Third Nature Capital Bought 700 Main Street

The firm plans to convert the historic six-story Buffalo office building into 54 market-rate apartments.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Commercial

Screen-print poster illustration showing a historic six-story brick office building facade, reflecting urban residential redevelopment.
Third Nature Capital has contracted to purchase the historic six-story office building at 700 Main Street in Buffalo, with plans to convert the structure into 54 market-rate apartments. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Third Nature Capital has contracted to purchase the office building located at 700 Main Street in Buffalo. The developer intends to renovate the property to create 54 new market-rate apartments.

Why it matters

This project represents a significant shift in the local real estate market, moving underutilized office space toward residential use in the city. The development aims to address housing demand within the downtown neighborhood.

The building at 700 Main Street contains 47,328 square feet of space and stands six stories tall. Originally constructed in 1920, the site is currently occupied by various arts organizations.

The players

Alexander Mejean

He is a representative of Third Nature Capital leading the acquisition of the Buffalo property.

Harold Kopp

He is the current owner of the office building located at 700 Main Street.

Ciminelli Development

This firm is a local developer planning to convert 10 Fountain Plaza into 160 apartments.

Chris Jacobs

He is a developer pursuing a project to create 22 apartments at 122 Genesee Street.

The details

Buyer Alexander Mejean of Third Nature Capital plans to repurpose the historic structure into modern housing. This transaction follows the company's separate efforts to convert a site at 505 Pearl Street into 53 apartment units.

Timeline

  1. The office building at 700 Main Street was originally constructed in 1920.

  2. Various residential projects in the area could come online over the next few years.

Culture Shift

This project aligns with a growing movement to adapt 20th-century commercial structures for modern living needs. The conversion mirrors a broader shift away from traditional office use toward residential hubs in city centers.

Residents may see a change in the neighborhood as arts organizations currently occupying the space relocate to make room for construction. The addition of 54 market-rate units will increase housing inventory in the downtown area.

The takeaway

Adaptive reuse projects like this demonstrate how older urban infrastructure can find new utility through residential development. Prospective renters should monitor local development news to track when these units become available.

Further reading

Learn more about local development updates in our Buffalo Commercial section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Buffalo Rising.

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Should your city prioritize converting vacant downtown office buildings into residential apartments?