The Buffalo Planning Board has signed off on a mandated environmental review for a series of Kaleida Health-related developments within the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

With its approval, the planning board has helped Kaleida clear a major hurdle that could trigger a series of new projects in the northern end of the downtown Buffalo medical corridor along Washington Street. The planning board will still have to sign off on each building as it is presented.

The board approved the review unanimously. The Buffalo Common Council and other city agencies and boards must also sign off on the projects.

Chief among the projects is a global vascular institute that will serve as one of the medical campus' anchors.

"This is good news," said James Kaskie, Kaleida president and CEO. "Another milestone reached. This is more momentum for the global vascular project and continued campus development."

The five-story, 380,000-square-foot vascular institute carries a $150 million development price tag. Kaleida hopes to start work on the building this spring.

Also in the works is the University at Buffalo's translational research center, which would bring the vascular complex to more than 600,000 square feet and add another $150 million to development costs.

In addition, Kaleida wants to build a four-story, 200,000-square-foot skilled-nursing facility on the campus.