Erie County Legislator Turned Real Estate Investor

Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro—himself a real estate investor and developer—has driven countless times past a former Masons lodge along Broadway in the Village of Lancaster.

So when the historic, three-story building at 5497 Broadway came on the market, what did Todaro do? He bought it.

“It’s almost a museum piece,” Todaro said.

Todaro, through his 5497 Village Place LLC affiliate, paid $265,000 for the circa-1916 era, 10,500-square-foot building, buying it from a local investment group, 5497 Temple Lancaster LLC, according to documents filed Sept. 11 in the Erie County Clerk's office.

Todaro said he is considering a number of options for the building and is waiting for recommendations from his architect, Dave Sutton, and also—and more importantly—feedback from the Village of Lancaster and its residents.

“Whatever I do, I want to do it right,” Todaro said. “This can be a great addition to the village (Lancaster) and the vibe that’s going on there. If there’s a hole, maybe we can fill it.”

Todaro hasn’t ruled anything out, he stressed.

Mixed-use is a possibility. So is a residential conversion or returning the building to its meeting space/event center roots when it was a Masonic lodge.

Commercial broker Rick Recckio, who handled the deal, said Todaro was one of several parties who took an interest in the former lodge, even though it has been vacant for the past few years.

“We had some good showings,” Recckio said.

For Todaro, the lodge deal is the first of what he hopes are others in the Lancaster/Depew/Cheektowaga area.

“I’m excited to be investing in this area,” Todaro said.