At long last, the controversial second floor at Acropolis has opened as a dining area. Over the past couple of months I've peaked in to check on the progress, and must say that they've done an excellent job reworking the floor plan. The bar had already been partially built, but when a permitting snafu (for music, and bar service on the second floor - see history) made it impossible to continue on with original plans, a long seating banquette was incorporated into the design.
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In the end, the second floor is a welcome addition to the business and the block. At night the colorful lighting adds a splash of sophistication to the street, while the increased activity adds to the overall liveliness. This past Saturday I took a R&R Pedicab ride down Elmwood to grab a cup of coffee (after opening The Peddler) and was delighted to see a packed upper patio filled with diners who were enjoying looking out onto the action of Elmwood.
Later in the day I stopped in to see the finished product. For what might have originally appeared to be a limited amount of space, the second floor has a lot of seating and is not congested at all. The patio incorporates clear glass shields rather that railings so as not to obscure views. The tables can be moved inside and out to accommodate different seating arrangements. There's a deli case with a few non-alcholol bottled drinks and a couple of bathrooms for added convenience, but mainly the addition adds seating for what looks to be around 50 people. It's also a nice spot for private parties and catered events.
While Acropolis may not have gotten everything that it originally set out to get, the second floor turned out well, all things considered.
Acropolis
708 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 886-2977
and to think, the old trolls who live blocks away did'nt want this place to expand. Looks good!
Those "old trolls" didn't have a problem with expansion, Lego. They had a problem with the prospect of loud music diminishing the quality of life in their very expensive homes. They also had a problem with the owner's bluster and arrogant disregard for their concerns.
There is monumental irony in YOU tossing around the word "troll," by the way.
Captain, yes that looks ironic, and another irony is some of the same people who scream when the city's rules for Elmwood Village aren't enforced to-the-letter consistently for all (such as the recent complaint in there about the Organic 3 Cafe's wall material) also were who advocated that the city should not allow Acropolis to operate within the city's rules as written.
They pushed for and received from the Common Council a separate set of much more restrictive rules written for Acropolis to disallow what's allowed in general for everyone else. For example, not being allowed to have an upstairs bar which other places have (Soho, Skybar, etc.), and disallowing any standing on the patio like customers can at other patios even in EV, and some other things.
So basically, some of these folks such as the one quoted in the linked BN article yell that the rules should be applied as-written-consistently-for-all when they want them to be, and also yell for them to be tossed aside in favor of inconsistency when they want that.
Consistently inconsistent, or something.
@Whatever
I agree with you. I myself have been the victim of selective enforcement, and I have no love for City Hall. I also think that Elmwood Village has more than its share of busybody NIMBYs who are desperate to protect their bourgeois, organic, utopian, do-as-I-say enclave. And don't get me started on Allentown and their numerous "associations." The only difference between those meddling goons and the Mafia are the crushed velvet pajamas and rhinestone-studded boxer briefs.
I simply wanted to correct Lego, as he/she is consistently ripe for parody.
"diminishing the quality of life"
i have neighbors who have dogs that bark a lot. it annoys me. does that diminish my quality of life? No, not at all. nither does this.
your arguement is pretentious and douchy.
then again so is mine, but since I live in an expensive home on elmwood too im allowed to be.