably primarily leaning toward residential-based redevelopment, but right now we have a booming special event business," Croce said.
"This building means so much to so many people in Buffalo, even people who have moved away. It's part of everyone's history," said Ferrone. "Somehow, there's a connection."