Owner Chris Jacobs has decided to call the single-story, 9,000-square-foot building, located at 731 Main St., "The Swan Building."

"The building was in such poor shape that it really was an 'ugly duckling'," Jacobs said. "That's why I wanted to call it 'The Swan Building' because people won't recognize it from before."

Jacobs is gutting the building including replacing a boarded up facade with intricate terra cotta work. He is working with Boston Valley Terra Cotta on the building's new facade.

Jacobs is no stranger to bringing new life to buildings in that section of Main Street -- the block that runs between Goodell and Tupper streets.

Three years ago, he converted the historic Stokes Seed Co. building - located next door to the Swan Building - into a multi-tenant complex that has been quickly leased up and drawn raves from both the development and historic preservation communities.

Last year, Jacobs and Sam Savarino acquired the former Benlin Distribution Center in Buffalo's Cobblestone District, and are converting the one-time warehouse into a multi-use complex featuring offices, residential units and restaurants.

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